For the first time in recent years, tribals of Vellakadai have decided not to hold their traditional ‘women only’ festival.
This festival attracted the attention of media, officials, police and the public in last few years as it is believed that a nude dance by tribal women to appease the rain gods was part of the event — a claim stoutly denied by the tribals every year.
According to tribal traditions, the festival, celebrated a day after Karinal, is the last leg of the Pongal festivities. Menfolk, including boys, leave the village and return at dusk after the women complete the festival. A log is placed at the entrance of the village on the festival day to alert strangers that the entry of men is prohibited. It is believed that any male who even inadvertently enters the village on that day would face the wrath of their powerful god. Villagers still narrate the story of how a British officer, who was riding on a pony, lost his way, entered the village on the festival day and later lost his vision.
But girls, women and also men of the village claim that no dance of the said type was ever performed in the recent times, but admit that the ritual was in vogue several decades back and that none of the present residents had ever witnessed it.
Educated girls from the village, who work outstation and visit their homes for the Pongal holidays, blame the media for the wrong portrayal of the festival.
Jayaprakash, a tribal activist from a neighbouring village and a Malayali tribal himself, blames officials for the state of affairs. “Although year after year, officials report to the government that no nude dance ritual took place in the village, they continue to come every year and intrude into their traditions. The entire celebration is videographed by women officials and the village is filled with presence of women police,” he said.
This year, the much anticipated celebration was put off due to three deaths during the four days of Pongal. For the village old timers, it was a hard decision and many were in favour of postponing the celebration to a later date.
However, as a few weddings have been scheduled in the days to come, they are left with no option but to give up this year. Yercaud Tahsildhar A Annamalai said that the village elders intimated their decision of cancelling the festival this year and do some alternate rituals to compensate.