Do You Still Not Believe in Magic ?

There's this one temple in Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala. Name of the temple is not published to protect privacy of the villagers. Since last three years, there's been accidental deaths occurring to this family members / villagers. This temple belongs to a particular family ( In Kerala, some families have their private temples. But everyone can go and venerate the Diety ). For past three years, just before the festival of this temple begins, someone of this family dies !!! Yes, some one dies days before the festival begins. What's the result. If someone dies, nobody from that family can go for festivals for 41 days. So, the family who owns the temple can't participate in their own festival !! Strange; right ?

The same thing happened even this year - in 2016. Now the family decided to find out a solution for this. Many a times, it happens that the Diety is not happy with worshipers and bad luck follows the worshipers. Hence, elders of this family went to a prominent "Potti" ( Brahmin who does rituals in temples ) and they explained everything. The Potti then checked for a solution and he said " there's a 'rudraksha'    

Rudraksha

in the diety which is not supposed to be there. In the sanctum sanctum of the temple, you have a small shiva linga, and naga diety. That is also not supposed to be there. A foul spirit is induced in the rudraksha and this has to be taken off. That is the reason for all un-natural deaths and bad luck to the family."

Shiva Linga

Snake Idol

How did this Potti who never visited this temple come to know about the rudraksha on the diety, shiva linga and naga diety ? What is the end result ? This Potti himself came to the temple, did some rituals and took off the rudraksha, shiva linga and naga diety and immersed it in the sea. Now the main Diety is all what remains in the temple. The family and villagers now hope that everything is settled. Next year on they will celebrate the festival happily.

Note : All pictures are for representative purpose only

Waterfalls where single sons die

Yea, that's true. Only single sons have died here.

Perumthenaruvi is a picturesque waterfalls in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala State. It's a major picnic spot. It's not the heights that make it differ, but the wide area. In malayalam 'Perum' means big, 'then' means honey and 'aruvi' means stream, thus the literal meaning would be Big Stream of Honey.

Local myth is that, though the falls is dangerous only single sons have died here in accidents. I stress the word - 'single son'. May be he has a sister but no brothers. Why so ? That's a mystery yet to be unfolded.

So, if you are a single son, beware of this falls. Keep away; keep alive.

Inter-Religious Harmony

In Kerala, people have religious tolerance. Everyone respects his own as well as other religions, their practices etc..When there's a festival in a Temple, Christians also go to Temple and vice versa. In some churches, for their religious procession, a hindu holds a lamp for the saint throughout the procession.

Recently there was a news which emphasises this religious harmony. There was a big feast in a church. Just infront of the church, there lived a Hindu family. Only a couple of days before the feast, a boy of this Hindu family was diagnosed with a chronic illness. You'll be surprised about what this parish has done - they cancelled all celeberations of the feast. Money collected for the celeberations of the church was given to this Hindu family for their kid's treatment !!!


Many of you might have heard of Sabarimala. For those who don't know, it's a a fomous hindu pilgrim centre. Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, is the most famous and prominent among all the Sastha temples in Kerala. The temple is situated on a hilltop (about 3000 feet above sea level) named Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta district, which is unique in many respects. The uniqueness gathers its voice, as the temple is open to all, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. There is a place near the temple; east to Sannidhanam, dedicated to the Vavar (a sufi and friend of Lord Ayyappa) which is called 'Vavarunada', an epitome of religious harmony. En route the pilgrimage to Sabarimala during the makaravilakku season almost all of the Ayyappa devotees will come to Erumely which is the gateway to Sabarimala and perform kind of dance known as 'petta thullal'. Pettathullal starts from the small temple situated at the heart of Erumely town known as 'Kochambalam'. From there the dance procession advance to the Muslim mosque called 'Vavar palli' opposite to Kochambalam and the devotees worship 'Vavarswamy'. Only then they proceed to Sabarimala.

Chicken to St.George

In Kerala, we see a lot of snakes. Though now a days it's not so much, people are scared of snakes. We used to have doctors specialised in snake-bites treatment ( 'VishaVaidyan' in local language ). It has become a common practice among Christians that they offer live chicken as offering in Church; especially Church where St.George is venerated. One such Church is in Edappally, Cochin ( St.George Church ). It's a famous pilgrim centre having a history of about 14 centuries. Here main offering is Chicken. I am not sure when this ' chicken offering ' really started. I am certain of one thing - even the eldest of our days says that he used to go to Edappally to offer Chicken while he was still a child. People offer chicken, some others buy chicken from church premises and a lot of others cook chicken there itself. I am not sure if anywhere else such practice takes place. People pray by offering chicken that no snakes disturb them.

Fire in Temple

Let me make it clear first of all - this is not to hurt anyone's feeling. It's a true fact I personally know. Not mentioning any place name to avoid un necessary hassles.


Both Hindus & Christians live peacefully in this village. Muslims are not seen much in this village. Feasts of both Hindus & Christians are celeberated by the whole village irrespective of caste. Once it happened that a number of posters had appeared in the streets which were hurting Christians feeling. Posters said something against Christian priests & religious. The same day it appeared in the streets was the day of feast in the temple. Though these posters appeared, there were no protests or any kind of mis behaviour from anyone. That evening, when religious functions were being conducted by Hindu priests / Poojaris, when the whole village was gathered in the premises of temple, it happened that a tent in the premises caught fire. Everybody was panicked, Police & FireForce officials rushed to the site. They did their job well. Fire was under control & nobody was injured.

It was for the first time such an accident occured in the Temple. So Poojaris tried to find out what happened. They asked their Diety by a practice called "PrashnamVepu" & the answer was "the Diety is very angry because of the posters that appeared in the streets"

Whatever the real case is; the very next morning the posters were not in the streets - they were all removed.
 

An Eagle to Venerate the Saint of Kanjoor

St.Sebastian is a well known saint among keralites, not just christians but people from all other religions. He's given special veneration. Feast of St.Sebastian is specifically known as ' Ambu Perunnal ' ( Ambu in malayalam means arrow. St.Sebastian was brutally persecuted by piercing arrows in his body ) in every nook and corner of Kerala.

There's a famous Church in Kanjoor which falls under Ernakulam - Angamaly ArchDiocese. It's known as St.Sebastians Church, Kanjoor. Feast of St.Sebastian is celeberated on every January. There's a religious procession on the feast day. For this procession, St.Sebastian's statue is also taken out & at the back of procession people carrying St.Sebastian's statue will walk along. It's then that the strangest thing happen - an eagle from no where appears in the sky which flies exactly above the Saint's statue. From the time Saint's statue is out of the church untill the statue returns after the procession, the eagle is above the statue. It takes minium 2 hrs for the procession to return to Church.

This happen every year and a number of devotees come to see this miracle.

Purpose Of The Blog

Hi All,

We all want to look back at the history and want to find out what had happened actually. Though we have an outline of our history, most often it is vague. Most of the happenings are hidden. Even if we need to get info about the past, we are not able to find resources. Purpose of my blog is to note certain strange things we see around us so that generations to come may find it useful to refer :) There may not be books at that time...everyone will be surfing the internet to get informations........and they will see my blog & get some useful info.

You all are free to post your comments or if you have some similar stories from your neighborhood, kindly share your experience here....

I'll start posting stories at the earliest...........Wait 4 that.


Anoop