Thiruvananthapuram: Today marks the beginning of the sacred “Kuthiyottam vratham” as part of the ‘Pongala Mahotsavam‘ (Pongala festival) at Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. A total of 607 children between the ages of 10 and 12 are participating in the “Kuthiyottam Vratam” this year with the aspiration of becoming ‘Devidasans’ (warriors of the goddess). This ritual begins on the third day after the “Kudiyirithu” ceremony of the goddess.
The boys, having bathed in the temple pool and dressed in wet clothes, will proceed to the shrine of the Goddess. Carrying seven silver coins on the “Palli palaka,” the boys will seek blessings from the chief priest (melshanti) by giving Dakshina (donation) before entering into the “Kuthiyottam” ritual. The boys have to undergo deep penance for this ritual. They will remain in the temple for the next seven days, waking up early in the morning, bathing in the temple pool, dressing up, and worshipping the goddess by chanting her name. Their daily rituals include bowing before the deity 1008 times during both morning and evening oblations, which will be completed within a period of seven days. These boys represent the wounded soldiers of “Mahishasura Mardini.”
The “Chooral Kuthu” for the “Kuthiyottam” boys is scheduled for the evening of the 25th, Pongala day. At 10.15 pm, the deity will be taken in a procession to the Dharma Sastha temple at Manacaud. Following pujas, they will return the next morning. On Monday night, the ‘Kaappu’ (an ornament) worn by the goddess as part of the festival will be removed. The ‘Kuruthi Tharpanam’ ritual will then take place at 12.30 am on Tuesday, formally concluding this year’s Pongala festival.
Kuthiyottam
Kuthiyottam is a ritual that forms an integral part of the annual Pongala festival celebrations at select Hindu temples in Kerala dedicated to Bhadrakali, or Durga, the warrior goddess. This tradition involves young boys, often teenagers or even younger, who volunteer to participate in the ritual.
During the festival, which happens in the Malayalam calendar month of Kumbham, these boys live a simple life, wearing plain clothes and eating basic food. They spend their time in the temple, participating in daily prayers and rituals. Under the guidance of a leader called an ‘Asan’, they also dress up in special clothes and perform as singers and dancers. The dances they perform are closely connected to the stories and legends about the Goddess.
In some places, like the Bhadrakali temples in Alappuzha, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts, the boys may include elements of symbolic blood in their makeup or even pierce their skin to draw real blood. They believe this connection to blood symbolises the bravery of the soldiers who fought for the goddess.
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