Kaliyatta kavu (My grandmother's last piece of writing)

I love to write, i think its a quality that runs in the family and i have been destined to inherit this. There has been writers from my maternal family. Blogging has sure revolutionized and made writing more than a hobby. People other than family and friend's take notice and appreciate. My late grandmother too was an writer,an unnoticed and unappreciated writer.

She was not highly educated, but what has education got to do with writing. She did some of her schooling at a top British school in Bombay during the days of British rule. I think most of her English knowledge came from this stint of schooling and i remember she had strong foundations in grammar and her spoken English too was very good. Some of my friend's who had met her were surprised to see my granny speaking in English and not only that, her thoughts and views were way ahead than the people of her times. She used to spend so much time reading too. I have been fortunate to spend my childhood listening to amazing stories and fairy-tales she used to say almost everyday. Storytelling is an art and some are just masters of it even without formal qualifications. She made sure she read the newspapers daily, even in her older years with her eyesight dimming, but with a spirit that never dims.She was married off young and my grandfather's health never kept well and he died early too. A widow in Madras with two young children (My mother and Uncle) she boldly decided to spend rest of her life alone bringing up her children in the best way possible.  She is sure an inspiration for me for all the hardships she has faced,how she overcame that. But somewhere between all her struggles her writing skills were overshadowed. I remember she used to write in a diary some of her travel experiences. She did a lot of travelling India and abroad and to several pilgrimage sites. During my last visit to Chennai, while cleaning a cupboard i found a handwritten notepad. I read it and immediately knew that i had to preserve this piece forever because this could have been my granny's last written story. She left us in 2001, but her stories remain and this is the one i want to share to all in this blog.
Some of the references are made to my native village of Parappanangadi, a village in Mallapuram district in Kerala. If any of you reading this did find any discrepancies in the information that you are reading you are  most welcome to share and correct me. I was not even sure of the temple name whose story my grandmother had written. I have not personally been there, but this story is about the origin of Ammancheri Bhagavathy Temple (Ammancheri kavu as we call it at home). Before reading this story all i knew was my mother send's money to do some vazhipadu (rituals/pooja) annually. The internet too does not have any references to the origins of this temple. Finally i think its the Devi herself (Ammancheri Bhagvathy) has guided me with all the information needed to recreate the story written on my grandmother's notepad to this blog. I have taken every effort to give exact names as to the location of this temple which was not clear from her writing. All the text indented are contributions from my late grandmother Bhagirathi Nair, Here it goes....
The silence fell like a carpet on the small temple and as the crowds melted away Kaliyatta kavu went into hibernation till the next kaliyattam one year ahead. 
The temple opened only during its annual festival which started on the first day of Edavam (May 15th to June 15th) and lasted for 15 days, when the Devi was dressed in resplendent silks and gazed beamingly at her devoted subjects. The days of the festival were neatly tailored to be taken care of by the well-known families of the village. The first Friday of the festival was prerogative of the Raja (King) of Parappananagadi were the temple was located. The villagers thronged for the pooja's on that day, when the boat ride across the river to reach the temple was free as the Raja (King) paid for it.  There was cacophony but also these was serenity and divine ambiance.
The tribals of the area made horses of bamboo and carry it on their heads swaying to the beat of drums, singing their rustic songs in praises of goddess and are welcomed with rice and offerings in all houses. The children look forward to

this kuthirakkali and follow them like following the pied-piper.
Legends tell us Devi came to these lands long long ago looking fo

r a place to stay. She found a beautiful alcove Mayilpeelikavu, but finding  it to be washerwoman's place she moved away and reached the banks of the torrid river and pointing a finger she walked across and reached a place and took much needed rest, then moved to an old couple's hut. The couple was living alone and were cleaning  a few gold coins, their only possession. The old woman saw a beautiful lady in a red saree adorned in glittering jewelry. The devi bent and took a few gold coins from them and entered the Matchu (the room where pooja is performed to the gods) of their house. The old lady was dumbfounded at the vision while her husband told her it was all her imagination for he did not see any goddess. That night the Devi appeared in their dreams and asked them for a place to stay. She asked them to ask a local landlord for some land.
With the Devi's assurance to be with them during their mission the couple left for see the landlord. They went in the morning to meet the rich landlord and asked him for some land. He laughed and asked why they want land when they already have a place to live. They told about the vision of Devi and it is she who prompted them to ask for it and they will pay a price for it. He agreed for that and told them that the he also had a vision about it. He readily gave a piece of land measured to build a temple for Devi. The temple Kaliyatta kavu is in Mooniyur, Parapanangadi .
Myths and legends abound the powers of this Devi who visits the temple every year without fail.
Once a royal boat with a queen and her entourage was passing near the temple. When somebody said the Devi of the temple was the most beautiful woman ever heard of. The queen took this as an insult to her as she thought about herself as the most beautiful. The queen who was known for her good looks replied haughtily that nobody can compete her in looks. At the next moment the boat sank and all of them cried for help. The queen prayed to Devi for help and Devi pardoned them and saved them. The Devi took Kaliyatta kavu or Ammancheri kavu as her home and according to Devi's wish one elephant was brought and they made it to walk forward putting a gold coin on step the elephant took. It is said that this is the price given to the landlord for the land given by him for constructing this temple. The temple was build with the help of the wealthy landlords and villagers and they prayed to the goddess who was very compassionate to those who come to her abode.

Hence goes the story of Ammancheri Bhagvathy whose picture i have uploaded which i found on internet. I hope this story from my grandmother will keep the legends alive which related to this temple.
Devi saranam...........