It is believed
that “Ayiramthengu Chamundi” accompanied the “Devi Annapurneswari” and a temple was established just
behind – little away from “Annapurneswari Temple”.
This goddess was brought by the “Karnavar” of this house long back and worshipped the deity in one of the rooms
of their house “Kottilakam”. In due course, they established temple and worshipped the goddess Chamundeswari along
with “upa-goddess Uchitta”, “Purankalan – (Gulikan)”, “Dharma Daivam” and “Veeran”.
Coconut oil lamps are lit everyday evening just in front of the temple and the puja is done once in a month by Namboodiri
on the “Sankramam” day ever since the temple was reconstructed on 4th
April 1990 and “Theyyam” is also conducted once in a year. The eldest member of the house functioned
as the Pujari (who performs the rites in the temple) of the temple.
In due
course female member of the house became extinct and to avoid collapse of the hierarchy, a female member of one of the “Thavazhy”-
(branch) – Puthiya Veedu of Thekkumpadam Veedu was adopted and continued the hierarchy. After that, these two families
of Thekkumpadam Veedu and Ukkummal Veedu started observing certain rites together.
The members
of the above three houses – “Munnillathu Veedu” continued to perform their marriage rites and worship of
the temples etc jointly with full co-operation even today. We wish the above spirit of relationship should continue uninterruptedly.
MATRIARCHAL/MATRILINEAL SYSTEM of family relationship
which was prevalent among the Nair community for a very long time in the Malabar area got weakened in course of time due to misbehaviour of the Karnavars in
certain houses and this was unfortunately highlighted ignoring the good spirit behind the system for the protection of women
and their inborn rights on the houses in which they were born. The laws enacted also contributed to weakening the system.
As our temples are built, maintained and protected on the basis of matriarchal system and the members of Tharavadu even now
considered the temple deity as their family god/ goddess (“Kuladeivam”) and believed that they are protected and
made them happy even though they live away from the village temple without much connection with the Tharavadu. Because of
the individualistic lifestyle prevalent now all over in the country/ world, our family members of the Tharavadu started forgetting
even their roots. To enable all these members to understand the parentage and roots, we are attempting to prepare a chart
(family tree) with the available information at least for the last one hundred and fifty years or so with the main intention
of protecting and maintaining our temple belonging to our Tharavadu.
