Jain Journal 1986 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 34

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JAIN JOURNAL
work among the classical literature of the Sangham period. It contains philosophical doctrines of the Buddha and also the life and missionary activities of the Buddhist nun. This Buddhist literary work is considered as the second part in continuation of Silappadikaram, the Jaina epic poem composed by Ilamko Adikal.
There are several temples and groves dedicated to Kannaki in many parts of Kerala. The groves are located under Banyan and other sacred trees. The symbol of worship is an anklet and a one-breasted image of Kannaki. Pūjā ceremonies are performed by Kerala Brahmins. But an oracle or Velichapadu is the most important person in all Kannaki temples including the groves or kavus. During the pūjā, the oracle will be possessed by the divine spirit of Kannaki and handling a short sword will cut off his head causing injuries. The oracles are non-Brahmins in all the temples. When possessed, he will bless the assembled devotees predicting their future events in their life. I think the Velichapadu is an innovation made in later centuries after the decline of Jainism in Kerala. It may be in the tradition of the first oracle Mathari at the consecration ceremony of the image of Kannaki performed in the first Kannaki temple at Kodungallur.
Goddess Kannaki is popularly known as Kodungallur Amma and Bhagavati among the people. The other scriptural names are Ottamulachi and Pathinidevi-the one breasted chaste wife and goddess. Mahakavi Ullur Paramesvara Iyer in his History of Kerala Literature has expressed the view that there were no Bhagavati worship and Bhagavati temples in Kerala before the advent of Kannaki at Kodungallur. The first goddess to be worshipped by the people was Kannaki Kodungallur. Bhagavati according to tradition, literary and epigraphical evidences which fact cannot be disputed by historians. Prof. Nilkanta Shastri has admitted that Kannaki is a Jaina goddess. With the decline of Jainism in Kerala and the revival of Saivism, the first target of attack was Kodungallur Bhagavati. When it was publicly known among the non-Jains that Kannaki is a non-Vedic deity, women and men who went on pilgrimage to Kodungallur would jointly sing errotic, vulgar and obscene songs exciting sexual passions with the sole aim of assasinating the unblemished character of the chaste Kannaki and throwing brickbats of several vulgar songs, at the unimpeachable character, chastity and fidelity of Kannaki to her husband. But these songs are not publicly sung by the pilgrims in these days. It was stopped for ever by the British rulers of Kerala on the ground that these errotic songs would seriously affect the morality of the people. But today these errotic songs are sung at Kodungallur temple during the annual festival. It is no wonder that Swami Vivekananda had