Circa 1975. It was the month of July, and my Pankajam paati (maternal grandmother) was staying with us. We were excited as my beloved Chithi was due to arrive that afternoon. Little did I know then that a secret midnight feast awaited us! Paati gently woke us (we 3 sisters) up in the dead of night and beckoned us to quietly slip into the sacred Pooja room. She whispered that my sleeping dad should never know about this…We nodded and tiptoed downstairs, totally wide eyed now with excitement.
The Pooja room was already a beehive of activity. Chithi and Amma were meticulously crafting exquisite dolls out of rice flour, each one seemingly narrating a captivating tale. Gathered in a circle were my two cousins who were staying over, my two sisters, Amma, Chithi, Paati, and myself. In a solemn tone, Paati revealed that we were about to partake in a midnight Pooja, a ceremony dedicated to the well-being of every person residing in our home. Curiosity piqued, my little sister couldn’t resist asking Paati about the meaning behind those rice flour dolls. And so, Paati embarked on an enchanting narration, transporting us to a world of wonder.
Many years ago, there lived a farmer blessed with seven sons and a solitary daughter. Every day, the diligent brothers toiled in the fields, but despite their efforts, the grains they harvested turned out to be empty husks. Consequently, the family found themselves trapped in the clutches of abject poverty. Tragedy struck when, one fateful day, the farmer passed away, leaving his daughter alone at home while the brothers laboured in the fields. It was during this precarious moment that an old and wise woman, Avvai Kizhavi, arrived at their doorstep. Bereft of anything to offer their guest, the sister stood forlornly behind the door, her heart heavy with despair, wringing her hands. Sensing her distress, the compassionate Avvai consoled her and revealed a path out of destitution. She presented the young girl with a golden Vinayagar, a divine idol, and instructed her to perform a Pooja on a Tuesday night. The offering to Vinayagar was to be salt-free Kozhukattai, a dumpling made of pure rice flour.
Listening intently, the young girl absorbed Avvai’s words and resolved to follow her instructions. On a Tuesday night in the auspicious month of Aadi (July/August), she ventured outside, placing one foot on a tamarind tree (Puliya Maram) and the other on an Indian Birch tree (Punga Maram), reaching great heights to gaze upon a nearby graveyard. In that eerie setting, she witnessed a corpse engulfed in flames. Approaching the person tasked with cremation (The Vettiyaan), she humbly asked for fire for her Pooja. Initially hesitant, the man relented upon hearing the girl’s poignant tale. He not only granted her the fire she sought but also bestowed upon her the rice scattered for the deceased (Vaikarisi), urging her to remember him as well as the dead man, she had witnessed while performing the sacred ritual. Using the rice and the fire she made the kozhukattais and performed the Pooja to her heart’s content. True to Avvai’s prophetic words, fortune smiled upon them, and the family’s destiny transformed. They transcended poverty and attained prosperity. The daughter married and departed to her new home, while the brothers also found their life partners. Unfortunately, their wives, skeptical of the Pillayar Pooja, failed to continue the tradition, leading the family back into the clutches of poverty.
Moved by the plight of her brothers and their families, the sister returned to their abode after several years. With devotion in her heart, she performed the sacred Pooja, seeking divine blessings for their welfare. Once again, fortune embraced them, and the family lived blissfully, free from worry and want.
As Paati concluded the mesmerizing tale, we marvelled at the intricately crafted rice flour dolls that symbolized the enthralling narrative. The Naivedyam, the offerings to the divine, consisted of these miniature embodiments of the story Paati had just shared. A little girl, a lifeless body resting on a makeshift bed (Paadai), a pot, and the humble presence of coconut and bananas adorned the sacred space. With Paati leading the Pooja, we closed our eyes, hearts brimming with sincerity as we offered our prayers. Then we ate all the little rice flour dolls, although it did taste strange salt less. But our sincerity made us ignore that and we ate with gusto.
Paati narrated further recalling this Pooja performed at Thanjavur where she resided for several years. The women of the neighbourhood would come together to perform this sacred ritual. Each woman would bring salt-free Kozhukattai, lovingly prepared with leaves from the Puliya Maram and Punga Maram trees. At the stroke of midnight, they would gather, to listen to the oft repeated tale of the 7 brothers and their loving sister. With utmost reverence, they consumed the Kozhukattai, leaving not a single morsel behind, and silently made their way back to their respective homes. This Tuesday Night Pillayar Pooja as well as the story narrated had different variations in different families, shrouded in secrecy and unknown to men. In fact, it was believed by some that should a man ever witness the women engaged in this mystical Pooja, he would be struck blind!
Maybe this tradition was started to overthrow the then male domination in society, to prove that a woman can perform Pooja on her own without the man’s help, she can climb trees, she can walk into a graveyard looking for fire and she can even eat salt less food for the welfare of her family members.
This age-old tale serves as a reminder that our traditions have always been laden with profound symbolism, and that unwavering faith can yield extraordinary rewards. At that time, probably I would have been 10 or 11 years, it was as exciting as enjoying a midnight feast just like the girls in my favourite school series Malory Towers did. At around 1 AM, we tiptoed back upstairs to our beds with full stomachs and peaceful hearts.
The Traditional Story narrated at the Chevvai Pillayar Nombu
Here is the audio byte of the traditional story narrated over the years.
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