AAYIRAM PADASARANGAL KILUNGI

AALUVA PPUZHAPINNAYUM OZUGHI 

Dearfriends, 

Todayfrom the afternoon siesta I woke with the thinking of the difference 
between Padasaram and Pada rasam(Anklet and mercury metal). 

Finallythought because the liquid mercury drops appear like the balls in the 
silveranklet it can be so. A SMALL INTERCHANGE OF LETTERS BETWEEN SARAM AND 
RASAM. Ithought my posting can be of Padasaram today. 

Sincerely,

GopalaKrishnan 19-04-2021 

1. Velli chilanga anijum konduoru pennu,Valluva nadan pennu..(Malayalam film 
Kattu thulasi1965) 

Manyornaments are made in silver as well as in Gold. Kolusu or Padasaram 
(anklet) is oneamong them. Earlier Kolusu was most commonly made with silver 
only. By about 1995’sKolusu in gold started appearing in Kerala. 

Oneimportant thing is that small kids irrespective of sex are usually worn 
padasaram(anklet). Their movement would immediately made known by the sound 
producedfrom the padasaram from its small balls-Even waking up from sleep and 
aboutwalking areas. 

Goldenkolusu was first started to adorn small kids. Later girls and young women 
startedto wear them commonly. However there is a setback now.Girls are wearing 
different types of silver anklet changing every week. Mosthave at least five 
sets now. 

Therewas some sort of apprehension  was therin wearing gold padasaram- since it 
is worn on feet, primarily  due to cost and if fallen down withoutknowing while 
walking and lost any where.   

Somethought is  also there whether it is dishonouring theGold- Iswaryam. There 
was a feeling also with many that wearing goldin feet may bring down wealth of 
the wearer. Probably thesethinking would have caused the set back. 

Goldplates, bowls lamps, Pancha pathram, Uddirini, glass etc. commonly seen 
injewellery shop now a day not as a show piece, but for sales in 
differentmodels. Very rich probably purchase these things during marriages. 

Oncein 2010’s I asked a Jewellery owner whether they are for show piece or 
forsales. He said for sales and there are many purchasing. 

2. 2nd tie with thin kambi. 

Padasaram is provided either with hook or screw at the joint or with a bolt 
atjoint in silver. Having fear whether it would be lost, I used to tie 
inaddition with a small white kambi (for strength) in the jointing area of my 
daughter’sanklet. 

 

While my daughter going to school used to jumphere and there  and my wife also  
had apprehension- whether it would  get lost- My daughter would  look once at 
Kolusu carefully   and say- “Appa than murukki Kampi pottirukkarae”Pokathu”.( 
Fatherhas tied with kampi, it would not fall down) 

On those days I had no idea silver rods ofsmall diameter are there in jewellery 
shops. 

3. Mookambika Devi at Chottanikkara 

TheLegend about Chottanikkara Devi has some relation with Padasaram- chilambu 
(Anklet with gingling bells or ghungroo). The legend goes that Aadi 
Sankaracharyar worshippedat Mookambika and desired her presence in his place 
also. Devi agreed andfollowed him. She had imposed one condition that 
Sankaracharya should not look back while she follow.If he looks back, Devi 
would stay there itself. 

Thesound from Chilanga of Devi was following him. For a long time, while 
nearingthe present Chottanikkara, Sankaracharya could not hear even mild sound 
ofchilanga. The legend goes that just for a second he turnedback, but Devi was 
there, as per the promise made, she remained atChottanikkara. In Chottanikkara 
Devi is worshipped in differentforms and in the afternoon she is worshipped as 
Mookambika Devi. 

4. Padasaram- A liked ornament by mostyoung women and girls. 

Thespeciality with padasaram is that it is liked by young women married 
orunmarried and it is anormal wear and not occasion wear. 

Itis a practice for young women to have four or five sets and change 
themoccasionally while wearing, such women mostly prefer silver ones. 

Thereare also women, change padasaram after a period of wearing for new models 
andlook of fresh silver. Sincecost is comparatively very less for silver 
ornaments, it is not much lookedinto. Most of the silver shops on this account 
have a variety ofpadasaram designs. 

Infact it is practice now,  even when ascrew becoming loose or hook is broken, 
simply purchase a new set, in exchangeof old one with some more payment by 
young  women. 

5. Padasaram for Elephants. 

Earlierit was not at all seen , nowa day it is common, elephants are made to 
wear anklets (with medium  bells) in the four legs. These anklets aremade of 
brass or bronze or stainless steel. Depending on the grade of theelephant 
probably, type of anklets are worn to them. They are also provided a 
chainaround the neck. Chain would be glittering. In the locket name of the 
elephant would be  written. 

Trichur pooram is nearing, in small scale it is conducted, with the 
condition,pass is issued for people witnessing ensuring they have taken two 
covidvaccines this year(2021). One can see all the male elephants participating 
having neck chain glittering andanklets very clean. 

6. Padasaram for oxen and cows. 

Ihave also seen in villages, oxen and cows are sometimes made to wear anklets 
onfestive days like Mattupongal.  The “bhoom matu”brought to homes as show and 
blessings would surely have anklets or gingle bells. 

7. The kovalan and Kannaki legend 

Thefamous story of Kannaki centres round the identity of a chilanga which 
wastold as stolen from the Madurai palace by Kovalan. 

Kannakiin anger throw one of her chilanga and burst out and came out from 
Madurai. Sheis enshrined at Kodungallur. 

8. Yakshi wearing chilanga. (Repetition please) 

Inmy home, my aunt was coming out for nature’s call, from her matam, just 
behindthe Kaipuzha temple in the midnight, she heard the chilanga sound of a 
walking woman and founda very   beautiful woman loitering slowlycombing the 
hair after bath- No body but the Kaipuzha yakshi infront of the temple which 
she could see. It was in my boyhood days.  She was telling my mother – Enna 
soundaryam ammini (What abeauty which canot be described) 

Afterhearing this legend from Atthai to my mother standing by her side, I could 
notforget it. 

 I told it to my wife and children as heard whileworshipping in the temple 
later.  Every time Ipass through the temple the legend comes to my memory when 
I go to home nowalso. 

8a. Ittrusu Variasar and GupthanNampoothri. (Repetition)

I usedto imagine the Ittrsu variasar(Yakshi) joined the Gupthan nampoothiri 
makingthe beautiful sound of anklets while waking to the Chottanikkara temple 
to see kathakaliby the nampoothiri. 

9. Novels, stories and Lyrics. 

Padasaramfind an important place while talking of young women and ornaments in 
novels,stories and in Lyrics. 

10   Mytitle – AayiramPadasarangal Kilungi 

 Song || Nadhi Malayalam ClassicMovie 1969 || 

Nadhi(English: River) is a 1969 Malayalam film directed by A. Vincent, written 
byThoppil Bhasi and the story by P.J. Antony. It stars Prem Nazir, Sharada, 
Madhu, Thikkurissy SukumaranNair, Adoor Bhasi, and P.J. Antony in the lead 
roles. 

Written by - R Gopala Krishnan retiredAssistant General Manager, ITS Kerala 
Telecom, now 77, a Keralite iyer.  

-- 
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/335295686.2555135.1618816176643%40mail.yahoo.com.

Reply via email to