Cheerappanchira is a noble

Ezhava The Ezhavas () are a community with origins in the region of India presently known as Kerala, where in the 2010s they constituted about 23% of the population and were reported to be the largest Hindu community. They are also known as ''Ilhava'' ...

tharavad Tharavad () (തറവാട്), is the Malayalam word for the ancestral home of aristocratic families in Kerala, which usually served as the common house for the joint family system practiced in the state. The German linguist Hermann Gunder ...

renowned for its

Kalari A kalari is a gymnasium or training space primarily associated with the martial art of Kalaripayattu. The word ''kalari'' comes from Malayalam. In the past, village schools in Kerala, typically run by the traditional astrologer families, were k ...

Muhamma Muhamma is a census town in Cherthala Taluk in Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is home to Cheerappanchira kalari, where Lord Ayyappa of Sabarimala had his training in the martial arts. Cheerappanchira is an Ezhava ancestral ...

, Alappuzha District. Recently, the family Kalari was reopened and around 40 students are being trained in the martial art of

Kalarippayattu Kalaripayattu (; also known simply as Kalari) is an Indian martial art that originated in modern-day Kerala, a state on the southwestern coast of India. Kalaripayattu is known for its long-standing history within Indian martial arts, and is ...

. The former minister of Kerala, Susheela Gopalan, hails from the Cheerappanchira family.

Maalikapurathamma Maalikapurathamma ( ml, മാളികപ്പുറത്തമ്മ) is a goddess enshrined in a small temple at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple. Maalikapurathamma Temple is visited after darshan of Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple. Malikapurathamma Te ...

is the daughter of Cheerappanchira Panikkar who taught

Kalaripayattu Kalaripayattu (; also known simply as Kalari) is an Indian martial art that originated in modern-day Kerala, a state on the southwestern coast of India. Kalaripayattu is known for its long-standing history within Indian martial arts, and is ...

to Lord Ayyappa. Cheerappanchira, which is situated about 100 km from Sabarimala holds many rights in Sabarimala, such as to conduct fireworks at Sabarimala, to light Nilavilak and ceremonial lamps at the shrine of Malikapurathamma at Sabarimala, collect half the coconuts given by devotees at Malikapurathamma shrine at Sabarimala. There is also a Mukkalvetti Ayyappa temple at Cheerappanchira which hold 3/4 power of Lord Ayyappa and rest in Sabarimala.

Legends

In those days, Cheerappanchira taught Kalari only to the people of Karappuram area (place around Muhamma) .

Sabarimala and Mukkal Vettom temples

Mukkal Vettom Ayyappa Temple was built by the Cheerappanchira in the tharavadu because the elders of the family were not able to go for pilgrimage to Sabarimala. The importance of the relation of these two ancient temples is evidenced by the ''Thirupattaya Charthu'' (the royal decree) of the

Pandalam Pandalam is a municipal town in Pathanamthitta district Kerala, India. Pandalam is considered a holy town due to its connection with Lord Ayyappa and Sabarimala. Rightly recognised to be the ''educational and cultural capital of Central Travan ...

King, by which the right to conduct the fireworks offerings at Sabarimala was given to Cheerappanchira family. Till this date, people of old age and women who can't undertake a pilgrimage to Sabarimala come to this temple to offer their prayers on the belief that, by the darshan at Mukkal vettom, Ayyappan will shower the same blessings as the darsan at Sabarimala. In 2001, as instructed by the ''Ashtamangala Deva Prasnam'', (the astrological findings) held at Sabarimala, Sabarimala temple authorities conducted special poojas and offerings as penance at this temple. The 2012 release of Lord Ayyappa album of

P. Unni Krishnan Parakkal Unnikrishnan (born 9 July 1966) is an Indian Carnatic vocalist and playback singer. Early life and background Unnikrishnan was born to K. Radhakrishnan and Dr. Harini Radhakrishnan in Palakkad, Kerala. The family home, Kesari Kutee ...

titled SABARIMALAI VA CHARANAM SOLLI VA has a special song called SABARINATHA CHARANAM SWAMI written by

Manachanallur Giridharan Manachanallur Giridharan (born 15 April 1964) is a South Indian music director, lyricist, singer, and also an educationist. He is also the founder of '' EdServ Softsystems Limited''. He has founded his own music production house called ''Gaananj ...

Swamy Muttom or Mutt

The Kudil (Hermitage) where Ayyappan lived during the period of his martial art training has been preserved in its original form by successive generations of the Cheerappanchira family.

Sree Narayana Guru Narayana Guru, , (20 August 1856 – 20 September 1928) was a philosopher, spiritual leader and social reformer in India. He led a reform movement against the injustice in the caste-ridden society of Kerala in order to promote spiritual ...

, during his visit to this family, used this Kudil. Hence it has got the name Swamy Muttom.

Sabari Mala Prasadam

A strong liking for sweets is a common factor of all Hindu Gods and Ayyappan is no exception. ''Appam'' and ''Aravana'' (

Payasam Kheer, also known as payasam, is a sweet dish and a type of wet pudding popular in the Indian subcontinent, usually made by boiling milk, sugar or jaggery, and rice, although rice may be substituted with one of the following: daals, bulgur whe ...

made of rice, ghee and jaggery) are the prasadams of the Lord.

References

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External links