Parassini Madappura Sree Muthappan Temple

Legand has it that - a couple Ayyankara Devan and Padikutty Antharjanam of the famous Ayyankara Illam of North Malabar had been living in great sorrow and agony as they had no children. As usual Padikutty and her maid servants entered Tiruvan Kadavu to have a royal bath. Hardly had she made a dip when, rising up, she heard the cry of an infant. A very handsome baby was sighted playing about on a flat stone when she made another dip. The child was carried along with great affection to Ayyankara Illam. He grew up at Ayyankara Illam as the darling of the Ayyankara couple. The child was taught Vedas and Epics and as per acharya norms was converted to a Brahmin following the ritualistic pattern called ‘upanayanam’.

But when the child grew up he started showing super human powers. It became usual for him to make company with lower-caste people and to invite them to the illam. The sanctity and purity of the illam was tarnished by him when he hunted wild animals and brought the booty to the illam to cook and eat them. When Ayyankara Devan reached the extreme of his patience, he sent Muthappan out of the illam for good. When Muthappan looked around all the vegetation around got burned in the fire of his wrath. When Muthappan directed his looks at father, his mother pleaded to the son telling ‘Nay’ dear son, closing his eyes by her hand. Wear a gentler look with ‘Vellikunnu’ shedding your ‘Trikkanu’, said the mother.

With a bow and an arrow as mighty weapon, Muthappan with his entourage set off to the forest with a great pack of hunting dogs. They reached the pinnacle of a hill called Kunnathur paddi. One day Muthappan climbed up a palm and stole and drank some toddy. Enraged at this, Chandan took his bow and arrow and attacked Muthappan. Muthappan looked at him with his divine eyes and he immediately turned into a stone. Chandan’s wife got nervous at her husband not returning after doing his work of cutting grass. Searching her husband friend wide, she reached under the palm tree to see the stultified Chandan in his human shape.
Looking up at the palm she saw a great man of grace with divine light emanating around his head. She let out a wild cry calling, ‘Oh, my Muthappa…’.

It was to Puralimala that Muthappan went straight from Kunnathur Padi. Muthappan continued his triumphant journey organizing the poor and downtrodden against the hegemony of the Brahmins. He crossed swords with the Ottawa King, who had been ruling, and defeated him and annexed his land. There he built 308 Madappuras and innumerable podikkalams thereby reinforcing his dominion over the king. He pillaged several barn houses and distributed the grains to the poor. Revolting against untouchability and isolationism, he not only organized the Harijans, Vannans, Thiyyas and Angolans but made them perform many ritualistic duties as well. He summoned the high caste Brahmins to witness the event and sought their blessings to sow the seeds of a spiritual revolution.

The worshipping place of Muthappan is called Madappura. Many Madappuras are there in North Malabar. Of all such Madappuras; Parassani Madappura is the most prominent. Here Muthappan devotees who throng here are supplied with Tea, steamed pear and a small piece of coconut. Devotees are blessed with the ‘Holy Darsan’ by both Cheriya Muthappan and Valiya Muthappan when they conduct Thirivappana Vellattom in the wee hours of morning.

The person who does ‘pooja’ or the holy ritual in a Madappura is designated Madayan. The one who honours the post of Madyan is always the elder member in the ancestral home of a Thiyya community. The people who belong to the Vannan caste. The successors of Kundathil tharavadu are nowadays maintaining the role of Muthappan’s image at Parassini Madappura.

Location

Parassinikadavu

Driving Direction

Main Deity

Sree Muthappan (incarnation of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva born in the period of Kali Yuga)

Other Deities

Festivals

Muthappan Thiruvappana (Puthari Thiruvappana) Festival

Main Offerings

Thiruvappana, Payamkutti Vellattam, Ottum Vellattam, Payamkutti, Karimkalasam.

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