PETTA THULLAL

The importance of Pettai Thullal at Erumeli

      

                                               (alappuzha sangam pettathullal)    (alangattu sangam petta thullal)

Erumeli situates at the beginning of the Long route.  At Erumeli there is a temple for Lord Ayyappan.  We used to call the God as Kiraatha Saastha (Hunter Saastha – Vettakkoru makan).  There is a temple for Vaavar also which is very important.  All the devotees should do Pettai Thullal here.  At least for three trips they have to do this.  They have to purchase toys like Arrow, Val, etc.  For the first year they will purchase Arrow, for the second year Val (Sword) and for the third year Gadha, and so on.  Everybody will have to carry the above according to his or her number of trips.  This, we are doing here leaving our complete body to God, thinking that we are nothing in front of God.  We ourselves have to be offered to God i.e., God has to accept us and keep our soul with him since he is the Paramaathma.  Everybody applies some color powder over their body; dress like a hunter and dance.  While dancing everybody says “Swami Thinthakkathom – Ayyappa Thinthakkathom”.  They dress like hunters and go to Vaavar temple, start dancing from there and should go to Kiraatha Saastha temple.   This also otherwise seams just like the character of the hunter who is returning home after Vettai (hunting).  They also do make up with vegetables purchased from the shops there. We feel very happy as if we fought with Kaamam, Krodham, Lobham, Moham, Matham & Aathsaryam (the six wicked evils in our mind) and dances before God.  Even modern person also does the above if he is going to Sabarimala.  He even shouts like anything while dancing.  He forgets himself while dancing so.  He forgets the status say educated/uneducated, high income/low income, higher caste/lower caste, etc. atleast in Pettai Thullal.  He will forget the word “I” or “Mine” or My, Myself” or even never feel so and take awau the word “ego”.  Lord Ayyappan likes only our pure AAthma (soul) and not the body.  Sri Ayyappan had come to this place first for killing Mahishi and started future planning.  Somehow Mahishi came to know of this and she made the place surrounded by Buffalos i.e., made a fencing by buffalos (Erumai in Tamil and Eruma in Malayalam) and (fencing - veli in Tamil & Malayalam).   Hence that place was called as Erumai Veli and and now-a-days, this is known as Erumeli. This is called Pettai Thullal.