Choorakkattukara Sree Durga Temple

Choorakkattukara Durga Temple is one of the most relevant among the 108 Durga Temples.  It is also one among the ancient temples under the Cochin Devaswom Board.

Choorakkattukara- a beautiful village lying on the foot of Vilangan hill; aside the Thrissur-Kunnamkulam highway; towards the north-west direction of Thrissur town and 7 kilometers away from Sree Vadakkumnadhan Temple. Choorakkattukara Durga Temple is contained in this candid village.

The soil here was beatified by the rituals and offerings that various sages tens of centuries ago. As time rolled on this land also had to pass through a period of discomfiture. This land was covered, rather formed into a thick rattan forest. Thus was derived the name Choorakkattukara; meaning – Land of rattan forest. Time rolled again, this time to bring back the glory which Choorakkattukara once lost when the then head of Appat family recognized an animus in a stone in the rattan forest. Several scholars where called upon who in their meditation filtered the truth that the stone was a “Swayambhu Shila”. For all the world an animus of AadiParashakthi. Here Devi has the facet of Mahishasuramardhini. Devi is a VANA DURGA, who directly feels the seasons of the nature. Hence a roofless sanctum sanctorum was constructed for Devi. That structure was marked to be the home, home base and base for Devi, to which timely alterations and modifications were made and the result being the present day temple.

Devi emits a motherly warmth and affection to all her devotees, her children. She brings forth hope and strength to her children having a tough ride in life like a mother who prevents her child from falling down. Centuries becomes mere days when history and this land start speaking their experiences, strength they got from this Mother Goddess.

I was not lucky enough to have those stories lying with my head resting on my dearest Grandma’s lap with her fingers moving through my hair and the other hand patting me forcing gently to drift me to sleep helping see those visuals in color in a dream that came from nowhere to continue the narration that led me to sleep. Still I must say I was lucky to have a Mother in whom I see that Mother Goddess herself who was destined to pull us towards Choorakkottukavilamma through her.

Above all, I bow before this Mother Goddess for granting me a life to take birth in the legendary Appat family which marks a legacy older than four centuries with the history of this temple. 

Humans hope after believing each other. To step an act to overcome a hope they need to circumambulate an energy.  Yes!! An energy that is neither created nor destroyed as we were all thought in school. Let us call it God. Let it be in any form. Like for us it is our Choorakkottukaavilamma. 

Pontianak

Night wasn’t all that young when I switched myself to the sleeping mode that night. It was that shaky silence which made me mark the age of the night. Young nights are always noisy and a synonym for celebration. Suddenly, like a pin poked into an inflated balloon, the yowl of two or more cats just outside, beneath my bedroom window broke down that fragile castle of silence.

First thing what the cats reminded me was Shah Rukh Khan  when he said “mujhe jungli billiyan bahut pasand hai”, meaning; I love wild cats in the movie Don. And what came second in queue was the story or a myth of this Equator city, Pontianak. Pontianak has got a history that is related with how it got its name.

THE STORY

The Pontianak is the female vampire- even more fearsome then your ordinary western vampire- of Asian origin. She's believed to be the spirit of a woman who died in childbirth. She relishes all types of blood, but the blood of a newborn is supposed to be the most preferred blood. She kills pregnant women and eats the fetus. There is no known way of killing this vile creature, but to stop it, one must drive a nail into its neck-the creature will change back to the woman it once was - or one must disrobe. But to do such a thing, the person must posses an ugly body. It's said that the Pontianak is fearful of sharp objects. It's also said that if one were to tie a red thread from a banana tree (the Pontianak's home) to the foot of the person's bed, the Pontianak would have to do the person's bidding, trapped.

Even I was told by my friends here that, on Thursday nights the cats be comes violent and start yowling and that’s when the cats see the vampire and all that stuffs. What I felt interesting was that at least some people believed these stories seriously. They may have their own reasons to believe that.

It is ironic if my colleagues find me calling this city a ‘cute little city’. That’s because I feel it only when I sit at home and think of it. This city, to an extent, stifles me...mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Can’t exactly nick name it with the dear name of homesickness. But neither can’t I ignore the fact that that name has its silhouette cast slightly over those mixed feelings. It has its own beliefs, tradition, heritage and culture. Most important of all they still remain unadulterated and intact with no ingredients added to taste or look better. This can be found in style of festivals they conduct. Especially the Chinese festivals. Pontianak has a Chinese sharing a major portion of its total population.

It’s a fact!! I feel alive only when I’m in my darling Thrissur. I feel myself breathing joyously when I inhale the air of Thrissur. I feel the warmth of staying alive when I get that hug from my mother. I feel my heartbeat to be normal when my heart synchs its beats with the THUMP-THUMP THUMP-THUMP of my Bullet. Childish!!! I know. But I have promised not to lie in my Aphorisms. Whatever is here is true.

But all these never pulled me back from lengthening my friends list. I think that’s easier than making enemies. That’s something what I suggest for a healthy mind. And Pontianak did give me some good friendship.