Entangled at Neeliyar kottam

A couple of hours which will forever be entwined in my memory..even as I write this, a thousand pinpricks wiggle on to my fingers, my eyes close..and I wait for it to diffuse.

If you need to be one with nature, get entangled in the mysterious aura..tread on rough gravel, and rocky steps, amidst these huge vines , giant rocks caressed by these vines,  this is the place..absolute silence is a must, so that you are conscious of the divine aura that surrounds you,  this is not a picnic spot.  Sit on the stone steps and listen to the sound of the woods, of the trees, of the birds,..because you do not  stumble upon such a place, often.  Temple visits are best when accompanied by my brother  Rajive and cousin Deepak. My hubby needs to be told by a Jyothishi (astrologer) to visit such and such a temple..and the next moment, he is there,,but if I ask him to take me....no..have ceased asking him, as exploring new temples, are not one of his priorities. We reached there around four in the evening, and  we were greeted by an old man who introduced himself as Namishi, which is a title bestowed on those who has reached a certain grade in Nadi Sastra (reading of thaaliyolas). for those who are not aware of naadi Astrology... Naadi jyotsyam is a stream of astrology,practised in Tamil nadu, and some parts of Kerala,  wherein  our previous birth and our names and lives are all written down in Taaliyolas (leaves) by the ancient people who deal in this science. It is believed to be a mirror of your previous life, just so,  as per karma, we are given this life according to our actions in the previous karma. Naadi shastra claims to rectify our past karmas and gives us a chance to atone for our deeds.your full previous life is before you.. Anyway it is very interesting to find your name etched in a leaf, etched by someone aeons ago in a script that is greek to you. I haven’t yet been there..but we shall see, if I can make it for curiosity sake at least. First  you need  to go there and register your name..and they search and get  it out for you and the reading is taped. 

He led the way,  all the time, praising the glory of the  powerful and benevolent Mother Goddess. He told us about his son being childless and after praying to the Goddess,  the Theyyam  prophesied that he will get a child born in the Moolam star of such and such a month, which rang true. We left him there at a clearing, as he said he is a regular visitor, and we can go ahead and see the place.

There was not a soul in sight, but the glowing lamp, the prasad, and the utensils were telltale signs of recent activity

Left to right: Rajive(my brother, me, Anita (Deepak's wife), Deepak (cousin), and Narayana Namishi

love the rustle of the crispy leaves beneath your feet..the sound is so prominent in the total stillness

Sitting on a vine

A natural  rocky
depression

Add caption

Add caption

  You  are at a loss at the never ending vines, some strong some thin, some curved, some straight some on the ground and some hanging  where it begins and where it ends.., you can swing on, lie down and take a nap on some..you have no clue..such is the network..like a million snakes, like the human race, and the saga of life. We descended  the long stone steps which  took us to clearing where huge rock held tell tale signs of a Pooja which just happened, and flame was flickering softly.  A priest appeared and we asked him about the place and he enlightened us that there is an offering today, so the Goddess will appear as Theyyam.  It is believed that a beautiful and pious  lady called Neeli was abducted and murdered by a local King. She turned into a blood thirsty demon, but when he prayed for forgiveness, she turned into a mother form. This mother form is now believed to come and bless devotees, whenever devotees in distress asks for help. So unlike other temples where Theyyam is seasonal, here it happens as an offering.

 There was another flight of rocky steps which led us to a rock, totally enmeshed  with the vines.. was it a rock like Ahalya…waiting for moksha? the silence .. the dense overgrowth of trees. We sat and meditated on the stone steps..welcomed the tingling sensations seep into our soul. By the time we heard drum beats and we sat on the stone steps , and waited for the Theyyam, two boys were on the drums, and there  amidst the trees, we saw the tall head gear of the theyyam..it was an awesome sight..

 The Theyyam appeared, and after some time the devotees stood around the Goddess to hear the prophecy. At last it was my turn, I was afraid that my turbulent situations would be bared before the crowd, but no..she looked straight  into my eyes..our eyes locked, and that was it..not a word. Maybe I was too complex  or beyond repair....  Rest in pictures. 

I thank Jacob Abraham, a writer, and an author, who belongs to Kottayam, works in Kannur FM, and is simply blown away by the feel of Kannur. He seeps into the soul of Kannur and he is the one who told me about  Neeliyar kotam , though it is just a stone’s throw away, I was not aware of it.