Towering flames. Fragrant smoke swam through the air reverberating with Vedic chants over the paddy fields below the Mattathur hillock like an endless benediction. The historic 12-day Sagnikam Athirathram in Kerala’s Thrissur district was coming to end. Heavy rains and wind that lashed the Yagasala and its nearby places on the 10th day of the Yagam was seen as an auspicious omen.
The Athirathram marked the fruition of the dream of Raman Namboodiri, an ardent devotee of Lord Sangameswaran of Irinjalakkuda Koodalmaikka temple and Lord Vailoorappan, who had promised to his father that he would try to perform at least one Agnyadhanam by the 13th generation. Fulfilling the promise, Raman Namboodiri first performed an Agnyadhanam and later a Somayagam. And now a Sagnika Athirathram.
The legendary Kaimukku Mana had stood as a mute spectator to the Somayagam performed in 2006 preparatory to the Athirathram, as only a Somayajni can perform an Athirathram. It’s the most important Yagam in the Vaidika tradition and is meant for the welfare of the entire Universe—Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu. Over 45 Rithwiks and Acharyas, including five Maha Ritwiks and 12 Ritwiks, assisted the Sagnikam Athirathram Yajamanan.
The Kaimukku Mana at Mattathurkunnu, reputed to be over 4,000 years old, is renowned for possessing and preserving the Threthagni (the holy fire from previous Yagna) and is said to be the only Boudhayana branch known for chanting the Yajurveda in its pristine purity. Kaimukku Vaidikan Raman Namboodiri had performed an Agnyadhanam in 1997 and a Somayaga in 2006. Several Yagams had been conducted at the mana situated on the bank of the Kurumali river for 11 generations.
The 12th generation was unable to perform the Yagam, but the patriarch was able to preserve the holy fire of the previous generation which was passed on to the next. It’s the 13th generation that currently lives in the mana. An ancestor Narayanan Kaimukku is said to have authored over 1,000 books. Another scholar was Sreedharan Kaimukku who had performed a Somayaga around 120 years ago.
The mana has seen many illustrious head through all 13 generations, but Narayanan Kaimukku was the most illustrious patriarch in recent history. A man with immense spiritual power, Narayanan was known for the ability to give up food and sleep for days together.
He died on a day predicted by he himself. He had said that he would discard his body November 29, 1992. And he did so on Vruschikam 13 (November 28, 1992) when he was 87. He was fully conscious at the time of leaving his body. He called all his dear and near ones to his bedside. The Vishnu Sahasranamam was recited by all and he received the Theertham. It was followed by the ‘Cheviyilothu’ (recital of the manthras in the ears) and he breathed the last around 5 am on a Chathurthy day in the Shukla Paksha, leaving the tradition of the mana in the hands of Raman Nampoothiry — the Yajamanan of the present Athirathram, Sreedharan Nampoothiry and Parameswaran Nampoothiry who keep the sacred fire burning as it has for centuries.
