KANNUR: Karivellur village’s name is written in bold red letters in the history of communism in Kerala, as it was here that the oppressed peasants launched their fight against feudalism in North Malabar. Its revolutionary background and strong presence of CPM have always given the place an aura of progressiveness.
But N Vinod Panickar, 57, a poorakkali-marathukali exponent of Karivellur, has been facing a sort of ostracism as he is prevented from performing at the temples in the village. The reason: his son has married a Muslim girl.
Panickar, who has been performing at various temples in North Malabar for the last 38 years, was asked by officials of Kuniyan Sree Parambath Bhagavathi temple to oust his son and daughter-in-law from his house if he wanted to perform during the pooram.
“Since I think my son and daughter-in-law have nothing to do with my belief, I told the temple authorities that I wouldn’t ask them to move out of my house. They have been staying with me since their marriage in 2018,” said Panickar.
As per the temple’s custom, the marathukali Panickar should be brought to the temple by the ‘aacharakkar’ (the assigned persons in charge of the pooram) by visiting the house of Panickar inviting him to lead the marathukali. Some rituals have to be done in connection with this custom. After the festival, they would accompany Panickar to the house as well, to complete the formalities.
One of the samudayis (a group of persons who manage the temple activities), on condition of anonymity, said since a person from another religion lives in the house, they would not be able to do the rituals at Panickar’s house.
“We have asked him to move to the house of his mother which is very near so that we could accommodate him in this year’s festival,” he said. “He refused. The decision (to not allow him to perform) was taken by the temple’s general body. We can’t move against the wishes of devotees,” he said. Last year too, Vinod Panickar had to suffer this humiliation by another temple committee.
Officials of Vaniyillam Someshwari temple, situated near his house at Karivellur, had demanded the same from Panickar and he had said that neither he would move out of his house nor would he ask his son and daughter-in-law to shift.
“I think this is absurd as the committee of Payyannur Paravanthatta Udayapuram temple had allowed me to perform marathukali during the poorolsavam in 2019. When I told them about my son’s marriage with a Muslim girl, they said they had come to invite me to perform, not my son,” said Panickar. “What is acceptable for one temple is unacceptable to another temple. How can one justify this,” he asked.
Since he was denied his right to perform in pooram festivals, he had raised the issue at many forums, including in meetings held to felicitate him as he was given Poorakkali Academy award last year. The Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham district committee has come out strongly against the ostracism of Panickar and expressed its support to him. The DYFI district committee too has strongly condemned the ostracism of a seasoned artist.