Memories of another day

TRIPUNITHURA: In the midst of the hectic everyday life around her, Mankutti Thampuran’s mind still lingers around those heydays of Thiruvonam, when the younger female members of the Kochi Royal family received the ‘thrikkakkara thevar’ with warmth and fervour. The gaiety of the grand festival of Kerala has reached our door steps. 93 year old Mankutti Thampuran, the present ‘Valiyamma Thampuran’, the senior most female member of Kochi Royal family cherishes the magnificent way in which they celebrated the festival in the palace. “During my childhood days, Onam celebrations were so colourful. There would be a sumptuous feast from ‘onnam Onam’ that included all the traditional dishes like kadumanga (tender mango pickle), pulinji (ginger pickle), varuthupperi (banana chips) pazham nurukku (boiled banana) and ayiram kari (a mix of ginger and curd). With the palace bustling with more than a hundred people, expert caterers would be called in for the occasion who would supervise the royal kitchen staff,” Thampuran recalls. “It was also that rare occasion when we kids  would be allowed to play in the three ‘nadumuttams’ (central courtyards) inside the ancient palace. We also enjoyed the privilege of getting a ‘puliyila kara mundu’ for girls and a ball moulded with bundles of rope for boys.“If the feast and games like ‘Onapanthu’ were held at the residential palace of the King, the spacious ‘nadappura’ (entrance of the palace) of Valiyamma Thampuran Kovilakam would be abuzz from the ‘atham day’ onwards with ‘thiruvaathira kali’. My mother (Kavu Thampuran) was a good singer, a talent she got from my grand mother.  My mother was the lead singer in the ‘thiruvaathira kali’ staged at the ‘nadappura’”.“Splendid floral carpets would be made with Thumba Kudam’ and other flowers. How can one forget the nostalgic memories of ‘poovili’ echoed in the courtyards of the palace and the special ‘poovada’ offered before the ‘thrikkakarayappan’?” Thampuran says with delight.As the Kochi kings followed the matriarchal system, much of the powers resided with the  grand-uncle of the family. She fondly recalls the memories of her grand-uncle ‘Chowara Theeppetta Valiya Thampuran (the Kochi King who ruled from 1932-41), who contributed greatly for the progress of Kochi. “Palace No.4 was the residential palace of the King and all the families of ‘naalam thaavazhi’ (the branch of the then Kochi King) gathered at this palace for our Onam celebrations,” Thampuran remembers. However, over the years, the ‘nalaam thaavazhi’ segregated into individual units, resulting in the entire family tree getting divided.At times, there are get-togethers either at the Amma Thampuran Kovilakam or at Puthen Bungalow - the temple where Kochi Royal family’s family deities Pazhayannoor Amma and Sree Poornaghrayeeshan are installed, she says. From its days of pomp and glory, Onam today is a modest affair for Valiyamma Thampuran who celebrates the festival with her son and daughters.