TRAVEL

Modern incarnation of a tribal festival in Wayanad

It was once a tribal festival that had its own coldness in the form of slave trades. As SUSHEELA NAIR finds out, the Valliyurkavu Bhagavathy temple festival is no longer an exclusive tribal celebration.

Come summer and God’s Own Country comes alive with temple fairs and festivals attracting hordes of tourists. Braving the scorching heat, I set out on a festival hopping spree.

After documenting the Kodungallur Bharani festival in Trichur district, I headed to Wayanad to attend the tribal festival at Valliyurkavu Bhagavathy temple near Mananthavody. The mist wrapped hills of Wayanad were a welcome relief from the sweltering heat of the cultural capital of Kerala.

The change in the temperature was perceptible as the bus wound its way up the 12-km Tamarassery Ghat road through nine hairpin bends and curves. Our destination was Lakkidi which records the second highest degree of rainfall in India after Cherrapunji-Mawsynram region. Just before reaching Lakkidi, we craned our necks to have a peek at the famous Chain Tree of Lakkidi, a mango tree with chains wrapped around its trunk. One end of the huge iron is attached to the branches of the tree while the other hangs down and is tied to a root projecting from the earth.

A co-passenger explained that the chain bound the exorcised spirit of a Paniya tribal. The legend goes that when a British engineer failed to devise a plan for a road running to Wayanad, a Paniya tribal suggested the path used by wild elephants.

Fearing that his professional integrity would be at stake, the Englishman had him killed. Soon after completion, the roads built over Thamarassery Ghat Pass and Wayanad, witnessed a spurt in accidents which was attributed to the unhappy spirit haunting the route and harassing travellers. An exorcist was summoned, and he tied the adivasi’s spirit to the mango tree with an iron chain. There are other legends too!

It was pitch dark when I reached Lakkidi. The plan to stay at the Rain Country Resorts. Ensconced in a valley amidst surrounding hills and forest, the resort is built in typical Kerala style with transplanted cottages offering isolation and privacy. There are no five star trappings like television (except one in the thatched dining hall), air-conditioning and room service. That left me with ample time to commune with nature. Though not a conventional hill resort, it is a cool place where the Rain God is known to shower his blessings in abundance. The piece de resistance of the resort is the natural lake where one can indulge in fishing, boating and swimming. It is a haven for butterflies, birds and nature trails too.

After a short trek I ventured beyond the designated track and got lost in the woods with leeches for company. The next morning we made a trip to Pookot Lake, a vast natural lake set in the midst of a picturesque valley surrounded by evergreen forests. It gets its name from the hundreds of white and mauve water lilies that grow in the lake. Besides boating, one can shop at Uravu, an eco shop selling Wayanad spices and products made out of bamboo and coffee wood. From there we headed for the Valliyurkavu festival (near Mananthavadi) which is reminiscent of the slave trade.

The obnoxious practice was discontinued when slavery became illegal. During the festival, Adivasis were sold, purchased and exchanged by feudal landlords and local chieftains who used to assemble with their tribal slaves in front of the Bhagavathi temple. Annual pacts were renewed binding them to work for a year. Cloth, oil and a nominal amount were given in the deal as a token.

Despite the drought prevailing in Wayanad, we found a congregation of adivasis in the temple environs. They were pouring in from all over Kerala and even the neighbouring states to pay their obeisance to their deity Bhagavathi.

At this time the quiet atmosphere of the village gives way to the fun and excitement of a large and hectic country fair, complete with roadside acrobatics, exhibitions, dance and stalls selling everything from toys to food. Candy floss, coconuts, sweetmeats and other snacks were on sale.

Their annual savings are spent at the festival purchasing new clothes, bangles and domestic material. Some vendors were doing brisk business selling mats. A street juggler performed tricks keeping his spectators spellbound. Some faces in the crowd were quite interesting: Paniya adivasi women with their indigenous ear rings made of palmyra leaf and some of them studded with red seeds.

Their traditional thodas would put the present jewellry designers to shame. What amused me was a tribal woman toying with a mobile given by an urbanite. Though it was a festival of the tribes for the tribes, with the passage of time, it has lost its charm and metamorphosed into a local mela.

GETTING THERE *How to reach: Bangalore- 300km, Kozhikode-40km *Where to stay: Rain Country Resorts E-mail:resorts@rain countryresort.com *Mobile No:9447245288 Telefax:04936-255286 *Tariff: Rs 2500 for two persons