Rudrettan

Upanayanam is one milestone in a Nambudiri’s life. The childhood starts giving way slowly to adolescence and the tradition introduces him to a lot of discipline in life. The education starts with reciting simple mantras and progressively goes through the Vedas. This period prepares one for following the simple ways of life.

There are many bridges you have to cross before you reach the stage of Upanayanam. I was told that the rituals start even before you are born, with Pumsavanam, Seemantham etc. After you are born, there is Jathakarmam, namakaranam, choroonu and so on….

Cutting the hair first time, I think, is probably the first major ritual that I could remember. The head is totally shaved but for a small bunch which is tied into a knot, called kuduma. My aunts would go gaga over me saying that I look very cute with my new hairstyle.

Kathu kuthal (piercing the earlobes for wearing small earrings called kadukkan) was another one of those ceremonies, which stands out in my memory.

I must have been just about 5 years, when One old Nambudiri from a neighbouring village – everyone calsl him 'Rudrettan' - pierced my earlobes. 'Rudrettan'  was a distant relative, must have been about 75 years old at that time. Today, I am scared to think that he was actually a bit poor on his eyesight and he could have pierced my nose by mistake, instead of my earlobes.

I was scared as it was. During the ceremonies, somewhere during the homam, 'Rudrettan' got up, came to me menacingly holding two Kara Mullu (long thorns from the bushes) and mercilessly pierced my earlobes. The thorns were left in the pierced hole and it would be taken out only after the wound was healed.

Immediately after the ceremonies, I remember, I rushed to Malu teacher (who was staying in the house for teaching my aunts), held her very tightly, cried and cried. I also remember that for next couple of years I was so scared of 'Rudrettan' and in my mind, I would equate him with all the demons in the stories that great grandma had been telling me.

In the night great grandma would tell a story where a huge Rakshasa was demolished by someone seemingly weaker. This would lift my spirits and I would dream in the night of demolishing many such demons, some of them invariably resembling 'Rudrettan.'