|
NĀṬOṬIPPĀṬṬU (FOLK-SONGS). Every literature has a section known as nāṭoṭippāṭṭus (folk songs). In Kerala (Malayālam) literature the period of folk songs was a golden era. Worship of devatās, honouring heroes, entertainments, philosophy, science, caste-professions, morals, ethics etc., generally formed the themes for folk songs. There are a number of folk-songs in Malayālam called Saṅghakkali, Tīyāṭṭu, Olappāvakkūttu, Ezhāmatu Kali, Kāṇippāṭṭu, Nāṭṭuppāṭṭu, Vaṭṭippāṭṭn, Pūrakkalippāṭṭu, Aṭaccuturappāṭṭu, (Pulluvarpāṭṭu, Nizhalkūttuppāṭṭu, Bhadrakālippāṭṭu, Tirayāṭṭu etc. All these songs are reflective of the spiritual thoughts and ideas of the masses. Also, there is a special series of folk-songs called Vaṭakkanpāṭṭus (songs of the north). All the Vaṭakkanpāṭṭus are heroic songs. They are folk-songs eulogising the heroic deeds and achievements of certain heroes and heroines of exceptional courage and prowess who flourished in olden days in north Malabar. Though there are more than four hundred such songs, only thirtyfive of them have been printed and published yet. These songs, which call for no special training or gifts for their singing or require any special knowledge in music for their appreciation, take their roots in the hearts of the common people. Almost all these songs are connected with Kalaris (schools where gymnastics are taught), Aṭavu (strategic feats of the duel fight), Payattu (physical training) and Aṅkam (fight). Descriptions of the challenges by heroes, clashing of arms and the way how youngsters get out of danger by their intelligence and prowess are really exciting and exhilarating to read. Most of the heroes in the Vaṭakkanpāṭṭus lived either in Kaṭattanāḍu or its suburbs. A good majority of the songs sings the praises of two powerful families Puttūram house and Taccolimāṇikkattu, the former a Tīya and the latter a Nāyar family. Taccolimāṇikkattu house was at Meppa in Putuppaṇam village near Vaṭakara in Kaṭattanāḍu, and most of the songs relate to the great hero Otenakkuruppu of this house. Otenakkuruppu was born in 1584 A.D. and lived for thirtytwo years. Therefore, the Vaṭakkanpāṭṭus may generally be placed in the 16th and 17th centuries A.D. Āromalcekavar, Āromaluṇṇi, Āṭṭummaṇamel Uṇṇiyārcca, Taccoli Otenan, Taccoli Candu, Pālāṭṭu Komappan, Bambāyi Ālikutty, Putunāṭan Kelu and Kalpparampil Kaṇṇan are the chief characters in the paṭṭus. Especially the song about Uṇṇiyārcca is thrilling. Brief notes about the heroes and their families in the pāṭṭus are given below.
1) Puttūram Vīṭu. (Puttūram House).
Āromal Cekavar, Āṭṭuṁmaṇamel Uṇṇiyārcca and Āromaluṇṇi were the star heroes of the house. Uṇṇiyārcca was the sister of Āromalcekavar and mother of Āromaluṇṇi whose father was Kaṇṇappan. It may be understood from the song ‘puttiriyaṅkam’ that Āromalcekavar was born to Kaṇṇappan when he was fortytwo years old. One or two songs about Āromalcekavar are extant, one about his playing a game of dice and the other about his fighting the ‘puttiriyaṅkam’. As for the game of dice, Āromalcekavar went to his uncle at Mikavil Mikaccerivīṭṭil--an expert in the game of dice--to study the art. There he spent a night with his uncle's daughter Tumpolārcca, who became pregnant by him. Though people ridiculed her at this development Āromal cekavar took her as his wife when she had delivered his child. Āromal Cekavar had also another wife called Kuñcuṇṇūli of Ālattūr house. With regard to the puttiriyaṅkam, Aromar as the Cekavar (Sevakan, one who served) of Uṇṇikkonār, once went to fight with Ariṅṅoṭar. Candu, his father's nephew, accompanied him as his assistant. Candu hated Āromar from the day the latter stood in his way of marrying Uṇṇiyārca. Ariṅṅoṭar brought over to his side Candu, assistant of Āromar. Āromar killed Ariṅṅoṭar in combat and on his way home he slept lying on the lap of Candu weary after the combat when the treacherous Candu thrust heated handle of the lamp into a wound in the stomach of Āromar, who managed to reach home only to die there.
2) Āṭṭummaṇamel Uṇṇiyārcca.
Uṇṇiyārcca, overruling the opposition of her father-in-law and mother-in-law, one day went with her husband Kuñjurāman to witness Kūttu in the Allimalar temple. When they came to Eṭavaṭṭam market after passing Tānūr market certain ruffians confronted them. The coward that he was, Kuñjurāman trembled before the ruffians, but Uṇṇiyārcca routed them with her skill in combat.
3) Āromaluṇṇi.
Āromaluṇṇi, who as a youth heard from his mother Uṇṇiyārcca the story about the treacherous killing of his uncle, Āromal Cekavar, by Candu rushed to Kolattunāḍu and killed the latter in combat.
4) Taccoli Otenan.
Otenan was a powerful Nāyar (Kuruppu) born in Taccoli māṇikkattu house. His father was a nāyar chief well-known both as Putuppaṇattuvāzunnor and Cīnaṁvīṭṭil Taṅṅal. His mother was Uppāṭṭi, daughter of a woman called Teyi. He had an elder brother called Komappan and a younger sister called Uṇicciruta (Uṇiccira). Otenan's father begot a son (Kaṇṭācceri Cāppan) of Mākkaṁ, the maid-servant of Uppāṭṭi. Cāppan grew up to be a constant com- panion of Otenan. Komappan (Komakkuruppu) brother of Otenan was a peace-loving, sedate person. Otenan mastered all the tricks of Kalarippayattu at the gymnasium of Matiloor Gurukkal. Otenan had also mastered the use of the Urumi (a thin sword). He was such a master in the use of the Urumi that he could, by one sweep of it, graze the throat of a man without cutting and shedding a drop of blood. He was an expert in necromancy also. What could not be managed by the physical strength of Otenan, Cāppan used to manage with his intellectual powers. Otenan was born on the slope of a hill at Meppa one mile east of the present Vaṭakara railway station. Relics and remnants of Māṇikkattu family are there yet to be seen. Many songs have been composed about Otenan. One of them is his going to receive presents of cloth on Onam day from a stingy chief who, after the death of Otenan's father, had become ‘Putuppaṇattu Vāzhunnavar’. Another song relates to his collecting taxes from Kotumala Kuññikkaṇṇan on behalf of Rājā of Koṭṭayam. Yet another song is about his putting down the conceit and pride of Kuṅki amma of Kekki house. And, another song is about his killing Kaiteki Otenan Nambiyār. His fight with the māppilas on behalf of the Rājā of Cirakkal forms the theme of yet another song. Another interesting song is about his making Koṭṭakkal Kuññāli Marakkār, who was a bosom friend of his, though a philanderer put on the attires of a female and thus teaching him a good lesson in life. Another song describes the escape of Otenan, who went to see the construction of the Karimala fort, with the help of Cāppan. There are also many other songs about Otenan. The very marriage of Otenan is an interesting story. Māteviamma of Kāvilum cāttottu had a daughter named Cīru. Māteviamma went to Māṇikkattu house and requested Otenan to marry her daughter Cīru. Otenan refused to oblige her. But, Cīru grew up to be very beautiful girl, and Otenan, who saw her in that state felt a great passion for her. He sent Cāppan to her for a pan (betel leaves for chewing) which she also refused. At last Cāppan took Otenan disguised as a blind person to Cīru's house. Cīru and Otenan got married without the knowledge of Cīru's mother, who cursed them when she knew about the marriage. There is another story about Otenan and Karuttaniṭam (Kaṭattanāṭu) Kuññikkanni, the only daughter of the Rājā of Kaṭattanāṭu. A rowdy called Kelappan of Ponnāpuram for forcibly carried her off. The Rājā, who tried to bring back his daughter had to return wounded. Otenan came to know that Ponnāpuram fort had once been given as dowry to his family and Kelappan was in illegal and forcible occupation of it. Otenan along with Cāppan went and captured the fort. He released Kuññikkanni from captivity and took Kelappan captive. The Rājā of Kaṭattanāṭu was very much pleased with this exploit of Otenan and married Kuññikkanni to him. There is also a story about Otenan fighting with the māppilas of Cirakkal. The māppilas did not honour the Rājā of Cirakkal during one of his tours, and the Rājā asked Otenan to put down the haughtiness of the māppilas, and he did so. Kotamala Kuṅkiamma, the Rājā Pulināḍu, Matilūr Gurukkal and others are referred to in this story. Katirūr Gurukkal was a very powerful enemy of Otenan. The Gurukkal one day kept his new gun leaning against a jack fruit tree, and Otenan, in derision, commented about it thus: “Who is it that has kept the spear made of earth leaning against the tree on which usually spear made of gold is kept so?” The Gurukkal, angry at the insult challenged Otenan for a combat within three months from Wednesday, the ninth of Kumbham. On the appointed day Otenan went to Gurukkal's combat field and killed him, Parintukūl Emmenpaniykar and others. On his way home after the victory, Otenan remembered that he had forgotten his dagger on the platform of the peepal tree, and paying no heed to the advice of his friends he returned to the combat field and got killed there.
5) Taccoli Candu.
Candu was Otenan's nephew and was reputed for his great prowess. Mālu of Tāzhattumaṭham was his wife. One day she went for worship in the Omallur temple where Kaṇḍar Menon of Tulunāṭan fort abducted her into his court. Candu was at the time, twentytwo years old. On hearing about his wife's mishap Candu, disguised as a Sannyāsin, entered the fort and fought singlehanded against Menon and his army of 400 soldiers.
6) Pālaṭṭu Koman.
Koman Nāyar, another nephew of Otenan, the son of Kuṅkiamma of Kappullipalāṭṭu, became famous under the name Komappan. The family feud between the Kuruppus of Toṇṇūrāmvītu and the Nāyars of Pālāṭu was a long-standing affair. There were seven Kuruppus during the days of Koman, and they had two sisters named Uṇṇicciruta and Uṇṇiamma. Koman felt a great passion towards Uṇṇiamma, who was bathing in the tank, and her brothers rushed to kill Koman. But Koman outlived all obstacles created by the seven brothers of Uṇṇiamma and the tale-bearing Uṇicciruta because of the cleverness of the very intelligent Uṇṇiamma. Koman also got settled by Otenan the fortytwo items of family quarrels and married Uṇṇiamma.
7) Bambāyi Ālikkuṭṭi.
In the song about Ādirāja it is said Ālikkuṭṭi, an expert in the science relating to elephants, was invited for help when the seventh elephant of the Rājā escaped back into the forest. Ālikkuṭṭi hailed from Bombay. According to the song under reference Ālikkuṭṭi brought back the elephant from the forest to the Rājā, who, greatly pleased with him, gave his daughter, Kuññikkaṇṇi, in marriage to him.
8) Putunāṭan Kelu.
Putunāṭan Candu and Kelu were brothers. Candu married a woman named Mātu. One Vaṭṭoli Menon became Mātu's paramour by bribing her with a golden chain worth three thousand paṇams, and she got her husband killed by this paramour. Candu had two dogs called Malli and Cokkan, and one of them kept guard over Candu's dead body while the other went and informed Kelu about Candu's death. Kelu in great rage, rushed to the place, saw the golden chain presented to Mātu by Menon and blinded one of her eyes.
9) Kurumparampil Kaṇṇan.
This tīya youth had a very chaste wife called Āryā. One day when Kaṇṇan was away from home for tapping coconut palms for toddy Putukolottu rājā saw Āryā, and having felt a great passion for her he presented her one night four pieces of silk and a gold ring. The next day Āryā dressed her husband as a brahmin with the sacred thread on, and deputed him to return to the Rājā's wife the presents made by her husband to her (Āryā). Kaṇṇan succeeded in his mission, but the revengeful Rājā ordered him to be executed. Āryā went to the Rājā and after various discussions with him returned home.
|