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Cock Festival at Cranganore

Cranganore is a little sea port town in the Native State of Cochin. It is bounded on the west by the Arabian Sea, and on the east by a back water, from which branches a small rivulet which joins the sea running by the south of the town. The western border of this back water bulges out to a little distance, leaving only a small strip of land to connect the town on the northern side with the mainland; thus, on the whole, giving to the place an almost peninsular character. It is a historic town, with an antiquity stretching back to the beginnings of the Christian era. A Syrian church is said to have been founded in the mild amusements of this rural retreat during the Eastern mission of St. Thomas the Apostle. Whatever value may be attached to the account, which is at best, only traditional, there are associations which have clustered round the town such as would be interesting to the antiquarian. Here are still to be found the remnants of an old dilapidated fortress which admittedly belonged to the days of the Dutch on their first appearance on the west cost of India. Its inhabitants are a peaceful and law-abiding class. Abundance of green fields and luxuriant vegetation lends additional charm to the historic town. The weary traveler finds recreation in the genial puffs of wind which blow gently westward from the backwater, mingling with the bracing breeze which, at sunset, springs up from the sea. The midnight slumber of this lovely place is only disturbed by the solemn moan of the bar and the rhythmic splash of the boatmans’s oar as he ploughs his venturous boat through the classic waters of the river. Such are some of the elements of interest attaching to the blessed retreat.

In the midst of its native charms is situated a temple dedicated to Kali, the goddess who presides over the infectious diseases, cholera and small-pox. She is a virgin goddess whom no quantity of blood will satisfy. The temple is an old-fashioned one, presenting no striking architectural peculiarities. The priestly classes attached to it are not, as usual, Brahmins, but a peculiar sects called Adigals, of whom there are but three families in the whole of Malabar. The Brahmins are purposely excluded from particition in the poojah ceremonies, lets their extra sanctity might increase the powers of the goddess to a dangerous extent. Poojahs are daily offered to her.

An annual festival known as the Bharani connected with this goddess plays a most important part in the religious history of Malabar. It comes off in the Malayalam month of Meenam. Pilgrimages undertaken to the temple on this occasion are potent enough to safeguard the pilgrims and their friends and relations from the perilous attacks of cholera and small-pox. Hence people resort thither annually by the thousands from almost all parts of Malabar; and the more north you go to stronger will you find the hold which the goddess has upon the popular imagination. The chief propitiatory offering on the occasion is the sacrifice of cooks. In fact, every family makes a point of undertaking this sacred mission. People arrange to start on it at an auspicious moments on a fixed day in small isolated bodies. Of course, all the necessaries they take care to carry about their persons. Preparations are maid for the journey. Rice, salt, chillies, curry-stuffs, betel leaves and nuts, a little turmeric powder and pepper, and above all a number of cocks from an almost complete paraphernalia of the pilgrimage. These all gathered and preserved in separate bundles, inside a large bag. When the appointed hour comes they throw this bag on their shoulders, conceal their money in their girdles, and with a native fashioned umbrella in the one hand and a walking stick in the other they start each from his own house to meet the brother pilgrims at the rendszvous. Here a foreman is selected practically by common consent.

Then commences the vociferous recitation of that series of obscene songs and bailads which characterizes the pilgrimage all along. The foremen it is that opens the ball. He is caught up by others in equally loud and profuse strains. This is continued right up till the beginning of their homeward journey. Nobody whom the across on the way can successfully escape the coarse Billingsgate of these religious zealots. Even women are not spread Perhaps it is in their case that the pilgrims wax all the more eloquently vulgar. A number of cock-feathers are stuck or tied upon the tip of a stick, and with this as a wand they begin to dance and pipe in a set style which is extremely revolting to every sense of decency.

Some of the pilgrims walk out all the distance down to the temple, while others go by boat or some other common conveyances; but in neither case do they being to spear any passer by. They usually cook their own meals on they way; which consist of the ordinary rice preparations and plenty of fish and flesh. Hundreds of gallons of Arrack and Toddy are consumed during the festivals. In short you can hardly find a single sober pilgrim during their continuance. The pilgrims reach the temple in their dirty attire. Their very words smell strongly of a mixture of arrack and undigested animal food. They bathe and have their meals again. The temple premises are crowded to overflowing. The worship of the goddess is then commenced. The offering consist of the sacrifice of cocks at the temple-altar, turmeric powder, but principally of pepper as also some other objects of lesser importance. A particular spot inside the temple is set apart for the distribution of what is called Manjalprasadam. The work of doling it out is done by young maidens who are also during the process subjected to ceaseless volleys of vile and vulgar abuse. With surely stoical endurance, they submit to attend to their work.

Now, leaving out of account the minor ceremonies, we come to the principal one, viz. The sacrifice of cooks.

The popular idea is greatest the number of cooks sacrificed, the greater is the efficacy of pilgrimage. Hence men vie with one another in number of cooks that they carry on the journey. The sacrifice is begun and then there takes place a regular scramble for the satisfied spot reserved for this butchering ceremony. Now one man holds a cock by the trunk and another pills out neck by the head, and in the twinkling of an eye, by the intervention of a sharpened knife, the head is severed from the trunk. The blood then gushes forth in forceful and continuous jets. Which is poured directly on a granite piece specially reserved. Then another is similarly slaughtered, and then as many as each of the pilgrims can bring. The same process of butchering is also taken up by thousands of others and in no length of time the whole of the temple-yard is converted into one horrible expanse of blood, rendering it too slippery to be safely walked over. The piteous caries and death these of the poor devoted creature greatly intensify the horror of the scene. The stench emanating from the blood mixing with the nauseating smell of arrack renders the occasion all the more revolting.

On other higher and more acceptable kind of offering requires more than a passing mention. When a man is taken ill of any infection disease, his relations generally pray to this goddess for his recovery, solemnly covenanting to perform what goes the name of A Thulabharam Ceremony

This is more commonly performed during the Bharani festivals, and dare say at other seasons of the year likewise. The process consist in placing the patient in one of the scale pans of a huge balance and weighing him against gold or more generally pepper deposited in other scale-pan. Then this weight of the substance is offered to the goddess. This is to be performed right in front of the goddess in the temple yard

The usual offering being over, the homeward journey of the pilgrim is begun. But in the meanwhile one remarkable feature remains to be noticed. Through the festival is called Bharani, yet all the pilgrims must vacate the temple on the day previous to the Bharani day; for, from that day onwards the temple door are all shut-up, and for the next seven days the whole place is given over to the worst depredations of the countless demons over whom this blood-thirsty goddess holds away. No human begins can safety remain there lest they might become prey to these ravenous demons. In short, the Bharani day inaugurates a reign of terror in the locality, lasting for these seven days. After wards all the dirt is removed. The temple is cleansed and sanctified, and again left open to public worship.

The pilgrims returns, but certainly not in the same manner in which they repaired thither. During the backward journey no obscene songs or expressions are indulged in. They are to come back quietly and calmly without any kind of demonstrations. They get back to their respective homes and distribute the sandals and other pujha substance to their relations and friends who have elected at remain at home; and the year’s pilgrims is brought to a close.