Guruvayurappan - The temple, its customs and rituals

Part 18

Lord Krishna in Guruvayur is popularly called as Sri Guruvayurappan. Appan means lord or father. So, the name means the Lord of Guruvayur. 

The holy idol or murti is almost 4 feet tall and made of a stone called “Patala Anjanam” or black antimony, which is said to have special medicinal properties. It is in the standing pose with four arms, carrying the Panchajanya (shankha or conch), the Sudarshana (chakra or disc), the Koumodaki (gada or mace) and Padma (lotus).

It is believed that the deity of Guruvayurappan represents the Poorna Roopa (full manifestation) of the four-armed Vishnu revealed by baby Krishna to His parents, Devaki and Vasudeva, immediately after His advent in Kamsa’s jail. This idol was, therefore, worshipped by the parents of Krishna and later was worshipped by Krishna Himself.  So, baby Krishna is worshipped in the form of a Vishnu deity in Guruvayur.

Construction of Guruvayur temple

Before the conclusion of his incarnation as Krishna, the Lord told his devotee and minister Uddhava that his image would come floating in the sea, which would soon engulf Dwaraka. Uddhava was to request Brihaspati, the Guru of the Gods, to install the image at a suitable place. When this came to pass, Brihaspati and Vayu, the God of wind, set out in search of a sacred place to house the murti. They met Parasurama (an earlier avatara of Vishnu) at Kerala, who led them to a lush green spot with a beautiful lake full of lotus flowers. There Lord Shiva along with Parvati welcomed them and said, "This is the holy spot you are looking for!" Lord Shiva permitted Guru and Vayu to perform the consecration rites and told that the site should be known as “Guruvayupura” and accordingly the idol was installed there. 

Lord Shiva and the goddess Parvati left for Mammiyur, on the opposite bank of the lake. The present tank, “Rudratirtha”, is only a miniature of the original lake. When devotees go round the Krishna temple, from a certain spot, they face Mammiyur and pray to Shiva. Every devotee who goes to Guruvayur Temple is supposed to go to Mammiyur also, as the custom goes. 

Vishwakarma, the architect of the Gods, built the Krishna temple at the request of Guru and Vayu. This is the account given in the Mahabharatha, told by the sage Dattatreya to King Janamejaya, son of Parikshit.

An astrologer told a Pandya King that he was destined to die from a cobra bite on a particular day. He was advised to go and pray before Guruvayurappan. The king spent years in meditation and prayer at the feet of the deity. Suddenly the King realized that the time of his death had already passed.

He came back to his palace and asked the astrologer why the prediction was wrong. The wise man showed him the mark on his left foot where the cobra had bitten him. Since the king was wholly absorbed in the Lord, who alone can dispense with fate, he had not felt the sting.

In gratitude, the King built the Guruvayurappan temple and set apart funds for the daily routine of the temple. Most of the current temple building dates to the 16th and 17th centuries, although rich devotees funded extensions and additions later. The deepastamba (column of lights) was erected in 1836 by a devotee from Thiruvananthapuram. The temple has gopurams in the east and the west. The eastern gopuram has an inscription which refers to the town as “Gurupavanapura”. The western gopura was built in 1747.

Guruvayur, which is a bustling pilgrim town, is also hailed as “Bhuloka Sri Vaikuntha” meaning ‘Heaven on Earth’, where the deity reveals Himself to His devotees in the same majestic form in which He welcomes them in “Vaikuntha”, His celestial abode. It has its own glory and greatness, mainly because of the divinity enshrined in the Sanctum – Sanctorum (central shrine) of the temple and the unique charm of the idol installed in it. Mahavishnu, the presiding deity in the Garbhagraha (central shrine) is worshipped according to the pooja routines laid down by Adi Sankaracharya and later written into the Tantrasamuchaya by Chennas Narayanan Namboodiri (born in 1427). The Chennas Namboodiris are the hereditary Tantris of Guruvayur temple.

Rituals at the temple

Every day, the temple opens at 3 A.M. and the Lord is awakened from his sleep with the melodious music of nadaswaram. The Lord is adorned with flowers of the previous day. This is known as Nirmalya Darshanam. It is believed that celestial beings come and worship the Lord after the temple is closed in the night.

Every morning the Lord is anointed in til (gingelly) oil. He is then sprinkled with a special cleansing powder made of herbs known as “vaka”. This powder is light brown in colour and gives an added hue to the idol.

Devotees go to the temple at 3 A.M in order to see this charming sight. Then water from the temple, consecrated with mantras is poured over the idol for his ritual bath. This holy water is then consumed by the devotees, since it is said to contain the miraculous properties of the stone of which the idol is made. 

The temple is open from 3 A.M. and closes late at night very often at 10 PM or even later, when there are special functions. One has to stand in a queue for hours to get a fleeting glimpse of the charming figure inside the sanctum sanctorum. The Lord is decorated in various alankarams during the different pujas. 

In the early morning he is dressed as a young child wearing only a small red kaupina or loin cloth and the various bits of simple jewelry as befitting a child and with a peacock feather in his coronet. He holds a ball of butter in his hand. 

For the next puja at 10 AM, he looks a little older. He is fully an adult by the noon puja, which is the most elaborate.  This ornamentation remains on him till the next morning.

Sriveli is a ritual which is performed thrice every day. The Utsava Vigraha of the Lord (a miniature of the deity in gold) is mounted on an elephant and taken three times around within the four outer walls of the temple to the accompaniment of drums. There are Beli Kallus representing the Lord’s body guards, subsidiary deities and members of his entourage in the inner and outer praakara. 

The idea of Sriveli and the priest performing poojas at these places are that the Lord Himself stands by, as offerings are made to his dependents. 

Guruvayur is a temple state with the Lord as its Head. Every night at the close of worship, the days account is read to the Lord even today!

Another practice is that of Thulaabharam, in which the devotees are weighed against plantains/sugar/jaggery/coconuts or other articles. These are done when devotees take a vow and pray to Guruvayurappan for health or well-being. Later these are donated to the temple as the devotees’ offering to the Lord.

Another ceremony done regularly is Annaprasanam, or the choroonu, the first rice feeding ceremony for a child conducted before Lord Guruvayurappan. All the items including cooked rice, payasam, plantain etc. are placed on a banana leaf and the child is fed.

As Krishna has promised in Bhagavad-Gita, "I am responsible for the welfare of those who think of me to the exclusion of all else and who remain devoted to me all the time" . Let us surrender ourselves unconditionally at the holy lotus feet of Guruvayurappan!

Sarvam Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu (I offer everything to Sri Krishna)

Guruvayurappan - Elephants and Guruvayur

Part 17 

Elephants figure prominently in many South Indian temples. An age-old custom is to donate elephant calves or young elephants in the wild to the temple as an offering. The temple itself at times procures such elephants.

Aanayottam or elephant race

Once Guruvayur was a Keezhedam (subordinate temple) of Thrikanamathilakam (Trikkunavay). The festival of Trikkunavay used to finish two days before the beginning of Guruvayur Utsavam. The elephants used to come from Trikkunavay for the Guruvayur Utsavam.

Once they refused to send their elephants to Guruvayur for not making payment on time. The elephants were chained but that night, they broke their chains and ran to Guruvayur without the mahouts. 

From that day onwards, the elephants used to leave Trikkunavay on Punarvasu to reach Guruvayur in time for the festival. Trikkunavay was destroyed by the Dutch in 1755. To keep the reminiscence of this unusual event, the elephant race (aanayottam) is conducted every year and this marks the beginning of the Guruvayur Utsavam. 

The elephants run from Manjulaal, (the banyan tree half a kilometer away from the eastern entrance to the temple) enter the temple, take 7 rounds and touch the flagstaff in the end. The first elephant to touch the flagstaff will be given special treatment inside the temple on the days of Utsavam and will get the privilege of carrying the Lord's thidambu for the procession.

Guruvayur temple has over 60 elephants donated to the Lord by various people and they are housed in a sanctuary at Punathur Kotta, 3 km from the temple. It is a beautiful sight to see the elephants being cared for like little children.

Any description of Guruvayur is incomplete without a note on three of its great elephants, Gajarajan Kesavan, Guruvayur Padmanabhan and Gajarani Lakshmi. These are known for their unflinching devotion to God and for their tremendous compassion and concern for devotees. 

Gajarajan Kesavan

The story of Gajarajan Kesavan is even more remarkable. Called ‘Lunatic Kesavan’ in his
younger days, this noble elephant spent more than 50 years in the service of the lord. It was one of the majestic elephants who served Guruvayurappan with all sincerity and uniqueness. Valiya Raja of Nilambur once prayed to the Lord to save his family and property from the enemies’ attack. He promised to offer one of his many elephants if his wish was fulfilled. His It indeed was fulfilled, and he offered an elephant which later became the famous Guruvayur Kesavan.

On his arrival, Kesavan was 10 years old and elephant Padmanabhan was the undisputed king.  Kesavan was noble and kind, yet mischievous and temperamental. To remove his moods, he was given butter to eat which was first sanctified (made holy) by the Melshanti (Head Priest) – believed to be an effective treatment and then made to perform bhajan by attending all the three sriveli (temple functions). All this transformed him into an ideal Deity elephant. 

Young Kesavan acquired all the kingly gestures and nobleness of Padmanabhan and even excelled him. He would bend his front-legs only before those who holds Lord's Thidambu to enable them to climb upon him, all others who held the umbrella, alavattam etc. had to climb by his hind legs. He never caused any bodily harm to anyone. He sometimes was called "Lunatic Kesavan" but was never destructive. Even if he became wild outside Guruvayur, he would straightaway come to Guruvayur, go around the temple and stood where he used to be chained. Whenever Kesavan was to carry the Deity, he would demonstrate his great eagerness to perform his service by pulling at the chains that bound his feet.

Once he was hurrying to the temple, disobeying the mahouts.  Everybody in the area fled for fear of being trampled by him.  Except a poor, helpless leper who could not run away and remained helpless on the path.  As the people watched with fear, they were astonished when they saw that Kesavan had actually lifted the leper with his trunk, placed him safely in a corner, and proceeded straight to the temple.

On another occasion, Kesavan’s mahout was taking him to the Nilambur forest to help in the logging. Unaware of this, he went along quietly, till a devotee who recognized Kesavan stopped his car and asked the mahout where they were going. The mahout replied that they were proceeding to Nilambur for logging. The moment Kesavan heard this, he refused to budge from the spot. He stayed there for six months getting his feed from a local landlord. Only after the mahout convinced him that he would be taken back to Guruvayur did he started moving.

In 1973, for the first time in history, the Golden Jubilee of the services of an elephant to the temple was celebrated. The honour of "Gajarajan" (king of elephants) was conferred upon Kesavan.

In December 1976, on Guruvayur Navami day, while the navami vilakku procession was going on with God on his majestic frame, he suddenly fell ill. He could not hold and stand on his legs. The stand carrying the Vigraham was transferred to the other elephant and Kesavan stood still for over a day, as if contemplating on the Almighty. The next day he suddenly filled his trunk with water and sprayed it in the direction of the sanctum sanctorum.

On 2nd December 1976,  the holy day of Guruvayur Ekadasi,  when the lord is said to have appeared in his Vishwaroopa to Arjuna and the same day when he appeared before the poet Melpathur Narayana Bhattadri too, Gajarajan breathed his last. He fasted for the entire day and in the evening, when the conch shell blew to announce the appearance of the Deity, Kesavan bowed before the temple with his trunk raised as a mark of prostration.  Amid thousands of devotees chanting and playing on musical instruments, his soul departed from his body to attain the eternal realm of Vaikunta.

He was 72, 3.2 metres tall and participated in every ceremony at the temple. Kerala's biggest and grandest elephant, Gajarajan Kesavan, served the Lord and people for 54 years and  those who have seen Kesavan will never forget him.

The Guruvayoor Devaswom erected a life-size 12 feet statue of Keshavan in front of Sreevalsam rest house, as a tribute to the services he rendered to the presiding deity of the temple. Its tusks, along with a majestic portrait of the elephant, can be still seen adorning the entrance to the main temple enclosure and throughout the city, many shops sell colorful paintings of Keshavan reminding the pilgrims of him.

The anniversary of his death is still celebrated in Guruvauyur. Many elephants line up before the statue and the chief elephant garlands it. 

Guruvayur Padmanabhan

Second only to Guruvayur Kesavan, Padmanabhan was brought to Guruvayur by Cherukunnath Namboodiri as his devout offering and was offered to Lord Guruvayurappan after performing the proper function of "Nadayiruthal”.

The legend goes that this Namboodiri had no children and he was spending his tearful days lamenting over his sad plight. Then Kunjhikkavu Namboodiri, an ardent devotee of Lord Guruvayurappan, who was famous for his "Purana Parayanam”, advised Cherukunnath Namboodiri that Lord Guruvayurappan would bless him with children if he offered an elephant to Him. Accordingly, Cherukunnath Namboodiri came to Guruvayur, performed "Bhajan” and prayed to offer Him an elephant, if he was blessed with a child. Lord Guruvayurappan showered His blessings on Cherukunnath Namboodiri, and he offered Him an elephant and called him Padmanabhan.

When Padmanabhan was brought to Guruvayur, there were only one or two elephants there. As Cherukunnath illam was blessed with more and more children with His blessings, the number of elephants in Guruvayur temple also increased one by one, with the coming of Padmanabhan.

Padmanabhan grew, through years, to be the most important of all elephants in Kerala and wherever he was taken for Utsavam, he was to be given the most prominent place in the procession. In all utsavams, if he was present, it was his privilege to carry on his head the "Thidambu”. He never tolerated any other elephant enjoying this right. As soon as the "Thidambu” was placed on his head, he would stretch the whole of his body forward, and raise his head to the maximum, so that he would appear to be the highest in the whole array of elephants. This posture would continue till the "Thidambu” was taken down after the procession and thus he was able to maintain his kingly posture everywhere. He had never caused any injury to anybody throughout his lifetime. Impressed by him, the Maharaja of Ambalapuzha awarded him with the precious prize, "Veerashringala".

Once Padmanabhan stood still for hours as a small child was playing near its legs. On another occasion during the annual festival, Padmanabhan ran round the temple 12 times as though he had prayed to the Lord to do so. He did this without hurting any pilgrim or devotee!

80-year old “Gajaratnam” Padmanabhan breathed his last peacefully on February 26, 2020.

Gajarani Lakshmi

Lakshmi Kutty was the most honoured and the tallest she-elephant of Kerala. Physically she was no match to the other two illustrious elephants, Kesavan and Padmanabhan, but she had few equals in nobility and devotion. The love between the majestic Kesavan and her were well known. Lakshmi had the privilege many times to carry the Thidambu on her head. On 4th March 1983, Lakshmi was presented the title of "Gajarani" at an impressive function.

Guruvayurappan - The garland of Manjula

Part 16

There is a banyan tree a few metres away from the temple on the East Nada. Manjula who was a virtuous and devout girl belonging to the Variyar caste, would make a garland every day and offer it to the Lord in the night. The Mel Shanti (Chief Priest) would adorn the deity with it.

One day she was delayed and the Sri Koil was closed. She could only reach the banyan tree from where the elephant race starts during Utsavam (festival). She felt very guilty about it. Manjula stood near the banyan tree crying and Poonthanam who was on his way back from the temple told her, "Guruvayurappan knows what's in your heart and since the Lord is everywhere, keep the garland on the banyan tree and he will take it".

The following morning, when the Mel Shanti began to remove the nirmalyam, one garland was stuck to the deity and would not come off.

When Poonthanam saw this, he called out to the Lord saying, "That's Manjula's Garland, let it also fall" and told the story to everyone. Then the garland slipped and fell from the deity. The devotees were awestruck and started chanting the Lord's name and went to the banyan tree to offer their obeisance. From that day, that banyan tree is known as Manjula Aala!

Here is a short video and Manjula's story on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/6hoppxzy4D4

Coconut with Horns

A villager had planted a number of coconut saplings and had promised himself that he would offer the 'first coconut' from each of his coconut trees to Guruvayurappan. When the trees started to yield coconuts, he collected the first coconut from all the trees in a sack and set forth to Guruvayur.

On the way he was stopped by a robber and asked to part with the items in the sack. The villager told the robber that the coconuts in the sack indeed are very special and belonged to Guruvayurappan and so he was unable to hand it over. The robber disdainfully asked the villager, "Is Guruvaurappan's coconut any different? Does it have horns?"

When the robber pulled the sack forcefully out of the villager’s hands, the coconuts fell. To their astonishment each and every coconut in the sack had horns! Even today, the coconut with horns are displayed near the temple entrance for the devotees to see.

Lord as an Assistant cook

One day in Guruvayur, a devotee wanted a feast to be held for the Lord with a hundred measures of rice. The intended offering to the Lord was to be prepared by the two Keezhshanthis. One of the Keezhshanthis was on leave due to illness.

Mallisseri Namboodiri, the other Keezhshanthi, was worried and he spent a sleepless night pondering over how to make the next day’s arrangements. He could do nothing more than pray to the Lord chanting His name overnight for a solution.

The next day he went to the temple, looked around and was relieved to see the
Keezhshanthi who had been on leave had returned and was preparing the feast. After completion of cooking, that Keezhshanthi went to Rudratheertham for a bath but did not return. He was not seen the next day either. Mallisseri sent his man to enquire about him. To his surprise he learnt that the Keezhshanthi was actually bed ridden ever since he had been on leave.

It was unbelievable, but Mallisseri understood the whole thing. It was the Lord himself who had come and helped him in a time of difficulty!

Guruvayurappan - Nenmini Unni and King Manavedan

Part 15

Nenmini Unni

Once a Nenmini Namboodiri, a priest at the Guruvayur temple, instructed his 12-year-old son to offer the Naivedyam to the Lord, as he had to go out on an urgent work.

Unni, offered a Naivedyam of cooked rice to the Lord; in his innocence, he believed that the idol would eat the food, but the idol did not move. Unni bought some salted mangoes and curd from a neighborhood vendor, thinking that the Lord would prefer this, mixed the curd with rice and offered it again.

Deity again remained unmoved. Unni requested, cajoled, coaxed and in the end even threatened. Then he started weeping because he believed he had failed and said to the Lord, exclaiming that his father would beat him! The Lord could not bear it anymore and made the Naivedyam disappear. The boy left the temple satisfied.

Unni did not know that the Variyar was the person designated to take the naivedyam offered to the Lord. When Variyar returned to the temple, he saw the empty plate and became very angry with Unni.

But Unni insisted that God had, in fact, eaten the offering. Unni's innocent words made Variyar furious, as he believed the boy had eaten the offering himself and was lying. His father was about to beat Unni, but just then an Ashareeri (celestial voice) was heard saying, "What Unni told is right. I am guilty. Unni is innocent. I ate all the food that he offered me. There's no need to punish him!"

The Nenmini family is still there in Guruvayur and from that day the ritual of offering curd rice and salted mango to Guruvayurappan started. It is brought from that particular illam to which Unni belonged.

King Manavedan

Manavedan of Calicut was born in 1595 and had early education in Sanskrit. Later he became the disciple of Vilwamangalam.

Manavedan told Vilwamangalam about his desire to see Krishna. The next day the Guru told him that Guruvayurappan has given his consent and Manavedan can see Guruvayurappan playing in the early hours of the morning at the platform of the Elanji tree. He could only see and not touch Him though.

When as per this agreement, Manavedan saw Guruvayurappan in the form of little child Sri Krishna, he was so excited that he forgot himself and rushed to embrace little Krishna. Guruvayoorappan immediately disappeared saying, "Vilwamangalam did not tell me that this will happen." However, Manavedan got one peacock feather from the head gear of Bhagavan Krishna.

The peacock feather was incorporated in the headgear for the character of Sri Krishna in the dance drama Krishnanattam, based on Manavedan's own text Krishnageethi which is composed of 8 chapters viz, Avatharam, Kaliya mardanam, Rasa kreeda, Kamsa vadham, Swayamvaram, Bana yuddham, Vivida vadham and Swargarohanam. Krishnanattam is an art form exclusively in praise of and presenting the life story of Lord Krishna. The Krishnanattam began to be staged in the temple regularly as an offering to
Guruvayoorappan. It is performed in the present koothambalam which is located near the sanctum sanctorum of the Guruvayur Temple.

The blessed art form is still maintained by Guruvayur devaswom and staged as an offering by devotees.  Thus, the dance-drama, Krishnanattam, became yet another medium to spread the fame of Guruvayoor all over Kerala.

Guruvayurappan - Kururamma, another favourite devotee – 3 of 3

Part 14

Kururamma and the red loin cloth

Kururamma who was an ardent devotee of Lord Guruvayurappan, used to promptly visit the temple and have the darshan of the Lord every morning and evening.

One night as she was returning back after the Sriveli procession, where the Lord is taken around in a procession on an elephant and then put to sleep, it started raining and she lost her way. She had to cross a couple of forests en route her home and it was very dark as there were no lights on the road. As she was walking in the forest, she was continuously chanting the divine names of Lord Guruvayurappan and suddenly a small boy appeared in front of her and enquired as to how she got lost. She narrated and then the boy led Kururamma safely towards her house. As they both walked, both of them got drenched in the rains.

As they reached Kururamma’s house, she thanked the boy for taking her safely home and asked his name. The boy replied that his name was Gopala. She wanted to give the boy something as a token of gratitude and when she asked the boy, he asked her for a piece of cloth. He was only clad in a loin cloth on his hip and since he had got wet in the rains, he wanted to change his loin cloth.

Kururamma looked around and she spotted a red saree. She tore apart some portion of the saree and gave it to the boy. He happily changed his loin cloth and went away.

The next morning, when the priests opened the temple to wake the Lord, they were surprised to behold the beautiful form of the Lord in a red loin cloth and were wondering where it came from. Kururamma came to have the darshan of the Lord the next day and felt extremely happy to see the Lord clad in red loin cloth! She was deeply touched at the divine play of the Lord and how he had showered his grace on her. The form of the Lord was so enticing that from that day, the Lord is dressed in only a red loin cloth in the night.

A little boy and his devotion

In Guruvayur lived a little boy who used to partake the food, only after offering to Lord Guruvayurappan. If he had only one fruit to eat, he would offer half of it to the Lord and partake the remaining half. Such was his devotion to Lord Guruvayurappan.

One day he couldn’t find a morsel of rice to eat and since he was starving, he stole a banana from a nearby shop and was eventually caught and everyone reprimanded him severely. They also wanted to punish him and hence ordered him to go around the temple for a certain number of times.

As the boy was going around the temple, the priest of the temple was able to see that Lord Guruvayurappan was also going around the temple along with the boy. When he asked the Lord for the reason, He replied that since he also had a share in the stolen banana, he is bound to share the punishment too!

Kittai's tender coconuts

On Arattu day, the Utsava vigraha will be taken out and tender coconut water abhishekam (pouring of coconut water over the idol) will be done. An Ezhava family called Tampuran Patikkal used to bring these tender coconuts for this important rite. There was one Kittai, as the head of the family then.

Once on the Arattu day, one Keezhsanthi (priest) went to Kittai of Tampuran Patikkal and asked for some tender coconut to quench his thirst. Kittai was a bit slow to get the coconut and the Keezhsanthi went away in a hurry. As soon as he left, the coconuts began to fall from the trees, on their own one after the other. Kittai was shocked to see this and he took a full load of 25 coconuts and ran to the temple.

He met one of the uralars or trustees of the temple and described the whole incident. On enquiring it was found that neither of the two Keezhsanthis had gone that way. It was evident that the Keezhsanthi was none other than the Lord himself and that He wanted to have an abhishekam with tender coconut water! Thus, started this rite of tender coconut water abhishekam on the Arattu day. The privilege of bringing the tender-coconuts was conferred on the descendants of that family.

Sengalipuram Anantharama Dikshitar

In modern times, this well-known scholar and Upanyasa Chakravati was cured of his leprosy by praying to Lord Guruvayurappan. His disease was so advanced, that the watchman did not allow him to take bath in the temple tank. 3 or 4 years later, Dikshitar came to pray to Guruvayurappan. To the amazement of all, he was fully cured. The miracle was due to his faithful recitation of Narayaneeyam!

Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar

The legendary Carnatic music singer, lost his voice suddenly at the peak of a concert at Suchindram. Several doctors tried to cure him, but to no avail. He went to Guruvayur and cried out to the Lord. He regained his voice and sang many more concerts in later years.

Guruvayurappan - Kururamma, another favourite devotee – 2 of 3

Part 13

Vilwangalam swami was the renowned Vaishnava Acharya of that period. He was famous for performing Puja having vision of Sri Krishna in front of him.

It was Kururamma's great wish to have one such Puja performed at her home by Vilwangalam Swami. She requested the Acharya with great humility, and he agreed.

Unfortunately, Kururamma had an envious neighbor called 'Chemmangatt Amma' who was immensely rich and influential. When she heard about this Puja, Chemmangatt Amma took it as an opportunity to humiliate Kururamma. She used her influence to cancel Vilwangalam's commitment to Kururamma and booked that Puja for herself. Poor Kururamma was unaware of this change of plan!

On the dawn of the Puja, Kururamma was washing her clothes in the nearby tank. A few drops of water unintentionally fell upon Chemmangatt Amma who had just finished her bath. She felt polluted and took a second plunge in water to purify. She sarcastically told Kururamma:

"Hey widow, now I am doubly clean. Today Vilwamangalam is coming to my house for doing Puja".

Kururamma was surprised to hear that and she said :

"But, Vilwamangalam Swamy has already promised to perform Puja in my house today."

Chemmangatt Amma and her arrogant servants laughed at Kururamma and made fun of her. Kururamma was very hurt by this public humiliation. Soon after reaching home, she sent a person to Vilwamangalam's house to confirm about Swami's Puja. But Vilwamangalam apologetically refused saying that he couldn't upset the powerful Chemmangatt family.

Kururamma was heartbroken when she heard about this refusal. But Unni pacified her by assuring that Vilwamangalam will come for Puja as agreed before.

Kururamma believed Unni. But she lamented: "O Unni! Because of this confusion, I didn't make any arrangements for the puja. I don't know what needs to be done also. You see, Vilwamangalam Swamy is a Mahatma and therefore we shouldn't upset him in anyway. O Bhagavan, I really messed up everything and I don't know what to do now! "

Unni consoled her by saying: "Mother, don't worry at all. I will do all the needful now itself. You relax and just take rest."

He quickly completed all jobs such as cleaning the floor, washing the Puja instruments and utensils, bringing flowers and other Puja materials, preparation of food offerings for the puja, etc.

After his daily worship, Vilwamangalam started for Chemmangatt Amma's house for the Puja. But the person who was to lead his way by blowing conch (shankh) to announce his presence could not produce any sound at all. It was a bad omen and Vilwamangalam was bewildered. Then he remembered his failure to keep up the promise to Kururamma and hence he decided that it is Bhagavan's wish that he should go to Kururamma's house to do Puja there. On this thought itself, the conch started functioning and filled the air with its resonant sound. The Acharya then started on his way towards Kururamma's house.

Vilwanagalam and his shishyas (disciples) finally arrived at Kururamma's home. According to tradition, a brahmin lady should not talk directly to any man other than her husband. Hence, hiding behind the door, Kururamma asked Unni to welcome Vilwamanagalam Swami.

When Unni welcomed, Vilwamangalam looked at him, but due to "Maya" he couldn't recognize Bhagavan.

After taking bath, Vilwamangalam got ready for the puja.

Meanwhile, his shishyas were looking amazed. They are the ones who prepare items for the Puja as no one else knows the requirements. But, alas! this small Kid had arranged everything so perfectly. They stared at Unni enviously and he gladly teased them in turn, by winking at them.

Vilwamangalam was pleased by the perfect arrangement.  While touching the Puja materials, a divine bliss filled his heart.

The Puja commenced. At first, the seat was sanctified for seating Bhagavan. Then the invoking of Sri Krishna. Swami closed his eyes and meditated on Bhagavan. While Vilwamangalam was invoking Krishna with great concentration, Unni stood straight in front. Seeing this, the shocked Shishyas were enraged and they whispered to each other:

"This fool is standing in front of Acharya. How can we inform this to Him? See, the flowers offered are falling on his feet!"

They tried to push out Unni. But, he stood firm on the ground and the offered flowers kept on falling at his feet. Vilwanangalam Swami opened his eyes to see Sri Krishna on the offered seat as usual. But he couldn't see Bhagavan and only Unni was standing in front of him. Vilwamangalam was annoyed. As ordered by him, Unni was moved from there to a corner and then the invoking was restarted.

Again the offered flowers kept on falling at the feet of Unni, though he was standing in the corner. Immediately, Vilwamangalam Swami realized that this helper of Kururamma is Bhagavan Himself. He looked at Unni again and there He was! "Bhagavan Sri Krishna in all 
His Supreme Glory !!!!

Vilwamangalam tried to rush forward towards him to prostrate. But Bhagavan stopped him with a gesture which meant:

"Keep this as a secret. Let Me continue as Kururamma's Unni".

The Puja ended auspiciously and Vilwamangalam departed with his shishyas. Kururamma was extremely happy. However, she made a comment to Unni:

"Hey Unni! I wonder why Vilwamangalam Swamy repeatedly bowed down to both of us and cried while leaving."

Unni's only response was his mind-captivating smile which filled 'Sat-Chit-Anandam' in Kururamma's heart! The famous devotional song "Kani kanum neram" was composed by Kururamma.

Kururamma completed the mission of devotion by asserting the right of women on her own, to spiritual evolution and eventual salvation by chanting the holy name.

In the year AD 1640, Kururamma prayed to Bhagavan to take her to His abode from this mortal world and Bhaktavatsalan immediately took her to Sri Vaikunatam, along with her body. After Kururamma’s disappearance without leaving even her mortal remains, her abandoned home collapsed over time.

Recently, when an ‘Ashtamangala Devaprasnam’ was performed, there was a divine revelation that ‘Sri Krishna-Chaithanyam’ is existing at a particular spot in village Venginissery.

(Ashtamangala Devaprasnam is a certain type of practice of the prasna branch of Hindu astrology. It is very popular in Kerala. The terminology indicates the use of eight auspicious objects in its practice. It is used to ascertain the unknown causes or unwelcome situations and to plan remedial actions).

After excavations, the illam (house) of this pious lady, Kururamma was found. Surprisingly, for more than 350 years no one had occupied this land. A temple of Sri Krishna has been constructed by bhaktas at that very sacred place where excavations were done, and it has been aptly named as ‘Kururamma Sri Krishna temple’.

The temple's construction and consecration (Prana-Prathishta) was strictly in accordance with Vastu-Shastra and Tantra-Vidhi. Existing soil up to 7 feet depth was removed and filled-in by pure river-sand. The Moorthy is Kurumma's Ishta-Deva "Bala Gopalan" -  Bhagavan wearing  'Pattu-konakam' ( kaupinam / silk loin cloth) -  holding butter in one palm and Flute in the other hand. Butter offered to him on His Hand, is distributed as 'Prasadam' to Bhaktas.

"They are forever free who renounce all selfish desires and break away from the ego cage of "I," "me," and "mine" to be united with the Lord. This is the supreme state. Attain this and pass from death to immortality."

Guruvayurappan - Kururamma, another favourite devotee - 1 of 3

Part 12

Kururamma, another favourite devotee of Guruvayurappan – 1 of 3

Kururamma (original name Gauri) was born in AD 1570. She grew up as an ardent Krishna-bhakte. An elderly Brahmin Vedic Scholar of Vengilassery village’s Kurur-Illam married Gauri when she was still a child. She became a widow at the tender age of 16. Being childless, she was destined to live in solitude. But Kururamma faced life by taking refuge in her ‘Ishta Devata’ Sri Krishna. Her constant prayer was: 'May the little lad dark and lovely, the supreme Brahman of the Vedas, appear before me in all his splendour, with a flute held to his young lips.’

The Namboodiri community in those days did not allow widows to participate in any social activities. Their only let out was to work in the kitchen and do prayers. Due to the merits of her previous birth and by the grace of God, Kururamma’s mind always stayed with God.
God designed Kururamma’s life in that way with the purpose of drawing her closer towards him. She did not have anything of her own. After her kitchen work, she used to sit and do constant Nama-japam. In fact, the nama-japam became just like breathing and it elevated her to the highest level of bhakti-yoga. She went on fasts very often. Gradually her mind was purified. She had no emotions other than pure love. She looked upon everyone as her own children.

"Shuchir va ashuchir va sarvaavashtaasu sarvada", means clean or dirty, one can chant Naamam all the time. But usually women take those three or four days during their menstrual cycle to miss their prayers to feel free of any guilt.

Kururamma used to do Nama-japam ( only naamam, name of God) without any hesitation during this "inauspicious" time too. Vilawamangalam Swamiyar heard about this and was very upset that she was doing Nama-japam during this time. He worried that she might be setting a bad example for all other devotees. 

So, one day during those one of her inauspicious times, Vilwamangalam happened to visit her house and he heard her chanting Naamam. He noticed that the paayasam usually made by her was missing that day and he guessed the reason. He was very disturbed to hear her loud chanting of Naamam.

He asked Kururamma's servant Madhavi, "I heard that Kururamma is chanting naamam even during her inauspicious time of the month and can you ask her why she is doing that, setting a bad example to all younger devotees?"  

Kururamma was standing far behind the door paying respect to Vilwamangalam. In those days Namboodiri women were not supposed to see any other men than their own brothers and husband and usually all the conversation happened through a maid servant or children.

Kururamma told the servant, "Madhavi, please ask Vilwamangalam whether he can assure me that I will not die during my periods. If he can give an assurance that death will not touch any woman during that time, I will give up chanting. As long as I do not know about the uncertain death walking towards me, I have to chant Naamam to greet Yama and then bid farewell to him and go and join my Krishna. Yama lets only people with Naamam on their lips or mind, to go past him towards Krishna."

Vilwamangalam did not have an answer and he did namaskaram to Kururamma and to his great surprise, he saw Balagopalan smiling and waving at him holding Kururamma's mundu or dhothi.

This story leaves us with absolutely no excuse not to think of Him any day or any time of our life! Let Guruvayurappan not make us find different excuses to forget Him!

Poonthanam and Kururamma were contemporaries. Once a devotee who was afflicted with a grave illness approached Poonthanam and wanted to know if he will be cured from his illness. Poonthanam replied that he will ask Guruvayurappan and get back. That night, Poonthanam asked the Lord whether that devotee will be cured, and Guruvayurappan replied that he won’t be cured of his illness.

The next day, Poonthanam conveyed the Lord’s verdict to that devotee. The devotee was in tears when he heard the decree of the Lord, who later met Kururamma and she was unable to see the forlorn devotee crying. After hearing the sequence of events that had happened, she assured him that Lord Guruvayurappan is bound to his devotees and that he will alleviate the illness for sure.

The next morning, she told him that Guruvayurappan had advised him to chant the mantra 
“Achyutha Anantha Govindha” written by Veda Vyasa and that the illness will be cured by incessant chanting of this Namatraya mantra. 

Achyutanantha Govinda Namochchaarana bheshajah|
Nashyanthi sakalA roga satyam satyam vadaamyaham||

The mere recitation of “Achyutha, Anantha and Govindha” is a wholesome medicine for all types of illnesses and this precept is indeed true!

Kururamma advised him to chant the mantra every day and also asked him to have a pot of water containing Tulasi leaves in front of him while praying and drink it later. He followed her advice verbatim and was soon cured of his illness.

After some days, the devotee went and met Poonthanam and narrated what had happened. Hearing this Poonthanam became sad that Guruvayurappan had not been truthful to him and hence did not go to the temple that day.

That night Lord Guruvayurappan met Poonthanam and enquired the reason for his absence. The Lord confided in him that he missed all his Njanappaana and “Mara Prabhu” recitations. Poonthanam told the Lord that he will not come to the temple anymore and that he was unhappy with the conflicting verdicts that the Lord had given to him and Kururamma regarding the devotee who was afflicted with the grave disease.

Hearing this, the Lord told Poonthanam the following – “Oh Poonthanam, you asked me if the devotee will be cured or not and I replied no, because as per the devotee’s fate he wouldn’t be cured of the disease.” But Kururamma didn’t ask me this question and instead said, “Oh my dear Lord, there is nothing in this world that is beyond your control. My dear brother is afflicted with this grave disease and I am sure that you have the cure for it". The Lord then continued and told Poonthanam that he gave the cure since Kururamma asked for it!

The moral from this dialogue is that one should pose the right question in the right way to the Lord for him to shower his grace on all our prayers and endeavours!

Years passed. Kururamma became aged. All her relatives died one after the other and she was all alone. Kururamma became aware that she had none except Krishna. She prayed to Him ardently. One day, Bhagavan appeared and asked what boon she wanted. Kururamma prayed with folded hands:

"O Krishna! I don't have anyone. You be with me always. Don't abandon me like you did with Yashoda".

Bhagavan smiled, nodded His head and disappeared.

The next day itself, Bhagavan appeared as an orphan kid “Unni” , in front of Kururamma . Due to His Yoga-Maya, she could not recognize Him as Bhagavan. She treated him as her own child. She loved him, cared for him, chastised him and took care of him.

To childless Kururamma, Bhagavan served as her son. He lived with her, played with her and even made her angry with His childhood-mischiefs. He helped her in all household chores as a dutiful son does for his beloved Mother. From the time of Unni’s arrival, Kururamma lived in great joy.

Krishna [Unni Krishnan] used to help Kururamma in picking up the flowers and arrange for pooja. One day when Amma was getting the puffed rice ready, the naughty Unnikrishnan mixed the puffed rice and husk together. Amma scolded him. She told him not to touch those things because they are for offerings to God.  But Unni did not seem to care. He did the same thing again and again. Amma couldn’t bear any more. So, she got him and put him in a big pot and closed it with another pot, which is used for frying rice. Unni was making noise from there. After a few minutes the noise stopped. Then Amma got worried and looked in and saw Unni lying very tired. She felt bad and took him out and started to pamper him. He suddenly got up; mixed the rice and husk again which was kept separated by Amma and ran away quickly from there!