Neerayya Cauvery- A Panaka pooja song of Palghat villages

Neerayya Cauvery- A  Panaka pooja  song of Palghat villages

Translated by ,

P.R.Ramachander

(The people of Kerala    especially of Malabar  are great devotees of the Pazhani temple in Tamil Nadu. About 70 years back there was a practice among Palghat Brahmins  of  coming as a procession to  this temple during  the Thai Poosam festival from various parts of Kerala.  The procession used to start   from Thaliparambu  in northern Kerala and  would walk  all the way from there  to Pazhani. On the way in each Brahmin Agraharam they visit this procession would   conduct a “Panaka Pooja” besides collecting food  items and money for distribution  in Pazhhani during Thai poosam. The Panaka pooja would start with a worship of Lord Subrahmnya and then  several  devotees would recite stotrams and songs, mostly written as Virutham.The tempo of music used to go up and up as the night progresses and God will  enter several people. They would be pacified by applying sacred ash on them. It would end  with the distribution of Panakam  to every one present . Finally   the procession would reach Pazhani   bare footed before Thai Poosam day. They would normally    stay in a Choultry called  Kozhuman Yajmanan Sathram.  There  day and night all people who come would be fed. Unfortunately   this systemhas almost vanished.A small group does visit Pazhani   from Palghat   as a procession. That grandeur of Panaka Pooja  which used to shake all  the Palghat Brahmins   with devotion   has almost vanished. I am giving below  a popular song of Panaka Pooja .I agree  that  the Tamil used has mistakes and some amount of Palghat lingua has crept in. It is only with tears that  I recollect   those great Panaka  Pooja festivals   in villages of Palghat  . If I have committed mistakes, please send me the correct lines of the song.)

1.Neerayya Cauvery  , nithyamayya  SAngu nadham,

Therayya  thai poosam  desathaar  kondata .

Pasi padarntha malai, Panguni therodum malai  ,

OOsi padarntha  malai , Rudaraksham kaykkum malai  ,

Malaikkum malai naduve   Malayala desamellam,

Avaradakki  chirayeduppar , Aarumukha  velone.

1.You are  the Cauvery   and daily the sound of  conch is heard,

With the people celebrating the chariot   on the Thai poosam day,

The mountain is spread with  green algae , The mountain where  chariot runs in Panguni,

The mountain spread with needles, The mountain where  Rudraksha yields  seeds,

The entire Malayalam country is  in between mountain and mountain ,

Would be conquered  and made as  theirs by people  ,  Oh Lord   with six heads  holding a Vel

2,Vandi neri  neriya  , malayai chuthi theroda ,

Vajramani ther meethil , yengal Subrahmanyar vaararo  ,

Kinnathil chandanavum , kili mooku  vethilayum,

Avar alli alli poojai cheivar , Arumukha velone

2.With carts jostling with each other , with chariot running   round the mountain,

On the chariot made  with diamond and gems , Is our Lord Subrahmanya   coming,

They would offer    you   all   worship   with sandal paste  in a cup,

And the parrot nose  like betel leaves, ,  Oh Lord   with six heads  holding a Vel

3.Annan illai, Thambi illai,

Yennai Aadarippar   aarum illai,

Yen aandavane , Meyyane ,

Yennai   aadraippar   aalumundo

3.I do not have elder brother  nor a younger brother,

I  do not have any one to support me,

Oh my God who rules me  and  who is real truth,

Are there  people who would support me,

4,Veleduthu Kachai ketti , vidham vidhamai mayil yeri,

THandi malayerum shanmuganaar  neerallavo

4. Are you not   the Shanmuga  ,Holding the Vel , getting battle ready  , 

Climbing in various ways on  the peacock ,

5.Uchiyil jdayirukkum  , ullankayyil vel irukkum,

Nethriyil neer irukkum , neerada vaararo.

5.He will have matted hair on  his head , he holds on his hand the Vel,

He wears  sacred ash on his forehead, Is he  coming to take  bath?

6.Madathai katti vaithu , mayilukalai kudi iruthi,

Madamum   ingirukka, mayil pona nyayamenna?

6.After   building the stage and making peacocks live there,

When the building is here , What is the justice in peacocks going away?

7.Yeratha mayil yeri, iragu rendum  thathalithu,

Paaramal  thai poosam  , Pazhani malai velone?

7.Climbing on a peacock which no one has climbed , Making both  wings struggle,

Without seeing Thai poosam, Oh Lord holding Vel of Pazhani mountain?

8.Idumban oru puramaam , iru puramaam kavadikal ,

Kadamba vanam kadanthu varuguthayya  kavadigal.

8.With Hidumba on one side  , On both sides Kavadi  ,

After   crossing Kadamba forest  , the Kavadis are coming

9.Aarkattu seemayile    aaru laksham  ksvadikal,

Therkattu seemayile, desamellam kavadigal,

9,While in arcot region there were six lakh kavadi,

In the  forest around chariot  , all the place was filled with Kavadis

10,Kachai ketti  veleduthu  vidham vidhamai   mayileri,

Vajramani ther meethil  Subrahmanyar vaararo.

10. Getting battle ready , carrying the Vel  , Climbing on the peacock in various ways,

Would Subrahmanya come climbing the diamond gem chariot.

11.Muthu kudai pidithu mulagu samban naar o pavi,

Pattu kudai pidithu . pakal vettai vaararo?

11.Carrying a pearl umbrella  , transplanting Mulagu samban (one variety of paddy)seedlings,

Carrying   the silken  umbrella  , would he come for day time hunting?