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The Azure of Solicitude
Category:
Family
Publisher: PublishAmerica
ISBN-10: 1615829458
Type: Fiction
Pages: 313
ISBN-13: 9781615829453
In the Kakkathuruthu island of Vembanadu, there stands a huge Anjeli tree with many crows in it. The people of Kakkathuruthu believe that crows are the re-birth of their dead ancestors, possessing some unnatural powers, and these birds never die due to old age. The villagers go to the church at Achankara village where is installed the marble-colored idol of Saint Veluthachan who was arrowed by some barbarians. Every year in the month of May a group of people worship the sun for getting their cultivation big. In between the incredible superstitions and traditional beliefs, live Eappan, his lovers Moly and Gita, and Eappan?s parents Kora and Tharathy. At night Eappan has to work in a lime kiln owned by his father Kora, who does nothing except sleep after consuming toddy. Eappan has to turn the big wooden wheel of the lime forge. The forge lay like a smoke-vomiting giant. At last, unexpected occurrences take place.
Kakkathuruthu, one of the villages in which half of the events take place in my novel, was once the dwelling place of all kinds of crows. Then humans came there. The crows behave with intelligence. They can understand the language of people, but cannot speak. People believe that a crow never dies due to old age. That it becomes young at the time of other creatures go back to earth. Once in a year the people perform the death anniversary of the passed out souls. On plantain leaves, they dedicate rice glomerations on the burial place of the dead forefathers and pray them to take the worshipped substance and give back benisons. Crows crowd there in order to take the given eatables. The crows are believed to be the departed souls. Unless crows refuse to take anyone's rice glomerations, she or he would be a sinner.
And some birds like Kalankozhis (Fowls of Yama) are believed to be the predictors of a coming death. Yama is the Deity of death and Kalankozhis are His messengers. That if a Kalankozhi sings the song of death, there would be a soul's departure in the surroundings. Every year in the hottest month, the people pray to Deity Sun for blessings. They want to get decreased the sultriness of the Deity's rays. They want to get increased the crop of paddy cultivation. Worshipping of the Deity Sun is known as Audityapooja or Sooryapooja. And there are the legends of Sabarimala Sri Ayyappan, Vaver and Veluthachan. The beliefs on them are as prominent as of breathtaking among the Keralites. Every year they go to Sabarimala for having the divine sight of Sri Ayyappan, where His Idol is installed. Near His temple Vaver's temple too can be sighted. But Veluthachan's Idol is erected and consecrated in a Church to which people go for worshipping.
As Caste Hindus some Christians who consider themselves as forward caste alienate black complexioned recently converted Christians. These Caste Christians consider themselves as the successors of the ancient Christians who had converted into Christianity from Brahminhood. The incredible beliefs govern the villagers and have moulded their lifestyle.
Excerpt
‘Kakkathuruthu will improve now,’ Tharathy said. ‘I’ve heard my grandmother talk about Achankara. Do you know the origin of that name? During my grandmother’s childhood the place had another name. I forget that old name. On the lakeshore there were green grass as tall as a man. One day some girls were cutting grass and chanced upon a white substance amidst the grass. It was the body of Veluthachan. It was bound to a log of wood. Waves of Vembanadu had brought it from far away. The girls were frightened. They clamoured. At that time there was only a chapel to which a priest from Kuriamuttom used to come for Sunday mass. The sexton residing near the chapel heard the clamour and came. Parish members followed. They attended to the body. People recognised it. It was the body of Veluthachan tortured and killed by cruel people. Even though he had been killed months ago the body had not putrefied. Money began to flow to the place and a big church was built in the name of the Saint. The old name of the village was changed to Veluthachankara. In due course, the name shrunk in from to Achankara. The village became a blessed one. Likewise, one day our Kakkathuruthu will become big.’
Sara felt as if an invisible hand had struck her. She wished something happened to change the entire world around her. She looked through thewindow. The moon was rising. The earth seemed to have frozen. Not a single frond of a coconut tree moved. A crow cried from the heights. ‘Caw…Caw…’
Another bird began to howl: ‘Vettichudu Kuthichudu…Vettichudu Kuthichudu…’
What was the bird saying? To chop and cremate, to dig deep and cremate, to chop and cremate, to dig deep and cremate. The messenger bird of Deity, Yama. Sara remembered that her friend Kumudam had once told her it as of the messenger bird, Kalankozhi of Yama the Diety of death. Is it a prediction of a coming death? She wondered.
The words were showering like frost. The sleeze was falling over her soul. She drew herself back from the window and sat in the corner of the kitchen. Tongues of fire leaped out from the fire hearth as if searching for anything to eat. A pain began to stream all over her body. Again the frightful wail of Kalankozhi.
‘Vettichudu Kuthichudu…Vettichudu Kuthichudu…’
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