Distortion of realities in Mookuthi Amman

 

Mookuthi Amman film is set in  Vellimalai of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. A Godman using the temple’s popularity usurps acres of land to build his ashram. Reality – In Vellimalai , exists Sri Ramakrishna Vivekananda Ashram  founded by Swami Ambananda in 1940.. It is one of the most revered institutions that was nerve center of  Hindu renaissance. Now headed by Swami Chaitnyananda is spread all over the State and in Sri Lanka teaching Hinduism. They  had nothing to do with land grab and was seen as a counter to the vigorous teaching of Christianity in Church funded  schools of Kanyakumari. Like  the deity  Mookuthi Ammaan , Kanyakumari is known for her diamond nose ring that according to folklore is said to be so sparkling that it served like a lighthouse to ships. The naming of deity located in this District as Mookuthi Amman is apt.

Amman getting angry as devotees give more importance to Tirupati when they can afford a travel and neglecting the kula deivam or Grama Devata is misplaced  Kanyakumari is one place where local deities are worshipped irrespective of a caste divide. The deity is not seen as belonging to any Hindu sect and along the coastline, Hindu and Christian fishermen support these small temples and churches. The belief is that Sea God is common to all who fish in the sea and to not invoke the wrath, the Christian and Hindu fishermen patronize each other’s worship places.  The Christian fishermen used to call St. Lucia, Kannamma and considered her the sister of Bhagwati Amma. They believed that during the Bhagawati Amman Festival at Mandai Kadu, there would be a good catch of fish. They made offerings at the Bhagwati Amman temple and their song was:

Kadal Vazhi Vantha Kannamma

Therai Vazhi Vantha Bhagwati Amman.

The Hindus used to make offerings to 'Sakayamata' church (church of Lady of Perpetual Help). This cultural anthropological fact is not an epiphenomenon. None of these religious people would like to see the relations between the communities destroyed. Their religious faith based on their experience is basic to their 'being'.

As a journalist, I reported the communal violence that broke out at the Mandikadu Bhagwati Amman temple 'Masi Kodai' festiva in 1982. The  festival that year had witnessed a clash of loudspeakers between the temple and the Church. Further to this the rumor broke out that Hindu women who went to take customary bath in the sea were raped by Christian fishermen. 14 fishermen died of police firing. After this, the District went back to normal.  This violence came a year later after an agreement between the Vivekananda Rock Memorial Kendra and the Christians running the ferry service. The grounds for dispute were many like St Francis had also mediated on the rock and the dredging was a threat to the a small piece of land which housed the Christian fishermen. The real reason was that the Memorial became synonymous with Hinduism and not as a national monument.

There can can be no valid  reason for deletion of the scene which shows the pastor `creating’ miracles in the name of Jesus.In Kanyakumari more than 50 % of the Christian population is Pentecostals and CSI The  groups that the pastor was shown to represent thrives the most in this district. Though it was badly conceptualized, the presence of such activities in Kanyakumari is very much prevalent A stylish presentation of this `miracle cure’ was allowed to be screened in the Malayalam film ` Trance’. At the same time, the character of the hero’s sister veering towards Christianity on her own will and school saying that they had no role in it goes counter to the  video evidence of a prominent Christian school conducting a prayer session of students in uniforms . The prayers were bordering on the psychologically brainwashing of the students. However, the character that the director created could exist and cannot be seen as whitewashing of conversions that are rampant in Kanyakumari.

As a person with roots in Kanyakumari, I have jotted down a few observations about the film as it is said to be happening from a place , I know.

( source; ibiblio.org for Mandaikadu background)