“Mottai adi mahotsavam” (Tonsure Maha-festival)

Dear All,
This could be my last post for the next few days, as I am under fire from both my Doctor as well as family, for sitting & typing stories hours together. Also, there are possibilities that I could be travelling to temples down South shortly, health permitting, ofcourse.
Hope to be back in a week or so.
Till then,
Cheers,
RRG​

“Mottai adi mahotsavam” (Tonsure Maha-festival):rotfl​

“ Amma, why are you looking so morose? What’s bugging you?” Kittu asked Janaki, his mom. She was sitting in the Hall, in a pensive mood.

He knew that the main reason was the ‘no holds barred fight’ she had – only pump side setting was missing – with Kamu, his DW, previous night. Somehow, he wanted normalcy to return to the household at the earliest. For that he wanted to normalize J first before K got up.​

( For those who are not familiar with Kuzhai adi sandai ( pumpside fight) please check with your Chennaite friends of acute water scarcity days. Normally KS took place between two ferocious looking species of the female variety. With saree tucked on to their hips, the ‘godha’ (zest) with which they enter the arena itself would send shivers up the spine of new comers to the show. The old timers would leave everything else and lend vociferous support & encouragement to their favored ones. At times, such fights would last for days, in installments, with intermission at the end of a day’s show. I know of people who would run miles to witness their favorites in action, especially for the vocabulary. Impromptu mostly, it would do a world of good in improving one’s Chennai Tamil. Of course, I found many words & phrases could not be reused anywhere else as they would sound too mundane and far beyond the line of decency under normal circumstances. But, all the same, very enjoyable when the ‘players’ use it, in their own style with accompanied gestures. . Till date, I have neither heard such a vocabulary nor seen such acrobatics even in Tamil cinemas.)​

“For some days now, I am worried about a ‘vendudhal’ ( vow to God) that I had taken when you were a boy. Remember, you fell sick with chickenpox when you were 10 years old. I had then prayed to Muppaththi Amman that I would tonsure your head, if you recover fully. After you recovered, somehow fulfillment of this vow kept on getting postponed. Finally it even disappeared from my mind. Only last year, at his death bed, your dad reminded me of it and suggested my fulfilling it without fail during my lifetime at least. I had promised him to do so. That’s what is worrying me now,” Janaki replied.​

“ Amma, how on earth you expect to fulfil such impracticable vow now? I have already become moon-bald and there is not even a single strand of hair left on my head”, Kittu laughed.:rotfl​

“I know, I know. But, last night while contemplating on this vexed issue, I could think of a solution. I do not know how to implement it. Without fulfilling the vow even if I die, my body will not burn on the wooden stack” (A Tamil saying “ Kattai Kattayil vegadhu.” )​

“Is that all? Be out with it. I will find a way to execute it. It was after all for my good that you took this vow”.
“ But, she should know that, isn’t it?” Janaki queried.
“Who? Amman?”
“No, no. Not Amman. I meant your in-house Pidari (demoness)” was the retort.
‘Oh... ! You mean...., Kamu?”
“How many more Pidaris do we have at home?”
“What has she got to do with this?” By now, my antenna was up.

“As they say, the wife shares not only the life but also the body, mind & soul with her husband. She is half of you. All that we need to do is to get her tonsured twice so that it amounts to you being tonsured once. With your premature baldness, this could be the only way out”, she responded.​

“What do you mean? Kamu to be tonsured. Even if the Amman Herself comes in person, She can’t even extract a single strand from Kamu’s head, leave alone the full lot, that too twice. Impossible.” Kittu jumped in horror.​

“Then so be it. It would become a “ Deiva Kuttam” and would invite a curse on our entire family for times to come. Also, a son is supposed to ensure mukti for his parents. But here , as your eyes are blinded by the wiles of that wicked lady, you will ensure perennial ‘Naragam’ (Hell) for both your father and me. For you, your wife’s kudumi (tuft) has become more important than your parent’s happiness. Even after my demise, keep applying oil to her tuft and enjoy its softness, while we both get roasted in tubs full of burning oil in Hell, for not fulfilling a vow that we took for your well being.”​

“What is all this mom? Why don’t you see reason? In our houses ladies don’t shave off their head unless they become widows, isn’t it.”​

“Who said that? There are so many who do it in Tirupathy and other important temples. Imagine, if she develops ‘sarangu’ (putrefied boils) on her head tomorrow, will she not shave her hair off on medical advice. If she can do it for medical reasons, why not for spiritual reasons? All your arguments are utter non-sense. You don’t want peace for your parents even after death and coming up with all sort of excuses”. ​

I was speechless. These women, can beat any seasoned lawyer hollow, when it comes to such arguments. How will I open this topic with Kamu. She will be furious. I could visualize her arguing that “tonsuring is equivalent of offering your head itself. If you so desire mukti for your parents at any cost, better cut your head off and leave it at the feet of your mom, for in turn giving it to Amman. Don’t even dare touch my hair.” I shuddered to even think of approaching Kamu with such a weird suggestion.​

Just then I could see the curtain moving inside our bed room. That means, as usual, Kamu had been present behind the screen, (pun intended pl), through out my discussion with mom. So far so good. I was confident that more sooner than later, she herself would open the topic. ​

Suddenly the Hall became very chill. I could perceive unrelenting cold stares from two pairs of eyes from opposite sides of the hall. That means, Kamu has arrived onto the scene. ​

“What is all these’ puss, puss’ (I think she meant our little chat) between mom and the baby boy about, may I know?”
“Oh, Nothing.”
“Nothing? You look as if a corpse eating ghost or blood hungry vampire has hit you. Did your mom slap you or something?”
(OMG. I could well understand that she was calling mom CE ghost & BH vampire. A retort for being called a “Pidari making the score 2-1 in her favour.)
“No No. Adhu vandhu, vandhu (That is.., is... )”
“Enna vandhu, poyeennu izhuvai.. ( what all this dragging the issue?). I heard everything that you two spoke, even though I was not very keen to listen. Who allows anyone to sleep in peace in this house - with people blaring out all the while, at the top of their voice? Be that as it may, I have a confession to make on this.” ​

“What? What?? What???” Kittu asked. He couldn’t stop with one ‘what’. His curiosity was so powerful that it kept pushing whats out of him. ​

“Uncle,( ie )your dad, also told me of this vow in his death bed, when we were alone. It was bugging me as well, as you had no hair left on your head. Luckily amma has come out with a suitable solution. I am grateful to her. I don’t want any “Deiva Kuththam” for our family nor do I want to disturb the perennial peace of any ancestor. I am prepared to sacrifice my beloved hair for a noble cause.” She halted.​

I was greatly relieved. ‘What a wife? Kamunna Kamudhaan’ (Kamu is Kamu only). I rejoiced within myself and looked at mom triumphant.
Mom remained expressionless. I could sense that she was anticipating something more. I could visualize her antennae rising from her head like’ mattuk kombu’ (Cattle horn).​

“Then what are we waiting for?” she blurted out.
Kamu continued, “ Uncle had told me one more thing as well, which also need to be fulfilled now along with this vow. He confided that he had also prayed for Kittu’s recovery from that illness by taking a vow to break a coconut on his head at the same Muppaththiamman temple, which could not be completed during his life time. I am only wondering whether your mom's old head would withstand and she would survive, hits of two solid coconuts.”​

Oh, the Hall is very hot now, with four suns burning bright.​

Anbuudan,
RRG /
PS: The annual Adi festival of Sri Mahalakshmiamman Temple at Mettumahadanapuram in Karur district was celebrated with the chief priest breaking coconuts on heads of devoteess as a part of their fulfilment of vow. More than a thousand devotees had coconut broken on their head while some sustained bleeding injuries in the process. “India TV” 5th Aug ‘11)

 

Thanks Janani for the FB.
Kamu's resolve was that the Coconut be broken on Janaki's head by the same logic Janaki put forth. Kittu's father took a vow to break a coconut on his head. Now that he is no more, his wife Janaki must break two on her own head by her logic

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 the wife shares not only the life but also the body, mind & soul with her husband. She is half of you. All that we need to do is to get her tonsured twice so that it amounts to you being tonsured once. With your premature baldness, this could be the only way out  

Tit for tat. For suggesting her to mottaify as substitutefor Kittu, she had inturn made it a compulsion on Janaki to break coconut on her head as a substitute for her husband.
Hope I am clear now.
Cheers,
RRG

 

Dear Usha,
Thanks for your feed back. Yes, certainly would take care of health. It is temporary only and would be back bouncing soon.
Coming to "MAM" story, infact, you can't say whether there was any unfulfilled vow at all in the first place. My gut feeling is that as a result of previous night's fight, MIL thought of cutting DIL's tuft at least, to teach her a lesson. (She would have loved to cut her nose, given an option.) DIL inturn decided to do away with MIL once & for all, or atleast give her a broken head and a strong message not to take 'panga' with her.
I can't understand these ladies. Perhaps you can, as a fellow lady.:rotfl
Don't they say, "only a snake knows the legs of other snakes".:rotfl:rotfl:rotfl

Cheers,
RRG

 

Dear CL,
Thanks for your FB. Nice to know you liked the story.
There are certain expressions, even though look simple, touch the core of the receiver. This is one such. Nice that you have noted this.

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Mr. RRG, Take care of your health. My health has improved because of the laughter you provided for me. 

Honoured & Flattered. :bowdown
If at all I make the trip, I would be visiting temples in & around Tanjore / Kumbakonam belt. Original plan was for 5 days. Given the sudden aggrevation, may restrict it to two days only - mainly to our family deity at Swamimalai & to nearby temples. Even that is doubtful for now. I have left it to Him.
I would also love to be back soon. Let's see.
Cheers,
RRG

 

Dear Raji,
Pleased to know you like my stories.
If you really look at it, there nothing more in my stories excepting word play - to bring a smile out of the reader. I find, I am successful in your case. Thanks for letting me know.
Yes, I have moved over to Chennai couple of months back.
Would be back soon.
Cheers,
RRG