Holiday Hiatus: Aiyappa Festival

The Aiyappa Festival was another gem on my visit to India. Aiyappa is a hunter diety, and the most compelling part of the whole shindig was the possession. No, I'm not talking about holding land or wealth, or even having control of the football. I'm talking genuinie, full-blown, no holds-barred, spiritual possession.

After filling our stomachs, we traveled into the estate to a holy area of the forest. It is considered God's land, and as such cannot be cultivated. Thus, it is unadultered Indian jungle. The bull below was loaded with some rice as a means for offering, actually provided by my cousin because jewelry that she had lost was returned to her.

We walked into the coffee plantation, and after some time entered the untouched forest. We walked along the above path and suddenly, the clearing stood before us.

The above mound in the clearing is comprise of offerings to Aiyappa. All are statues of dogs that have deteriorated through weathering, and as new offerings are tossed on top, the newest statues are on top with the bottom of the pile consisting mainly of unrecognizable pieces of clay.

A shooting contest (since Aiyappa is the hunting god) started the events in the clearing. A coconut was set up in a tree and I was third in line to take a shot. I never got my chance, however, thanks to the excellent marksmanship of my cousin, Gautham. It's a good thing he hit the target, because I wouldn't have wanted to have to show him up. He was even given the shell as a commemorative piece. I belive it's going to become a necklace for his wife, Malvika.

After this, the man to be possessed came. Apparently, one day long ago he ran away from school and didn't stop until he reached this auspicious spot. Annually since then, he has become possessed by the spirit of Aiyappa. Normally, he speaks Kodava language (dialect of the region) but when he becomes possessed he speaks an old form of Malayalam, a language which he has never been taught. After he becomes possessed, he shakes and grunts and the people line up to receive his blessings and ask their wishes. After getting blessed, we were all served sweet from a huge pot.