A royal tradition
DEVAYANI MEDHEKAR
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The offering of `Ona Villu' is a ritual that is observed with great sanctity at Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple in the capital city.
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FIT FOR THE GODS: `Ona Villus' being readied to be offered to Lord Padmanabha on Thiruvonam day. Photo: C. Ratheesh Kumar
The tradition of offering `Ona Villu' to the presiding deity of Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Sree Padmanabha Perumal, on Thiruvonam day (which happens to be accepted as the Lord's birthday) in the month of Chingam continues to this day.
While not much is known about the origin of the event, the temple records date it back to 1502 AD during the reign of the then ruler of Travancore, Veera Iravi Iravi Varma.
It is interesting to note that many of the rituals, traditions and customs of the Sree Adi Kesava temple in Thiruvattar (Kanyakumari district) and those in the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple are similar and this may be on account of the strong bond between the two temples. In the former temple too, the tradition of offering `Ona Villu' continues.
Royal wish
The royal desire to offer an `Ona Villu' at the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple on Thiru Onam day was carried out by the senior Thiruvati of Thrippappoor by issuing instructions to the carpenter, Putanangadi Kannalen Mathevan Kumaran Asari of Karamana, whose descendants adhere to this age-old custom even today.
The `Ona Villu,' or the bow, is not the normal bow but a flatter and broader version that is a piece of solid wood made of `Kadamba' wood. The Villus are made in four different sizes, ranging from three-and-a-half to four-and-a-half feet in length and about three-fourth inch in thickness.
Five different colours, all made of vegetable dyes, are used for painting the images of the avatars of Lord Vishnu on the bow. The eight oval-shaped `Ona Villus,' made in accordance with Vastu traditions, are painted red on one side with illustrations of Lord Vishnu and his incarnations on the other.
The largest of the `Ona Villu,' `Anantashaynam,' is four-and-a-half feet in length. With the `Anantashaynam' as the main theme, other deities like Lord Shiva, Bhoomi Devi, Goddess Lakshmi, Markandaya, Bhrigu Maharishi and the various saints in the main sanctum of the Padmanabha Swamy temple are also represented on the bows. The two bows are kept inside the sanctum of the main deity. The `Dasavataram Villu,' which is four feet in length, and symbolises all the avatars of Lord Vishnu. The two bows are kept inside the sanctum of the Narasimha Murthy.
The smallest of the Villu, three-and-a-half feet in length, is the `Shree Krishna Leela,' which is kept inside the sanctum of the Thiruvambadi Krishna Temple. The latest addition was a pair of bows (from 1994) with the Shri Rama Pattabhishekham as its main theme. These two bows are kept inside the sanctum of the Shri Ramaswamy Temple.
Elaborate ceremony
Says Col.(retd) Thampi, executive officer of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, "The submission of `Ona Villu' is an elaborate ceremony conducted every year.
"On Thiruvonam day, these eight bows are brought by two members of the Achari family and placed on a cloth in the Natakasala Mukhappu at the eastern entrance of the temple at about 5.30 a.m. The Kurup carries the bows inside and performs the rituals along with the executive officer and the temple staff.
"Then accompanied by the `Panchavadya' and the sacred lamps, the bows are taken in procession round the temple. After the `pradakshina' (circumambulation), the bows are then placed on the `Abhisravana Mandapam.'
"The `Periya Nambi,'(senior priest) performs the puja and decorates the bow with silk threads in red with tassels tied as bow strings along with strands of cadjan followed with `Deeparadhana.'
"The ritual complete, the respective Nambies take the bows to the respective sanctums and position them near the Moorthies. The bows are kept there from Thiruvonam till the `Ucha Puja' of Chatayam (fourth Onam), which comes two days hence, after which it is removed and sent to the Maharaja."
The privilege of the first `darshan' after the `puja' and the placement of the bows, however, is the prerogative of the Achari. Binkumar Achari, whose rights to make these Villus continue as a matter of tradition, says that his family, Karamana Melarannoor Vilayil Veedu has been making the `Ona Villu' for five generations.
The `Ona Villus' are made only during Onam and the family members observe a 41-day fast before beginning work on the Villu. Binkumar, who began the work of the Villu, is assisted by his brother Sudarshan, the temple sculptor, in finishing the `Ona Villu' and by Umesh Kumar, who paints the figures.
"It is a matter of great pride and significance that the descendants of our family continue to perform the sacred work," says Binkumar.
(Acknowledgement: Ashwathy Tirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi)
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