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'Thelliyoor Vrischika Vanibhom' begins

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA Nov. 17. The Thelliyoor Vrischika Vanibhom, a centuries-old rustic fair in Central Travancore, began at Thelliyoor near Vennikkulam in Thiruvalla taluk today.

People from different parts of the hill district as well as from neighbouring districts throng this small village on the first day of the Malayalam month of Vrischikom when the four-day fair begins.

Peasants in the hilly tracts of the district still consider the Vanibhom as a major rustic fair to sell their agriculture produces.

The origin of the Thelliyoor rustic fair is part of the tradition of the ancient Devi Temple at Thelliyoor, said D.Gopalakrishnan Nair, the organising committee convenor of the fair.

In the pre-Temple Entry Proclamation days, devotees belonging to various sections of the society used to bring their agriculture produces and other things to Thelliyoor temple as their offering to the presiding deity on the first day of Vrischikom.

The custom was to bring the articles to the outer courtyard of the Thelliyoor Devi Temple as temple entry was permitted only to the upper classes.

In later course, this developed into a rustic fair, mainly based on barter system, said Mr. Nair.

The fisherfolk from the coastal areas would bring shark fins as their offering to the deity in olden days and even today shark fins are a major attraction at the fair.

However, with the changing times, the Thelliyoor Vanibhom has now been transformed into a fair of varied class of items ranging from agriculture produces to electronic goods.

The fair will come to a close on Friday.

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