Echoes of Mamangam in the Waves of Bharatapuzha
Bharatapuzha , the most important river which is also affectionately known as ‘Nila’ running through 200 kms. in Kerala, has its source from Anamala in Tamilnadu, ( the neighboring state of Kerala), reaching Arabian sea at Ponnani. Before joining Arabian sea from its starting point, she covers Palakkad, Thrissoor and Malappuram districts; eager to serve the mankind she has a treasure of dams with her viz.. Malampuzha, Mangalam, Meenkara, Chulliyaar, Poththunti and Vaalayaar. Bharata puzha travers through many of the famous temple-fronts; those considered as important among them are Thirinaavaaya, Thirumittakod, Chamravattam, Njaangaattiri and Thiruvilvamala. It is to be mentioned that on a particular full moon day (similar to all souls day in other religions ) millions of people reach Thirunaavaaya to perform annual rites to relatives who have passed away.
Thirunaavaaya which has gained the status of an auspicious place these days to perform last rites, was a place of importance earlier too, on the banks of Bharatapuzha, where the fair of Mamangam was conducted. It is presumed that Jupitar (vyaazha gruham) which takes 12 years to encircle the earth, crosses one zodiac house in a year. As one vyaazha vattam is a period of 11.86 years, after five Mamangams sixth one is in the eleventh year. When Jupitar is in the kartika Rasi that year’s Magha month ( kumbham in Malayalam calendar) is called Mahaa Magham. It is believed that in the month of Magha on the day of makam the pure water of Ganges flows like a stream and mingles with Bharatapuzha. At that time taking a dip in Bharatha puzha is considered auspicious and believed to be the reason behind the festivity of Mamangam. In earlier days Mamangam was celebrated in the month of Kumbham for three days from the day of Pooyam to the day of Makam. .Over the period when Mamangam diversified to be a festival, from commercial angle it came to be celebrated for 28 days from the Makam day in the month of Makara to Makam day in the month. of Kumbha.
There is nothing wrong in guessing that the word Mamangam has been coined as a short form from “Mahaa maagha makam”. When Maamaangam was celebrated in Kerala, the kerala perumaakkanmaar presided over everything. History records, while Maamaangam was conducted in the Vaakayoor Mandapam , half km away from the Vishnu temple in Thirunaavaaya on the banks of Bharathapuzha , the patron of the Maamangam festival was bestowed with gifts by the local kings. This ceremony was known as perunila nilkkal .
It is to be noted that a Keralite named Thaanu Ravi from Cholamandalam was designated as the first Kerala Perumal on the pooyam day in the month of kartika. It is believed that the first Mamangam was celebrated in AD 892 .While Mamangam was celebrated once on twelve, the perumaakkanmaar presided over the function and came to be known as Vyaazhavatta Perumaakkanmaar. In 14th century when the entire south India came under the rule of the Sultan of Delhi, the system of honoring the outsiders as ‘Perumaakkanmaar’ was revised and with all Brahminical rites a local Keralite king was selected for the role of honor as a president to overlook the function.. In the middle of the 14th century, while Vellaattiri was the president, Samoothiri forcefully took over the reins of Thirunaavaaya and the rights over Maamaangam with the help of Kozhikode Koya’s army. The Nayars of Valluvanaatu who were skilled in fighting opposed this forceful move of Samoothiri. Every time while Samoothiri presided the Mamangam celebration , it became a practice with the locals, to attempt to destroy him. History records that the strong body guards of Samoothiri killed those skilled personnel of Vellaattiri.. Fifty six of the experts of Vellaattiri were killed within seven days in the year 1683.
We mentioned earlier that after five Mamangams the next one was celebrated in the eleventh year. In 1694 the Mamangam which was celebrated in the karkkitaka vyazham (July – August) as was the practice , during 11 the year, was done in Chinga vyazham (August-September) for the next two years. After wards till 1755 that became the practice Then on Mamangam was not celebrated for a long period. Possibly in 1766, the attack of Mysore and then the suicide of Samoothiri must have been the reasons for the disappearance of Mamangam. But even today in pilgrimage spots like Haridhvar, Prayag, Nasik and on the shores of Shipra in Ujjain, in the name of kumbhamela, this is being practiced.
Kumbhamela is mostly known as a fair with the significance attributed to it as the meeting point of the three holy rivers viz. Ganga , Yamuna and Saraswati- the thriveni sangamam - wherein if one takes a dip during this period, it is considered to be auspicious. Participation in Kumbhamela is believed to be lucky to wash off all sins and attaining salvation after death. There is a mythological story behind celebration of kumbhamela in Haridvar, Prayag, Nasik and Ujjain. The mythology is that while the Devas and Asuras were fighting over the amrutha (nectar) which came out of the ocean, it got spilled over into these four rivers .
Translated by
Lakshmy N