KOCHI: Celebrating the centenary of the Vaikom Satyagraha, the non-violent struggle to ensure backward communities access to public spaces around Vaikom Mahadeva temple, devotees and caste organisations have taken the historic decision to end caste-based participation in the Vadakkumpurathu Pattu ritual, held once every 12 years.
The temple has been dividing among caste organisations the right to participate in the ‘thalapoli’, a ceremonial procession by women and young girls carrying oil lamps and flowers, and ‘kuthuvilakku’, a ceremonial procession carrying an oil lamp with a long handle, during festivals. However, the Vadakkumpurathu Pattu organising committee has decided to allow devotees of all castes to take part in the procession.
The ritual is conducted at the north side of the temple once in 12 years to celebrate the blessings of Kodungalloor Devi who saved Vaikom from smallpox. The 12-day festival starts the next day of Kodungalloor Bharani.
This year, the festival will start on April 2 and conclude on April 13. Around 500m from the Vaikom Mahadeva Temple lies a small temple, the Kochalummoodu temple. The idol of Kodungalloor Bhagavathi will be escorted to Mahadeva temple in a grand procession by 64 women carrying the ‘kuthuvilakku’.
After the procession enters the temple, a sketch of the goddess will be drawn on the floor in vibrant colours, amid traditional folk songs. The ritual would continue for 12 days; the goddess’ portrait will have eight arms for the first four days, 16 for the next four, 32 for the next three, and 64 on the concluding day.
Earlier, women from the Nair community were granted the right to participate in the ‘kuthuvilakku’ procession for four days and the Dheevara community was allocated two days. Communities like the Ezhava, Pulaya, Viswakarma and Vanika Vysya Sangham were allocated one day each.
The latest decision only applies for Vadakkumpurathu Pattu; participation in thalapoli will continue as per the prevailing system.
This time, the festival committee has sorted out the applications to participate in the procession and informed all eight caste groups to ensure the participation of women from their community on each day.
“The Vadakkumpurathu Pattu festival is held every 12 years and the Goddess arrives on the Mahadeva temple premises on a caparisoned elephant escorted by 64 women and accompanied by a percussion ensemble. The procession starts at 8.30pm. This year we contacted all caste organisations and urged them to ensure participation of all devotees, irrespective of caste. They agreed to cooperate. So, we issued them all letters to ensure participation of women from their community on all 12 days,” said organising committee secretary P Sunil Kumar.