THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For anyone who grew up with the folktale of `Parayi Petta Panthirukulam’, the spitting doll of master carpenter Perunthachan, the lightning-struck banyan tree and the peculiar ‘avani palaka’ that belonged to Pakkanar are just as real as the much-loved eccentric philosopher, Naranathu Bhranthan.
For the doubting Thomases, science, generally perceived to be a myth-buster, is helping to establish the authenticity of this most popular folklore of the state, of a family line that started from a high-caste brahmin scholar Vararuchi, his wife from a lower-caste and their 12 children of whom 11 were adopted by various families. Wooden implements, still preserved among the descendants of the 11 lineages of the family are all set to go in for carbon-dating studies in certified labs.
One major sample to be examined will be pieces from the ‘avani palaka’ shaped in the form of a cow’s hoof, sitting on which the religious rituals are conducted in the family, even now. The woodwork from the Yagnesawaram temple of the Mezhathol Agnihothri family, bits of the lightning-struck banyan tree, the much-famed nux vomica, leaning on which Pakkanar took his last breath are also going in for a carbon-dating test. Even to this day, wooden pieces from the banyan tree are rubbed against each other (arani) to create fire for yagas.
This interesting work is being initiated by Dr Rajan Chungath, who had conducted a series of studies on the Panthirukulam families, including a Central Government-sponsored project on ‘Creating history from legend - based on the myth ‘Parayi Petta Panthirukulam’. Once the carbon-dating is done, the traditional implements and wood work that have been handed down through generations will get dated.
The specimens, collected by Dr Rajan Chungath, are now stored at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), which had conducted genetic studies on the family.
‘‘ The Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleobotany in Lucknow has been doing a lot of work on dating of timbers, but we need to work out how much sample has to be sent for a correct scientific analysis,’’ said RGCB director M Radhakrishna Pillai. ‘’We will be sending it in a week’s time,’’ he added.
All the families from the 11 lineages, (one son was installed as a deity), despite the huge difference in their religious, caste and social ranks, are all bound together by rituals and religious customs.
Even now, participation from all of the 11 lineages is essential to begin ‘Pakkanar thottam’, a ritual celebrated by Pakkanar family once in every 12 years.
But science is not blind to the possibility of the story being a myth.
‘’Attributing a common ancestry to a society, which is fragmented on caste, could be an attempt of our wise forefathers to foster unity among different castes and to protect the lower castes from the atrocities of casteism and untouchability,’’ said Dr Sanil George, RGCB scientist.