Kunnathur Padi
Kunnathur Padi
Kunnathur Padi is the ancestral abode of Lord Muthappan .Situated at an altitude of 3,000 feet above sea level on Udumbamala in the Western Ghats, in the Kannur district of Kerala, it is the venue for the famous Kunnathur Padi festival. There is no permanent temple for Muthappan here; the festival is held in a natural environment. This is because Muthappan reminded his devotees that fallen leaves, a spring, a hill, rounded boulders, a forest, and palm trees are quite enough for him. This region was originally under the sovereign ownership of the Mannanar royal dynasty, the lineage of Muthappan . The region was under the supervision of the Thiyyar chieftains known as Kunnammal Edathil, who were subordinate lords under the Mannanar dynasty, and the name Kunnathoorpadi is derived from them. In 1902, Kunjikelappan Mannanar, the last king of the dynasty, was killed, following which the British government seized the royal lands. Later, Karakkatidam Nayanar acquired the right to collect taxes by mortgaging temple gold and obtained permission from the Thalassery British fort to collect taxes from this area.
Thereafter, Kunnathur Padi, which was under the Mannanar dynasty, came under the control of Karakkatidam Nayanar, and they took charge of tax collection. After independence, Karakkatidam Nayanar also attempted to seize the Parassinikadavu Muthappan Madappura, claiming rights over it because they had collected taxes for the area on behalf of the British. However, the Parassinikadavu family approached the court, and the court ruled that Karakkatidam Nayanar's claims were baseless. Nonetheless, members of the Karakkatidam family still continue to manage the affairs here.
The Puthari Vellattam is held here in the Malayalam month of Kanni. While it is held in the month of Thulam everywhere else, here it is conducted on an auspicious day in the month of Kanni. The festival begins on the 2nd of Dhanu. There is an open space and a cave in the middle of the forest. During the festival, a temporary Madappura is constructed, which serves as the sanctum sanctorum for the celebrations. To the western side of the Madappura, a stone, a rock pedestal, and a clay-built pedestal can be seen. There are also two palm trees on either side of the cave. To the northern side lies a stream known as Thiruvankadavu.
The Puthari Vellattam is held here in the Malayalam month of Kanni. While it is held in the month of Thulam everywhere else, here it is conducted on an auspicious day in the month of Kanni. The festival begins on the 2nd of Dhanu. There is an open space and a cave in the middle of the forest. During the festival, a temporary Madappura is constructed, which serves as the sanctum sanctorum for the celebrations. To the western side of the Madappura, a stone, a rock pedestal, and a clay-built pedestal can be seen. There are also two palm trees on either side of the cave. To the northern side lies a stream known as Thiruvankadavu.
Festival Summary
Tantris perform purification rituals for the festival. Rituals such as Pashudanam, Punyaham, Ganapathy Homam, and Bhagavathi Seva are conducted. The descent of Muthappan (Mala-irakkal) takes place from Puralimala. While descents to all other Madappuras originate from Kunnathur Padi, Thiruvappana and Vellattam are not performed together at Padi.
The Legend of Kunnathur Padi as Muthappan's Abode
In ancient times, there was a palace named Ayyankara (Anjaramana) belonging to a royal dynasty in the village of Eruvasseri, Payyavoor.
Kunnathur Padi is the ancestral abode of Lord Muthappan. Situated at an altitude of 3,000 feet above sea level on Udumbamala in the Western Ghats, in the Kannur district of Kerala, it is the venue for the famous Kunnathur Padi festival. There is no temple for Muthappan here, and the festival is celebrated in a natural setting, recalling Muthappan's message that fallen leaves, a spring, a hill, boulders, a forest, and palm trees are sufficient for him. This region was owned by the Mannanar royal dynasty, the lineage of Muthappan. It was under the supervisory rights of the Kunnammal Edathil Thiyyar chieftains, from whom the name Kunnathoorpadi originated. In 1902, the last Mannanar king, Kunjikelappan Mannanar, was killed, and the British government seized the dynasty's land. Subsequently, Karakkatidam Nayanar gained tax-collecting rights by pledging temple gold and secured permission from the Thalassery British fort.
Following this, Kunnathur Padi came under the control of Karakkatidam Nayanar, who managed tax collection. Post-independence, Karakkatidam Nayanar attempted to claim the Parassinikadavu Muthappan Madappura based on their history of tax collection for the British, but the Parassinikadavu family challenged this in court. The court ruled the claims baseless, though the management is still looked after by members of the Karakkatidam family.
