CHANGALA (CHAIN) PART1 Dear friends,
A few weeks back there was amail to me from our member Sri Venkatraman, Perinthalmanna, in which he hadmentioned his knowledge in measuring lands using chain-chain survey. Irecollected at that time itself thetough topic “CHAIN SURVEY”studied in the 10th standard. The chain survey lessonsused to start somewhere before Xmas. During discussion among students queriesregarding starting lessons in chain survey were a big thing at that time. It was sure in Public examination onequestion would be from “Chain survey” in Mathematics with good marks forcorrectly answering it. Many used to answer chain survey question as the lastone, not so sure about the correctness of the answer. Even correct steps were given marks. In fact the chain for survey with Links,physically using and calculating area was seen by me during our propertymeasurement before partition by a surveyor. Chains are used for manypurposes. The above told is only one among them. Chains were in use from Tretayuga. There are referencesto chain in Treta Yuga and Dwaparatuga, we can understand it by reading our epics. In this Kaliyuga chains withdifferent materials are widely used for different purposes- domestic andpublic. At one time prisoners werehandcuffed and chained it to their leg. One can see a domesticatedelephant only with a chain. Chain in legfor tying it and on the body as CLOTHING. Domesticated dogs are chained using aneck collar and hold by people while taking outside. This is called dogchain. Domesticated monkeys too are holdby chain by the owner. I am just mentioning about a few chainsinteresting to read. I wish all the members ahappy new year 2013. Sincerely, Gopala Krishnan 31-12-2012. Reposted on 21-1-2021 after editing and updating. R. Gopala Krishnan 1. BRONZE FISH AT KULATHUPUZHA. One can see on the Northside of the mandapam before sanctum in KulapthupuzhaLord Mahasastha temple a big BRONZE FISH suspended withtwo small bronze chains from roof using two hooks on it. The bronze fish hasinscriptions on its body. The temple was reachedcrossing the Kulathupuzha River on those days in a boat. Now a bridge isconstructed with contribution from devotees. NEAR THE TEMPLE NO BODY FISH in the river. The fishes very large insize, used to come near boat and rise very high near the boats. Giving puffedrice (Malar) to fishes is an offering to the deity. Once a British officer wascoming to the temple for inspection during British regime. Seeing the bigfishes while crossing the river, he desired to prepare fish curry hatchingthem. The temple people submittedthe fishes are sons of deity. No fishing is done near temple. But it went to deaf ears. Catching a big fish, heordered his wife to prepare curries with it on the day. He and family memberstook delicious fish curry with meals. A few minutes passed afterit. All of them started to feel STOMACH PAIN. His wife and children started to roll due to painin the bed. The local physician’smedicines could do nothing. One staff submitted that thetemple priest can be called if the officer consent. The officer agreed. The priest was called toknow the solution. He suggested the officer to come to the temple, offerprayers to the deity for the sin and make a prayer he will offer a bronze fishto the size of the cached fish. The officer made prayer in compliance. Stomach pain? For whom? ASIF A DREAM, FOR EVERY BODY PAIN VANISHED IN SECONDS. The inscriptions on thefish, details this incident along with the officer name and period of theincident. 2. EATTUMANOOR KEDAVIALKKU It was before centauries.One day after evening deeparadhana, people were relaxing with some chitchattingin the front area before sanctum. Suddenly from somewhere a personappeared with a brass lamp with chain. A very big brass lamp. The person wanted to get anything for it, butthe persons assembled there told-Eattumanoorappan, kodukkarilla, vangarea ullu (The deity at eattumanoor will only take, no giving). He will bless you. Afterthinking he agreed to offer it. At that time another employlooked to the size of lamp. He told - If at all he offer, who would offer oil to light this big lamp? Discussions were going on... While discussions weregoing, some body brought oil and wicks for the lamp. In the raft it wassuspended and lighted. All in a fewminutes. This is the legend of Eattumanoor Kedavilakku. The lamp is suspended in the first entrance before mandapam. During myfirst visit to temple I was specific of seeing the lamp. A big vessel is keptbelow the lamp. Devotees pour oil in lamp and excess fall on the vessel. Slightly slipping area. 3. THODIL VILAKKU AND THOOKU VILAKKU. Thookku vilakku is a brasslamp without leg. It is suspended using a brass chain from rafts and connectedto the top of the central face (Where we apply kumkum). We can see maximum useof thookku vilakku in temples. In sanctum, in the sanctum entrance, aftermandapam, before mandapam we can see thookku vilakku. Nilavilakku used to be before deity. In the inner and outer prakaram also thooku vilakku is lighted. Some temples keep a stock ofthookku vilakku for festivals. Most of our samooha matam have thooku vilakku extra for mandalam period,sastha preethi etc to light outside etc. In Many temples devotees areasked to pour oils in thooku vilakku, if nilavilakku has full oil. Thodil vilakku is a special lamp somewhat similar to kodivilakku, but having acontainer for oil in the center. One end is handle, the other end is a smalllamp with wick, and in the centre we have a container. A brass thava (spoon) IS CHAINED to the side ofthe container. Hence the name thodilvilakku. This lamp is used forpouring oil to other lamps and lights them from it. Both inside and outsidethis thodil vilakku is used in temple. One can see in the evening temple staff,lighting chuttu vilakku using this thodil vilakku. This lamp has gotother regional names also. 4. TEMPLE BELLS. While small temple bells arehang using its top ring with a hook, larger ones are suspended using chains.Some large bells have their tongue attached with a chain and holding the chainthe tongue is strike on the side of the bell for ringing. 5. THOOKKU PALAKA AND THOOKU VANCHI. While thookuvanchi(-Oonchal- swing) is very common even today with most Brahmin homes,thookupalaka (suspended plank) has become a thing of the past. Iron chains are used for both. Size of the chain varies with size. Now a dayinstead of ordinary iron chromium plated chain is used for oonchal. Even flatsare provided with hooks for oonchal. Most Brahmin homes would have oonchal inhall or in any other room. Reason not much known most guests like to use theswing for sitting than sofa. In my ancestral home toothere was a THOOKKU PALAKA. It was suspended on a side of the hall from raft. Thechain was taken below the plank and plank was resting on chain. Chain in normal course would not move becauseof the weight of books. Religious and otherimportant books were kept on it. My father’s manthra book, mother’s sobhannambook were all over it. Before shelveswere made for keeping school books, I used to keep my books on it. Due toslight swing and daily use, white or brown ants attacking was not there. Theplank used to be very close to the wall. Some sort of sanctity wasthere for thooku palaka. Auspicious letters received and small boxes containingrudraksham, daily use grandham etc were placed on it. 5A. AARUTAE SHELF? (WHOSE SHELF IS THIS?) A small side track. On thosedays small shelves were made of wood. And it was kept attached to the Nera (woodenwall) or bhithi (wall) using big nails or rods or clamps suited to the area. Theshelf was supported on them. We used tokeep our books arranged on shelves. Text books in one shelf, record andimportant note books in another, daily use books in another, on the top inkbottles. Pens, rubber, instrument box etc were kept in the bottom shelf. Seeing the arrangements onshelf, guests and relatives used to ask- To whom the shelf belongs to. If theparents have three or four children, there used to have that much number ofshelves. Seeing hair pins, powder,mirror etc., one used to observe that it could be of the daughter. Our kitchen too used to havesuch shelves for keeping small tins and packets. It was on those shelves wekept coffee powder, tea packet, and oil bottles once. Even butter milk and milkwere kept on them, to avoid ants coming. I will continue in next part. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1712646906.3187766.1611221826920%40mail.yahoo.com.
