PARAVUR (KOLLAM):The Puttingal Devi temple has a history of caste driven tussle and legal tangle over control of the management.
The ‘Meena Bharani’ festival was suspended for a while. After years of legal battle the Supreme Court issued guidelines of temple management, says local resident Adv A Arunlal. The formula read: Eight from Nair families, 3 from the priest community (Ezhavas) and four elected from the region in the temple management committee.
In spite of the truce, the ego war between communities kept simmering, often leading to tension. On top of this came complaints and requests to tone down the magnitude of the fireworks, especially from those who stay around the temple. But to no avail.
Though the district authorities tried to act on the complaints by issuing a conditional sanction for fireworks with a ban on competition the organisers refused to accept it. Intimidatory tactics and threats followed. Trolls were bandied around: “We would conduct competitive fireworks even if permission is denied.” One of the complainants Pankajakshy Anandan faced abuses and threats. Religious pressure was put on the District Collector for ‘attempting to scuttle the festival.’
“We had requested that the crackers be placed in the centre and away from the houses. But explosives were placed near my house - as close as 25 metres from my house. We were watching from inside the compound wall, and hence our lives were saved. There is damage to the house. Glasses have broken. The whole house trembled,” recalled Arunlal. He alleged that this was an attempt to intimidate and prove a point.
The Myth
The lore is that a lady from a backward caste went to gather grass. Her sickle slashed an anthill (Puttu). It started bleeding. The lady panicked and ran to the ‘palace’ of the local Ezhava Chieftain.
They soon came to the conclusion that this was a Devi who was left behind by the others from the Devalokam as she came in contact with humans. The Devi who emerged from the ‘Puttu’ came to be known as ‘Puttingal Bhagavathi’.
A temple was built and the idol of the Goddess installed. The lady who discovered the Devi came to be known as Ammoomma and abode was built for her too, and is now known as ‘Puttingal Ammoomma Kavu’. Festival was held every year with generous support from the Nair households, on condition that the Ezhava Chieftain writes out an agreement of subservience to the Nairs.