Parassinikkadavu Muthappan

I visited the Muthappan temple in Parassinikkadavu, Kannur for the first time yesterday. While I’ve seen mice, cows, monkeys, eagles and peacocks as guardians to deities, it was the first time I encountered a dog at the entrance to the sanctum.

The Muthappan cult (like the cult of Ayyappa) predates classical Brahmanical Hinduism. He’s believed to have been a wandering hunter, drinker of toddy, eater of meat, and a companion of dogs. The absence of Vedic rituals, Sanskrit mantras, Brahmin priests are all hallmarks of this shrine. Also, this is one of the only temples where Theyyam is performed as a mode of worship throughout the year.

According to Wikipedia:

Practices in Muthappan temples are quite distinct from those in other Hindu temples of Kerala.The rituals are related to Shakteyam where Panja-ma-kara are offered, sometimes including madyam (in this case,Toddy) and mamsam (generally flesh, in this case fish). Muthappan is worshipped in the form of Theyyam and is not represented through a traditional prathishta (consecrated idol). As such, Madappuras, the shrines dedicated to Muthappan, do not contain idol forms or structures such as the kodimaram (temple flagstaff), which are commonly found in conventional Hindu temples.^[6]

While most temples in Kerala traditionally restrict entry to non-Hindus, Muthappan temples are known for their inclusivity, allowing entry to devotees regardless of caste or religion. In the Malabar region, festivals held at Muthappan Madappuras often see enthusiastic participation from Muslims, symbolizing a spirit of secularism, communal harmony, and humanism

The prasadam was delicious boiled black gram and a cup of tea!

Kannur is a hotbed of Communism and the party rules supreme in these parts of Kerala. So I wasn’t surprised when my father in law told me that the management of the temple whose deity enjoys toddy and meat, has a strong party involvement. This piece has some tidbits and a bit of the folklore around EMS and AK Gopalan hiding in the vicinity while on the run from the authorities.