The Life and Miracles

of
Bhuvanendran

Introduction

Beloved members of Tharisuthala Family , especially the members of the younger

generation, ought to know some very special events, (sometimes strange and
intriguing episodes) that occurred at least two and a half generations ago in one of
its branches (i.e., Sasthanamthala a.k.a. Cherukol Puthen Veedu). Many of the senior
members who are aged over sixty years and several others of same generation were
witnesses of some or all the extraordinary and amazing events.

The part of miraculous events narrated in the following pages were already
made in print by a well-known journalist of yesteryears turned hermit, Sri
Varinjam Raghavan Pillai, who chose to live in the line of sight of Bhuvanendran and
in fact within the same homestead and fortunate to witness many of the miracles.
Sri.Pillai who strongly held a personal view that Bhuvanendran was a reincarnation
of Lord Krishna, wrote a biography titled Bhuvanendra Khadgi which first appeared
in print in the year 1950. As this book has become a very rare document and only one
or two families are in possession of the entire book in tact. The elder members of
these families preserve it with a great deal of devotion considering it a holy
document and most of them are reluctant to lend it to any one. However, Sri.
Thanappan Nair (a bountiful beneficiary of Bhuvanendra Prasadam), Kaithamukku,
Trivandrum republished the book in 2008 in its original format. While some of the
details included in this article have been borrowed from the aforementioned book
entitled Bhuvanendra Khadgi of Sri. Varinjam Raghavan Pillai, others are drawn
from the valuable information kindheartedly provided by my maternal uncle, who was
one of the many playmates of Bhuvanendran. In addition I have also included
additional information recollected from my own memory of my acquaintance with this
extraordinary celebrity during my childhood days. I was one of those lads who would
join with other kids to play with Bhuvanendran especially on weekends. When I was an
young boy, my dad had weekly offs on Saturdays and Sundays. I, as a lad passed my
sixth year, along with my mom and dad, visited the Cherukol Puthen Veedu where
Bhuvanendran grew on almost all week ends. We used to remain there over night and
thus had occasion to witness and experience many miracles associated with
Bhuvanendran. For the preparation of this work I have also made use of an essay
written by Late Karunakaran Nair ( Gandhari Amman Kovil, Trivandrum), yet
another maternal-uncle of Bhuvanendran, who is also known to have used the book
Bhuvanendra Khadgi, the original source, liberally.

The Setting

The Cherukol Puthen Veedu is located north of Eravipuddorkada, situated at 43 km

from Trivandrum in the NH 47. It is from here the Kallupalam road branches off in
an easterly direction. One can easily reach the Cherukol Puthen Veedu positioned at
a distance of about 600 m , walking along the Kallupalam road and then making a
right (easterly) turn proceeding further about 50 m , along the right side of an
irrigation canal. The northern side of the east facing Cherukol Puthen Veedu will
come into view to any one from this locality, overlooking a relatively long valley
(paddy fields) with its associated transient streamlet flowing unhurriedly along its
eastern side. The Chanikulam, - A pond that becomes dry during summer, having its
western abutment juxtaposing the south eastern corner of the Cherukol homestead,
provides irrigation water to the adjoining paddy field. Near the western margin of
Chanikulam one can also see a small structure built for worship. In the paddy field,
in the line of sight from the east door of Padippura of Cherukol house there is a
shallow well, a perennial source of drinking water which met the needs of the
Cherukol household and several other dwellings of the neighborhood during former

1
days. A band of girls and women used to fetch water from the well to the kitchen and
other places.

There were five gable roofed thatched-buildings in the compound of Cherukol

house. Open yards separated all the five structures. The Thai Veedu (the main
building) has a nalukettu with a tiny central open courtyard (anganam) that
efficiently served to allow enough sunlight to light the interior. A Cattle shed
existed outside the southern perimeter, beyond and south of the Thekkethu or
traditional construction commonly found associated with Nair houses. The thai Veedu
(the main structure) was located exactly to the north of Thekkethu

The overall scenery of the surroundings of the Cherukol Puthen Veedu during
the pre-independence days was typically rural or rustic characterized with the
presence of a hill slopes on its eastern side with a foliage of dominated with tall
, palm trees (Palmyra) , sporadic towering aanjili or ayini trees1, and much spread
out cashew trees and several others. Low-lying patches of the locality were occupied
mostly by paddy with random patches occupied by the cultivation of betel leaf
vineyards , plantain and tapioca. The family shrine of Cherukol tharawad was
situated at a distance of hardly a kilometer on the side of the Kallupalam road.
There was no electric supply, telephone lines, or pipes supplying drinking water
anywhere in the neighbourhood of Cherukol House. Nearest school was the one situated
at Swamiyarmadom in the NH-47m located at a distance of 2 km from the Cherukol
house. Hospitals with minimum basic facilities or services existed at three
kilometers northwest at Marthandom. The Bhadrakali Amman Kovil, in the Kallupalam
road was hardly 0.9 km away.

The Roots at Cherukol

The Late Sri. Panayappattu Padmanabha Pillai, who lived with his poor eyesight
during the last two decades of his life, and his wife Smt. Kochuparvathy Amma (a
member of Tharisuthala tharawad) and their six children (three boys and three
girls), were the family that lived in the Cherukol Puthen Veedu. Their s was a
middle class family, that possessed landed properties that comprised both dry lands
as well as paddy fields and a number of heads of cattle, some of which provided
milk and others meant for plowing their paddy fields. Smt. Rudrayani Amma, the fifth
offspring, of Sri Padmanabha Pillai, was married to Sri. Somasekharan Nair (son of
Kappiyara Panayapatty Kunjan Pillai, East Neyoor). This couple remained unhappy as
they were not fortunate to have any children long after their marriage for over a
period of nine years. The couple used to go regularly to the Thiruvankod temple for
offering prayers and rituals to earn the blessings of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu of
that famous temple.
.

The Birth of Bhuvanendran

Bhuvanendran, with certain qualities of divinity, was born in a hospital at

Marthandom, as the only child to Sri. Somasekharan Nair and Smt. Rudrayani Amma the
(5th offspring of Panayappattu Padmanabha Pillai and Kochuparvathy Amma of
Sasthanamthala Puthen Veedu) on the morning of 4th of the month of Vrischigom in M.E
1121. His birth star was Karthika and the day was a full moon day. It is said that
the child remained almost motionless after his birth and it was only after several
minutes that it showed any signs of life. The child had several birth marks such as
a dot in the forehead; black colouration in its back and near it s the navel, and a
black mark in the neck. During traditional naming ceremony the parents named the
child Bhuvanendran .

Bhuvanendran s subsequent life history was full of a number of mystic and

miraculous deeds and events. The majority of people today may discard most of these
as absolutely unbelievable, entirely impossible and altogether unworldly till his
final disappearance from this world.

1
Artocarpus hirsuta

2
 The Beginings

It has already noted that there was a Thekkethu a traditional place of worship in
commonly found associated with many Nair tharawads in Southern Kerala , in the
homestead of Cherukol house. On a late evening, a pooja was being performed in that
Thekkethu by a Brahmin priest (Potti) of Ettavakkottu Madom. Sri. Karunakaran Nair
who was witnessing it has narrated the incident that happened on that day.
Bhuvanendran, then only an eight month old child, was asleep in a traditional or
customary cloth cradle in a portion of the tharawad house. At about 9 p.m when the
ritual worship was about to conclude with its final ritual waving of lighted lamp
(aarathi) The attention of every one assembled there was focused in the act of
performance of worship by the priest and eagerly waiting for the closing aarathi,
the child Bhuvanendran who was in the cloth-cradle cried noisily and caught the
attention of its grand mother. She instantly rushed to the site and witnessed the
strange sight of a coat of dripping kalabham paste on Bhuvanendran s belly. All of a
sudden enraged grand mother, called her daughter Smt.Rudrayani shouting aloud
Rudram come here. Who did the mischief of coating the kalabham on the belly of the
child who was calmly fast asleep? As per the tradition prevailed in those days the
ritual or religious practice of marking with sandal or other items was a taboo until
the first birthday such and in fact it will be performed on in a temple premises.
The mother, Rudram answered Mother, I was in the Thekkethu and the priest (potti)
did not serve us with prasadam and therefore how can I apply kalabham on the child .
Among the persons who were gathered there those who received the strange news went
inside the room where the child was lying and witnessed the miracle of dripping
kalabham paste on the child s belly. Then grandma grabbed the child, cleaned the
belly and placed him back in the cradle singing a lullaby song (tharattu) to resume
his sleep. Soon one by one left the room, and retired for the night s sleep. This
was the initial documented miracle associated with Bhuvanendran.

The next morning, the child was given a bath and a cup of milk and placed in
the cradle for its morning nap. All visitors who took part in the ritual worship in
the Thekkethu on the previous night joyfully had the pleasure of a grand breakfast
in which the pooja prasadam were also an item of the menu. While we were having our
breakfast, we heard the sound of its loud crying. This time the reason was a
sprinkling of vibhuti and basil (thulasi) leaves on Bhuvanendran s body. Every one
who witnessed the scene was astonished. Some persons who were assembled there
expressed the opinion that it was probably an act of some ghost or evil spirit and
suggested that the parents should consult an expert astrologer and ask for
appropriate remedial measures to protect the child from further harm.

There were frequent incidents of sightings of kalabham2, bhasmam, ( vibhuti)

chandanam( sandal paste ), flowers commonly employed in idol worship, and even
thrimadhuram, fruits, panchamrutham etc on the child s body, whether in sleep or
while awake and playing. No one had any clue about how and from where these offers
came. Such incidents frequently happened since the first birth day of Bhuvanendran.
And news of such strange and extraordinary events spread far and near attracting
more and more visitors to Cherukol house.

Most of the visitors who came to see Bhuvanendran returned with a conviction
that there is something saintly or supernatural about the events and that the child
is an exceptionally superhuman wonder. Biographer Varinjam Raghavan Pillai first
came to Cherukol house only four years after Bhuvanendran s birth (1-6-1125
Makaram). In a later book Who was it? authored by Sri. Varinjam Raghavan Pillai,
the biographer, states in its preface that this child is very much like the one
described in the Upanishad Aniyorananayan Mahathemahiyan . Sri. Pillai uses
poetic language, metaphors and similes to describe the child and concludes by
stating that the child s actions, deeds, playfulness and style of relating with
others are all very much similar to Lord Krishna s childhood days in the Gokulam.

2
A kind of offering in temple consisting of a mixture of perfumes (generally eight perfumes) in sandal wood paste.

3
 As per the advice received from astrologers parents of Bhuvanendran conducted
special poojas, manthravadams, homams, and various amulets in strings were given to
the child for wearing in its body. In fact, one occult artist fell unconscious
during his performance of manthravadam. For a earning a simple gaze or look of the
miracle child, many people of repute continued to come to Cherukol house. The list
includes prominent personalities such as judges, journalists, doctors, and several
others from all walks of life. Among them were the wife of Sri.Mannathu Padmanabhan,
Justice Sri. Chokkalingam Pillai, Sri.Koikal Balakrishnan Thampi and Prof.
Sreekandath Gopala Menon of University College.

When the close relatives of the child decided to embark on a mission of

manthravadams and poojas to rid the procession of miracles around the child, a new
turn of events seemingly to warn and even to harm people, possessions and materials
ensued. For example, throwing pieces of hot rock pieces and stones at individuals
who apparently spoke ill of the system while on visit to Child s home. Surprise
flash fires erupting in one or other part of the thatched roof in front of the
house, dumping of charcoal or ash in the boiling-rice-pot kept on fire, appearance
of fish or meat inside cooking pot, dumping the contents of vessels into abandoned
wells, in channels of streamlets of the neighborhood, missing of contaminated pots
and pans in the house and similar incidents became frequent in Cherukol house. These
were perhaps a clear warning to the members of the family and their acquaintances
that anybody who tries to fix the case to exorcism or possession of evil spirits
would get quick dressing-down. The members of the family totally discarded non-
vegetarian items and a new life style became obligatory. If anyone desired to be
around miracle-child or for that matter at the Cherukol homestead the first
condition was to adopt a life founded in non-violence (ahimsa) as prescribed in
Sanatana Dharma of Hindu scriptures. Therefore, The elders in the family decided to
follow an approach of accepting and living with the directives they received from
unknown source and deciding to co-operate with the system with their changed life
style of ahimsa and devotion (bhakti) leading to cleaning of the body and
purification of mind the initial steps that ultimately lead to spiritual
enlightenment. Visits were made to several temples by the elders of the family in
which they also took the little child and conducted quite a lot of ritual worships
following the tradition.

Miracles in Munchira Temple

Munchira, located the west of NH-47 is famous for its Siva Temple. An incident
which occurred on the month of Makaram of M.E 1122, during the temple-live-in
(Bhajanam iruppu- a ritual ceremony of worship of the temple deity with
accompaniment of singing of sacred hymns and chants) of the Cherukol family with
Bhuvanendran, is worth noting. During the temple-live-in here, the child and party
went into the temple to attend the evening pooja of Lord Shiva, the deity of the
temple. The temple priest after offering flowers and prayers partly under closed
door opened the door to let the offer of aarathi visible to the crowd of worshippers
assembled before the sanctum sanctorum. Then he came out to sprinkle the holy water
used for pooja on the crowd of worshippers to bless them, as per the routine. To the
surprise of the priest, part of flowers offered to the idol of Lord Shiva (Siva
Lingom) was found in the and around the child s feet. Further, he noticed that the
child had a shower of vibhuti (bhasmam) and sandal wood paste (chandanam) also
coming down right from his head. During the time of the bathing of Shiva lingam with
milk, the offering did actually appear to drain down the child s head.3 The devotees
assembled in Munchira temple that evening were in an ecstasy of joy for being with
the child with divine attributes. At the conclusion of the period of live-in worship
in the temple, the Child and party came back home to Cherukol.

Incidents at Kumara Kovil

The ancient famous temple to Murugan known as Kumara Kovil is located at

Padmanabhapuram, at a distance of 34 kilometres from Kanyakumari, the home to the

3
Kunnathukal Prabhakaran Nair a witness of this event now settled in suburban Kudappanakunnu.

4
palace of the Maharaja s of erstwhile Travancore, on the slopes of the Veli hills
which is about 70 m in height. It is located in a commanding position, visible for
kilometers around. Another episode of live-in-ritual worship that lasted for a
period of 41 days (Bhajana), in the Kumararakovil, began on 8th in the month of
Edavam 1123 M.E. On one early morning, when one of the temple priests opened the
door of the sanctum sanctorum, to his dismay, he noticed that a small Vel4 made of
pure gold dedicated to the siveli vigraham5 was missing. After deliberations among
themselves, the priests informed the managing authority of the temples of the
missing of the gold-vel. The administrators of the temple questioned all the embers
of the temple staff. The matter has been informed to the local police station of
Takkalai. Though the police took immediate action of investigating the matter,
mysterious missing of the gold-vel remained unsolved. Interestingly enough, the
gold-vel appeared underneath the blanket of the Bhuvanendran on the morning of
completion of the live-in. Mr. Somasekharan Nair, the father of the child , returned
the gold-vel to the temple, as soon as he spotted it. This weird and wonderful news
spread like wildfire.

On 10th of Mithunam, yet another miracle occurred. While stepping down the
holy steps of Kumarakovil, Sri. Somasekharan Nair was carrying the child.
Mysteriously, a gold- holy thread (poonu-nool6) descended on the child - surprising
the every one present there. Soon after their reaching Cherukol, the child and the
family visited the Cherukol Bhadrakali Temple the family temple- and offered
special poojas.

Later on, several spells of temple live-ins were (Bhajana Iruppu) performed by
the child and immediate and distant family members. The team went to Thiruvithamkod
temple of Vishnu and Shiva for live-in. This was followed by a live-in in the
Thanumalaya Temple at Suchindram. Yet another miracle that unveiled in Suchindram
was very strange incident. The Devaswom superintend offered a flower shower
(pushpanjali) to the main deity at Suchindram. The Child also was on hand in the
temple to witness the presentation. In the presence of the crowd of devotees there,
the flower petals showered on the temple deity started to fall over and down the
tender body of the child, who was witnessing the pushpanjali with the host of
devotes in front of the sanctum sanctorum. The wonderstruck superintendent, who
offered this flower shower, exclaimed what ever done inside should have been
performed out side .

On the concluding day of live-in at the temple of Suchindram but before

starting the return trip, the child offered a Kadalipazham7 to a one Smt. Padmakshi
Amma, wife of Chellappan Pillai alias Muktheeswaran Pillai, the cashier of
Suchindram temple and brother of priest Janardhanan Pillai, Smt.Padmakshi Amma who
passed her 35 year, was remaining childless several years after her marriage. She
ate the Kadalipazham anyway. A girl child was born to her a few months after this
incident. This child is Smt. Ambika Devi of Panangottu Veedu in Ittakaveli and wife
of Sri. Gangadharan Nair). Smt. Padmakshy Amma was also fortunate to have yet
another male child (He is now Sri.Kesavan Kutty, Business man, Mede Theru, in
Krishnankovil, Nagarkovil).

As there was a expert advice that Suchindram temple-live-in, should be

followed by a live-in at the temple at Ettumanoor, on 24th of Mithunam, 1123 M.E the
party consisting of the child and its parents ,along with a few relatives, friends
and devotees started off to Ettumanoor for the live-in for 12 days on. During the
stay at that temple the, many devotees who came to the temple had firsthand

4
A lance/javelin-like weapon wielded by Lord Subramanaya
5
Seeveli is the traditional ritual practice in temples in which the divinity installed in the sanctum sanctorum is daily taken out
ceremoniously and the circumambulation around inside the temple compound in procession accompanied with the
performance of traditionally used musical instruments of temple worship. The small idol used in seeveli, sreebali,
sreebhutabali is the seeveli vigraham... In some temples seeveli ritual are conducted in the morning, at noon and in night
before the closure of sanctum sanctorum.
6
A Brahminical string, worn across shoulders.
7
Fruit of a species of plantain, generally believed to be the best variety to be employed in offering in temples.

5
experience of witnessing the showering of flowers and sandal wood paste on the
child s body. while the same acts were being performed by the temple priest upon
the idol , on the sanctum sanctorum. This made most of them to convince to
conclude that the child is nor an ordinary human child but a miracle child with
divine attributes. Day by day the number of visitors who rushed to have a look at
the divine child grew in number, as the news spread among the people.

During the stay in Ettumanoor, the head of the family found time to consult
Brahmasree Puliyoor Purushothaman Namboothiri a famous astrologer of Travancore. He
provided expert astrological advice that to please or make the various devatas such
as Sasthan, Agni, Apasmaram, Brahma Rakshas, Devatha etc satisfied or glad following
proper ritualistic worship and offerings. He also advised them to arrange a
Namboothiri to perform a thilahomam and finally tie and wear an amulet received from
the Namboothiri. He also gave them the assurance that if they diligently follow his
advice they would be able to eliminate all the problems associated with the child
they were experiencing.

The moment the party reached the Cherukol house with the expert astrological
prescription, the menacing house fires, surprise hot stone and rock missiles
reappeared more vigorously. With no choice left, hoping to earn the grace of the
goddess for a complete cessation of the undesirable events, the parents took the
child to Karippara Devi Temple, located near a river bank near Payanam. Yet to the
disbelief of near and dear ones, the miracles went on to happen unabated. So, Sri.
Somasekharan Nair (the child s father) consulted a famous man of divination of
Nagarkovil. He was Sri. Shonachalam Pillai who practiced the secretly kept technique
of reading images on ink-screen-on-betel leaf 8 . The finding was unequivocal,
which said that the child was really a miracle child with a divine soul. The
soothsayer also noted the fact that that there is no alternative to get rid of the
grief and unhappy situation as the child being a divine manifestation and therefore
was adorable deserves and needs ritual worshipping (poojas). On the ink image on the
betel leaf, scenes of playful child Krishna became visible. In fact, this marked the
abdication of temple-live-ins.

Later years of miracle child

A new turn of events commenced in the Cherukol house. The house attained the
status of being considered as an abode of divinity. Conduct of ritualistic worship
(pooja) of the miracle child soon began. With the arrival of increasing number of
visitors from near and far the adoration or veneration of the child with the
accompaniment of ceremonial offerings and other rites usually practiced in temples
became a daily practice. Devotees started to come to Cherukol house carrying with
them flowers bought from Nagarkovil and Thovala, to be offered before the divine
child. Most of members of the tharawad (extended family) became ardent devotees of
the divine child. Sri. Janardhanan Pillai (a retired forest guard) and uncle became
a fulltime priest (pujari). Kandamath Sreedharan Nair, another grand uncle,
routinely visited Cherukol house to take part in the evening or night worship
(poojas). Valiyasala Narayana Pillai (Retd. Devaswom Superintendent), a brother-in-
law of Sreedharan Nair, chose to spend all his time with Bhuvanendran day and night.
Another devotes used to join the evening poojas at Cherukol was Tharisuthala Lakshmy
Amma alias Thankamma. After the poojas Bhuvanendran used to sleep in the middle room
of Padippura9 .

The Evening Pooja

Sri. Janardhanan Pillai, the poojari conducted the ritual worship of

Bhuvanendran and the Atmalingam10installed there. Bhuvanendran will be ready on the

8
The liquid extract of the leaves of shrub (Memecylon edul )known as kasavu or anakkombi in Malayalam or Memecylon
malabaricus known as kasavu or malamthetti is pasted over a betel leaf
9
The front building with apartment, an outhouse usually with a veranda.
10
An idol installed and venerated as representing the atma or universal spirit.

6
bed around the night fall, lying flat on his back and facing north, throughout the
worship till the completion of pooja. On special occasions, many devotees brought
floral garlands and flower petals for the ceremonial worship. Poojari used to place
the garlands he received in the form of an arc across the body of the child while
the flower petals are used to gently shower over the body. During these acts, the
priest used to chant slokas praising Lord Krishna. The ritual worship formally
concluded with the final offering of aarathi11 to the atmalingam.

During the evening pooja, though a relatively lengthy process prolonging for
nearly an hour, Bhuvanendran used to lie on his back, and remained either asleep or
calmly keeping awoke, amazingly without showing any wild or even mild movements. But
soon after the aarathi, frequently he rolled over to one side or other and resumed
his sleep. It was not unusual that bunch of grapes, fistful of butter or sugarloaf
to show up in the open palm of the child while receiving the evening pooja.

Arrival of Jadadhaari

It was on the 15th of Chingom of 1124 M.E. It was on that day Jadadhaari
made his first appearance, at night, in the bedroom of Bhuvanendran. He was having
no material existence and was incorporeal or bodiless. The presence of this
immaterial being could be felt only through his voice. Soon after his arrival he
started preaching (in chaste Malayalam with occasional Sanskrit words), before the
assembled devotees. His voice stated that the boy who is sleeping in the bed is
none other than Bhagawan the Khadgi. Your life style and activities devoid of
cleanliness and personal hygiene invited the wrath which manifested as flash fires,
hot-stone missiles and so on. Therefore you may follow a simple ascetic life praying
the Bhuvanendra Bhagawan. The words were loud, clear and heavy, resonating with
heavy bass. As the Jadadhaari was invisible supernatural being he was also nick-
named as Asareeri one without a body.

But there is an exception. Valsan used to make his bed on the dividing half wall of
the urakkalam (milling shed). Bhuvanendran used maintain a different or special
relationship with Valsan and used to address Valsan as Valsan mama (Uncle Valsan).
The other elders in Cherukol suggested to Valsan to prostrate in front of the
Jadadhaari when he comes out of the pooja room to the yard, which he occasionally
did, to perform three circumambulations around the padippura. Despite stout initial
refusals to comply with the suggestion, the elders prevailed on Valsan. Valsan
finally agreed and waited for an opportune occasion.

On a certain night Jadadhaari made his exit out of the padippura through it s
the west facing door leading to the kitchen, to receive a surprise prostration of
Valsan, who also attempted and successfully touch the feet of Jadadhaari. Then
Jadadhaari stopped for minute and reacted to the act by saying Aruthu balaka,
aruthu (Don t do so my son) and then continued after a pause Narasparsam kondu
mathrame enikku moksham labhikkukayullu (I will get salvation only after touching
my feet by a human being). Saying these words Jadadhaari briskly walked away.

Whenever, Jadadhaari came out m the indication was the noisy opening of the
door. When this indication is felt, the devotees used to crowd around and try to
follow him. But the Jadadhaari in fact moves through the yard like a flash and ahead
of the pack of people. On certain occasions he covered his body with a white robe,
while other occasions he wore ill-defined clothing. By contrast, when occasionally
Jadadhaari appeared during day time, we perceive the quick flash by two things; one
as a tall head to toe saffron-cloth-clad person passing by with a loud shout of
Omkara the symbol of god and the singularity of god. In fact the folks around
will immediately register their presence by saying Bhagawaane (Oh my lord).

Other Places of worship in the homestead

11
Worship by waving of lighted lamps in front of an idol.

7
 I can clearly recall three important sites selected for worship by
Bhuvanendran in the Cherukol homestead. Foremost one is what Bhuvanendran designated
as the Jadadhaari kovil. It was in the shades of a large bread fruit tree, located
to the south west of padippura and behind the cow shed. This site was cleared for
erecting a stone idol of Jadadhaari, assisted by Nandi (son of the priest), Valsan,
Achuthan and Atoor Kurup. Of the two other open-air sites selected for worship, one
(I don t recall the specific name given to it) was very close to southwestern corner
of the homestead and the other one was closer to the hermitage-like dwelling erected
by the biographer, Sri.Varinjam Raghavan Pillai. Regular worship is being conducted
these days in Jadadhaari kovil.

Jadadhaari vs. Rationalists

That at Cherukol Puthen Veetil, a Nair woman gave birth to a child with
miraculous attributes was some thing quite unacceptable to the rationalists of the
neighbourhood . There were attempts by such groups on several occasions to capture
Jadadhaari to expose the bogus activities with an intention to bring to light the
spuriousness of the matter.

My dad (the late, Kythavilakom Parameswaran Pillai and a grade school teacher
by occupation) a relatively younger man during 1940s, used to sport a beard and
roughly groomed bushy hair. The beard and head of hair are always at least one year
old. He was a strongly built and wide chested man and quite daring. He usually had
his fore head marked with vibhuti (bhasmam or holy ash).Where ever Bhuvanendran went
for a temple live-in, my dad usually joined at least for the nights for an added
secure feeling for the party. He also held a strong belief in the miracles related
with Bhuvanendran. The rationalists had an undisclosed notion that the Jadadhaari is
none other than my dad. Their unrevealed impression was that with a bit of costume
and some make up here and there, my dad could perform Jadadhaari role in a perfect
manner.

The rationalists guessed or presumed that if Sri. Kythavilakom Parameswaran

Pillai, the suspect, is kept in captivity, the Jadadhari's show will not happen at
Cherukol. So they discussed and charted out a plan to keep my dad in safe custody
and watch the outcome. One night at about 9 O clock, my parents were going to
Cherukol from my home (Kaithavilakam). I did not go with them instead remained at
home. Cherukol house was at a distance of about two kilometers from our house. They
were proceeding making their way with the insufficient light of a hurricane lamp
they were carrying. After traversing a scarcely populated tract where there were two
or three clusters of settlements of members of the Nadar community, they were
crossing a broad ridge that separates the location of Cherukol house from that of
ours. This was poorly vegetated by isolated Palmyra palms and cashew trees with an
intercrop of tapioca cultivation. As my parents crossed the ridgeline and started
the gentle descent of the valley slope, they heard loud voices coming from a
distant. They noticed a group of people carrying flash lights approaching them.
Immediately they asked raising their voice Kythavilakom kunjammayum chittappanum
aano varunnathu (Are you the uncle and aunt of Kythavilakom). My dad answered,
Athe, thannade pillay . (Yes, you are correct, my child). My dad continued Enthuse
patty arthritis, kuzhappam vallathum undo (What happened at this night time, Is
there any problem over there). The team replied, Namukku Cherukol pokaam aadyam,
pinne karyam parayam (Let us fist go to Cherukol, then we will tell you the details
later). All of them then proceeded to their destination.

Now let us go to Cherukol house and see what was taking place there. After the
evening pooja, the members of the crowd were retiring for the day s rest. Nothing
seemed unusual immediately. But after a while all of a sudden and quite unusually,
Jadadhari s announced that my dad and mom are on their way to Cherukol, and the foes
are ready waiting on the tree tops to surprise them and capture my dad and mom, so
that they can test their assumption that it was my dad who is playing the role of
the Jadadhaari at Cherukol. Therefore you immediately send a team to save them and
rescue them if it seems necessary. He added Bhagawante sahayathal Jan avare urakki
kalanju (With the help of Bhagawan (Bhuvanendran) I had put them to sleep).

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 When my parents were at Cherukol house, late in the night Jadadhaari gave a
piece of advice to my dad. Balaka rathri thamasichu entinu varanam. Namukku
dharalam virodhikalille (Why my son, you want to come very late at night? Are you
are aware that we have many foes here?).

Jadadhaari vs. Police Party

One Chunakkara Parameswaran Nair (member of the Tharisuthala family), an

officer in police force then camping near Kuzhithrurai, wanted to check out the
facts of the Jadadhaari-Bhuvanendran acts, in person. On a certain night, he and
some of his squad mates came down to Cherukol, traveling almost 5 km from their camp
site. My dad was also present there. In fact the Police officer and my father were
cousin-in- laws. The Police party was received well and they discussed the matter
with some members of the family as well as with some of the visiting devotees. Time
ticked past. Jadadhaari did not appear as he did usually. The party waited so long
that they got bored, dropped the idea of verification and started to walk toward the
parked car, which was about 200 m away on a dirt road, to the west of the Cherukol
homestead. As they were about to reach the car, Jadadhaari appeared; started
shouting Omkara and went about to do his routine pooja of Bhuvanendran, ringing the
pooja bell and performance of aarathi. The Police party rushed back to Cherukol
house. As soon as they reached the homestead boundary everything stopped and silence
resumed. Jadadhaari briskly vanished from the scene. The police team said good bye
with displeasure and walked back toward the car. Once they crossed the homestead
boundary to the west again the pooja bells started ringing and sound of aarathi
reappeared. But the party of visitors did not come back again. Strangely, on that
night Jadadhaari had spent more than 30 to 40 minutes in Cherukol with the devotees
and Bhuvanendran.

Capture Mr. Pillai to Capture Jadadhaari

During those days, the communist party had a branch in Marthandom, which was
about 3 km away from Cherukol. One of the items of communist agenda is to
demonstrate that god is a myth and does not decide the future or fortunes of the
individuals. So naturally, they used all opportunities to demonstrate the hollow
nature of worship and devotion to god. The Jadadhaari-Bhuvanendran act staged almost
every week at Cherukol naturally became a landmine in the practice of communism or
the spread of communist movement. Obviously, a group of activists decided to capture
Jadadhaari or at least mark him with burns of acid bulb so that the next day morning
every one can point a finger at the person who staged Jadadhaari. This plot was
correctly hatched and was to be implemented. Gossip has it that it was Mr. Pillai of
Kythavilakom was faking as Jadadhaari.

One late evening while my father was also present at Cherukol, half a dozen
young and daring communists (most of them known to elders in Cherukol) descended,
chatted, chewed and joked with the devotees. Near midnight, Jadadhaari landed in the
pooja room. After conducting a very brief pooja, came out of the east door loudly
calling Omkara to attract the attention of the captors, who jumped into action
with ropes and acid bulbs. But to their disappointment, Jadadhaari took a left turn
toward north, ahead of the visiting team and devotees who were ready for any action
to protect Jadadhaari, flashed past the urakkalam (milling shed), turned left toward
the Thekkethu came out by north door to the cowshed and disappeared. Those days the
Jadadhaari kovil was not founded by Bhuvanendran. The visitors searched the entire
backyard and front yard for Jadadhaari. And they also made sure that Mr. Pillai did
not move an inch from near his bed.

The first attempt to rope and capture or throw the acid bulb to mark did not
succeed. A pall of gloom crept in. Every one was silent. Bhuvanendran was in deep
sleep. Then all of a sudden the east door of north bedroom of padippura flung open
and Jadadhaari appeared in the veranda where my dad (Mr.Pillai) stood guarded by the
deputies of the visiting team. Jadadhaari announced Itha nilkunnu Parameswaran
Pilla, pidichu kettu (Look Parameswaran Pillai stands right here, why not you tie

9
him up). But the guards shivered to death according to my dad and quickly Jadadhaari
also vanished in the dark. The team became totally disappointed by the outcome
returned with sad hearts. Similar attempts by certain persons to defame Bhuvanendran
could only spread the fame and fervor about the miracle child.

A Kythavilakom Sojourn

Bhuvanendran occasionally went for a nearly day long visit to relatives

homes. Kythavilakom was special as this was the home of his uncle- Valsan Mamen. I
distinctly remember one of such visits of Bhuvanendran, accompanied by Rudram akkan
(sister Rudram), Draupadi akkan (Rudram s elder sister), and Vasumathy akkan
(Draupadi akkan s daughter) Valsan and others to Kythavilakom. The party would have
arrived around 8 O clock in a summer morning by walk from Cherukol by crossing the
ridge separating Kythavilakom from Cherukol. It sure was long trek.

My mother had arranged practically everything for the joyous and comfortable
stay of Bhuvanendran and the entourage. The planned visit of Bhuvanendran was
announced informally to the local people (Nadars making the dominant group) residing
around the neighbourhood of Kythavilakom. There was a crowd of at least fifty
people, and most of them were women and children. The guest crowd melted away with
the members at Kythavilakom. In the mean time mother asked Kochettan (my immediate
elder brother) to milk the cow so that visitors and Bhuvanendran can be given tea or
milk. Basically, Bhuvanendran was very much fond of cattle especially cows and
calves. Kochettan asked whether Bhuvanendran wanted to milk the cow for which the
answer was a bold yes. So Kochettan and Bhuvanendran went over to the cowshed.
Kochettan prepared the cow for milking which Bhuvanendran watched with great
curiosity. While the act of milking the cow began, Bhuvanendran leaned on
Kochettan s back to watch strings of milk hissing into the pot. Turning around,
Kochettan invited Bhuvanendran to do the process of milking, which did not work.
Then Bhuvanendran was made to hold the teat and Kochetttan squeezed the teat along
with Bhuvanendran s palm. And on finishing milking, the pot with its content of milk
was taken to the kitchen. In fact, Rudram akkan was helping my mother in the
preparation of the breakfast on that day, the main item being iddlis. After a while
the kitchen crew noticed milk spilling out of the pot. In fact the volume of milk
steadily grew for a while (bulk grew several times over the initial volume) so that
every one gathered around the home to have a look at Bhuvanendran had a good drink
of tea with very large amount of milk, thanks to Bhuvanendran s godly touch on the
teats.

Yet another anecdote: Valsan was very much a soul-mate of Bhuvanendran. During
lunch time at Kythavilakom on the same day, all of a sudden, a basket full of fried
pappadam vanished all of a sudden. The attribution was to Jadadhaari, who got
perhaps annoyed by spanking of Bhuvanendran by Rudram akkan for his mischievous act
of crushing pappadams that are taken out of the frying pan. Almost the entire crowd
went without pappadam for the lunch. The last person to be seated for the lunch on
that day was Valsan. Mother invited Valsan for lunch. In fact Bhuvanendran was with
Valsan after being spanked by Rudram akkan. But Valsan jokingly told mom that he is
skipping lunch, as there is no pappadam. Mother who was familiar with the fastidious
nature of Valsan, walked away from the scene. Then Bhuvanendran started asking
Valsan, his best friend, what would happen to him if he skipped the lunch, for which
Valsan answered that it will lead to starvation and he might even die. The
Bhuvanendran caught hold of a walking stick, and went around the dark corners and
room in the house occasionally beating the wall. In a minute or two, mother noticed
that the basket with all its contents of pappadams reappeared from nowhere. It need
not be stated that Valsan had a lunch with enough pappadam on that day.

After the lunch, nearly every one took a nap. Bhuvanendran also joined with
them. Around 4 O clock, the visiting party got ready for the return trip to
Cherukol. There was a high drama around that time. I was given the cup by my mother
which I used every time I took milk, butter milk or tea. It was made of gun metal
and I adored the cup so much so dearly that I refused it to hand over to others.
Perhaps for the same reason, Bhuvanendran on spotting it sitting on a bench along

10
with a set of brass pots, pans and cups, wanted to take it along to Cherukol. But I
started crying loudly to prevent the cup being taken away. Bhuvanendran too
continued to cry for the cup. Rudram akkan shouted at Bhuvanendran and ordered not
to touch the cup. In the mean time the party almost nearly got out of home and was
in the court yard. Then to the surprise of every one there, the cup flew itself out
of the bench over to the courtyard with a loud bang. It scared me so deeply making
me to plea my mother to give away the cup to Bhuvanendran. It was perhaps another
act of Jadadhaari played out on that day at Kythavilakom.

Teaching Bhuvanendran

Sri.Somasekharan Nair, father of Bhuvanendran, in spite of all the incidents

around, insisted that the divine child need to learn to read and write-a natural
obligation of a sincere dad. My eldest brother Valsan, a college dropout and an
endearing person to the child was his choice. So Somasekharan Nair bought a
Malayalam reader of class one a slate and some pencils the essential tools of a
child entering the first grade in any school and entrusted the materials in the
custody of Valsan-the teacher designate.

Since the descent and appearance of Jadadhaari to Cherukol and in the

pooja/bed room from no where and at or near mid night, this news spread far and wide
in the taluks of Kalkulam, Vilavankod, Neyyatinkara, Agastheeswaram and Thovala.
Regular poojas used to attract large number of people from near and far. The Co-
sleepers in the pooja room had seen Jadadhaari lighting and brightening the wick
lamp and performing Pooja and making offerings of fruits like grapes and sweet stuff
like molasses on the feet of Bhuvanendran. Poojas ended with aarathi.

Whenever occasional slight quarrels used to crop up between Jadadhaari and the
grandmother, Bhuvanendran stepped in to bring peace between them. Jadadhaari
occasionally and repeatedly shouted Sapippen, sapippen and Kudumba nasam , (ruin
to the family), which enraged the grandmother who also sat up in the pooja room. The
old lady became furious and immediately retorted by saying Enthinu chavappen
Chavappen ennu vilikkanam; Chavachittu po (Why shout curse you curse you, curse and
destroy the family and get out). Then Bhuvanendran sat up in the bed and turning to
Jadadhaari giving the order Jadadhaari kopathe samippikku Jadadhaari (Jadadhaari
quell your anger Jadadhaari), for which the Jadadhaari politely replied Adiyan
Bhagawane (Yes my lord). That ended the squabble.

An anecdote now

It was nearing the evening sunset. In the pooja room only one wick lamp was
lit. A woman devotee residing in the neighbourhood of Cherukol home came to attend
the evening pooja with a garland which she herself made out of different flowers
gathered from her own home yard. She stepped into the veranda of the pooja room and
was getting ready to hand over the garland to the priest. At that instant there was
a piercing voice of an invisible being directing the priest not to use the garland
on Bhuvanendran during the pooja. The voice from the sky (asareeri) were Balaka aa
mala Bhagavanu chartharuthu ( My boy do not use that garland on Bhagawan ) and then
to the devotee, the voice said balike asudhamaya kaikal kondu kettiya mala
bhagavanu enthinu kondu vannu ( Why you girl brought a garland put together with
your polluted hands ).

Co-sleepers in Pooja room

After the pooja session, it is the bed time for one and all. In the pooja
room, Rudram Akkan (Bhuvanendran s mother) and Valiyamma (Bhuvanendran s
grandmother) regularly slept in the room where worship was being regularly
conducted. A subdued flame of a wick lamp was kept burning throughout night in
that room which served as a bed-room lamp. Very infrequently some visiting devotees
also used to sleep in the pooja room. My elder brother, earned an opportunity to

11
from Valiyamma to sleep in pooja room, but to his dismay the sleep was destroyed by
a visit by Vasuki12, one of the serpents of Hindu as well as Buddhist mythology.

A Ten Day Festivity

Coinciding with sixth birth day of Bhuvanendran (the one before the Pandarpur
Pilgrimage), a ten day long festival and special poojas were arranged and performed,
culminating with an hour long flower shower. On all these day s group singing,
Ottanthullal (by Evoor Damodaran & party), major set Kathakali (with artists like
Maangulam Vishnu Naboothiiri, Chennithala Chellappan Pillai, Haripad Ramakrishna
Pillai and such other stars), and Harikatha etc formed the items of the programme.

Visitations to Bhuvanendra Padam

Jadadhaari, the heavenly priest who appeared to be a sage with fabulous or

luxurious matted hair, used to visit the Bhuvanendran at Cherukol house very
frequently during the dead of the night In addition, other puranik sages ( like
Padmanetran, Nandi, Vasuki, gopikas to name a few) also came down to Cherukol for
audience, blessing or felicitation. There were many others also who came on
pilgrimage to Cherukol.
------------------

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He is a great King of the nagas and has a gem (Nagamani) on his head. Manasa, another naga is his sister. In the Bhagavad-
Gita (Ch.10, Verse 28), in the middle of the battlefield "Kurukshetra", Krishna explaining his omnipresence, says - "Of
serpents (sarpa), I am Vasuki" indicating the importance of Vasuki. He took part in the incident of Samudra manthan, the
churning the ocean of milk. He agreed to allow the devas (gods) and the asuras (demons) use him as the churning rope, bound
with Mount Mandan -churning of the ocean, when they churned the ocean of milk for the ambrosia of immortality. While
Vasuki was being used as a rope, the strain caused him to exhale Halahala, the most potent venom in the universe. There was
the danger that the Halahala could destroy all living beings and perhaps the universe itself. Then Shiva, in order to prevent the
destruction of the cosmos, decided to swallow the poison himself. The venom turned his throat blue, and thus earned him the
title Nilakanta (blue-throated).

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Bhuvanendran (1946-1952), Picture Circa 1950

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