Prasad Balan

The Story of Ponnirathal Prasad Balan

Ponnirahhal was a girl child with the colour of gold. Her's is a story of tragic death and reincarnation... Ponnirathal was born amidst plenty... She was the darling child of Annanchi Perumal Marthandan and Ponmari, born after five boys as their sixth child. Observing harsh penance and offering a golden horse to karinkozhi Ayyanar, Ponmari became pregnant with Ponnirathal. Five elephants weight of gold was given to the pathachi(midwife) who took delivery of the child!!In spite of a mis-matched horoscope, she was married off to Pavoor Renasoora Perumal, who was enamoured by her beauty. She conceived after propitiating the Devi with harsh penance. What followed her was a series of misfortunes... Though she made many attempts to overcome all these, like a cruel game of fate, she surrenders to a catastrophic tragedy ... After obtaining Lord Shiva's favour and an incarnation, she spewed misery and destruction in Madurai. The terrorised Pandya king summoned the 'mantravelan' (exorcist) and his wife and pacified her... He built a temple and installed her as the Devi of Madurai. Devotees propitiate Madura Devi with nuggets of gold. Ponnirathal's story is alive in the 'vill pattu' (bow song) a folk art form which comes under the 'Thekkan pattukal (southern songs)heritage series. It is an important ritual art in the Amman kovils ( Amman temples) of Kerala and Tamilnadu, which follow the Dravidian culture of worshipping mother goddesses. A mixture of Tamil and Malayalam dialects are sung to the accompaniment of beats struck on cords of a 'villu' (bow) with bells on either end. This perhaps, could very well be the longest musical instrument in the world. The story of ponnirathal is confined to the realms of 'vill Pattu'. Though there are many devotees for Ponnirathal of Madurai, her story is not known to many. This book presents before children, a true picture of Ponnirathal, through graphic illustrations, on the tenets of mural art, indigenous to kerala.