KURURAMMA

Friends,
This story of Kururamma is not from AITHIHYAMALA. It is told to me by many of my friends who are BHAKTHAS OF LORD GURUVAYURAPPAN. Every year I used to go to GURUVAYUR to have Darshan of BHAGAVAN which I have not done for the past two years.
KURURAMMA was born in the year 1570 AD in a Namboothiri Illam ( House )which was very near to VILVAMANGALAM SWAMIYAR’S ILLAM. It is widely told by many that she was the cousin of Vilvamangalaththu Swamiar. In facxt she was born in PARUR village, very near to THRISSUR. Her Maiden name was THAATHRI KUTTY ( താത്രിക്കുട്ടി, தாத்றிக்குட்டி ) This name is a pollution of DHAATHRI KUTTY. Kutty is a common name for children, which is used in Malayalam as a pet name for those who are liked most. After marriage and death of her husband, she became the Senior most member of KURUR NAMBOOTHIRI FAMILY which is in the village of ADATTHU near THRISSUR . She died in the year 1640 A.D. There is a version in which her name is shown as GAURI.
Many of my friends say VILVAMANGALAM SWAMIYAR was a devotee of LORD GURUVAYURAPPAN. Although I am of the opinion that he was not only a devotee of Lord GURUVAYURAPPAN but devotee of all HINDU GODS on whom we HINDUS have belief. However in GURUVAYUR TEMPLE you can even now see a SPOT CALLED “NRITHAM” on the eastern side of NORTH NADA (Entrance) (வடக்கே நட, വടക്കേ നട ) where the Swamiar used to dance in ecstasy.

Now coming to our story, Kururamma became a widow at an early age of 16 years and issueless and became an ardent devotee of LORD GURUVAYURAPPAN with the help of POONTHANAM NABOOTHIRI .In fact Kururamma who having no children adopted Lord Krishna as her child. She used to play with him and even scold him for his naughty deeds. Even the Lord used to help her in her house chores. In fact she had nothing as her own and hence took refuge in her ISHTA DEVATHA LORD GURUVAYURAPPAN. She started chanting the names of Lord Krishna with ardent devotion which elevated her to the highest level of KRISHNA BHAKTHI. This filled her with motherly love towards every one and thus she became mother of every one. It is also rumoured that the famous song (“KANI KAANUM NERAM…..”) (കണികാണുംനേരം, கணிகாணும் நேரம்) was composed by her. Singing Bhajans on LORD Guruvayurappan became her pastime.
It so happened, once a Brahmin started suffering from severe stomach pain. He tried all medicines, Thantric Methods and Astrology but could not get rid of his stomachache. In the mean while one friend told him about VILVAMANGALAM, who generally can be contacted in GURUVAYUR TEMPLE. On contacting the SWAMIAR, he was told that he suffered from this trouble because of the sin he had committed and hence the disease was not curable.

Dejected of life he unknowingly reached the house of KURURAMMA. KURURAMMA thought that this Brahmin was hungry probably, and hence offered him with food, but the old Brahmin told her that he was a patient of stomachache and was unable to take any food. He also told her that he had gone to VILVAMANGALATHTHU SWAMIYAR and even he could not cure him. Kururamma told him to pray to Lord Guruvayurappan who is DHANWANTARA MURTHY and take bath in the temple tank and then go for food to her place. Accordingly the old Brahmin went , thinking Lord GURUVAURAPPAN in his mind, he took bath in the temple pond and went to KURURAMMA’s place from where he took food. Kururamma told him to perform always RAMA THARAKA and Shri Krishna Japa. His STOMACHACHE had disappeared. This news reached VILVAMANGALAM SWAMAR’S ears who asked Lord Guruvayurappan as to why He did tell him about it for which the Lord told him that he asked only to know the cause of the pain but not remedy.
Yet one more story of KURURAMMA’s divinity and closeness to Lord Guruvayurappan. One day , Kururamma went for bath. As she washed her clothes few drops of water fell on another lady called CHEMMANGGAT AMMA, who envied KURURAMMA most, and who felt bad as she thought that unknowingly fallen water from the clothes of Kururamma was pollution of her body and took again bath and said to KUROORAMMA that VILVAMANGALAM SWAMIYAR was to go to her house to take ALMS (भिक्ष) to her ILLAM (House) proclaiming that she was too close to VILVAMANGALAM. Kururamma smiled and replied that He would not go to the later’s ILLAM but would go to her ILLAM for BIKSHA. Kururamma after bath went to her ILLAM. She sent a person to invite Vilvamngalam for taking Biksha which he refused saying that he was to go to CHEMMANGAT ILLAM for Biksha.It is said that , VIVAMANGALAM started to go to the illam of Chemmangat Amma. It was customary that one person blew the CONCH before Vilvamangalam goes for ALMS and it so happened that the CONCH did not produce any sound. He then remembered about his refusal to KURURAMMA to take alms from her, to whom Lord Guruvayurappan was extremely partial in favouring, and hence decided to go to her house for Biksha. Immediately, the conch started producing sound. Vilvamangalam thought that it was God’s wish that he goes for almas to Kururamma’s house instead of CHEMMANGAT ILLAM and hence went to her ILLAM to take BIKSHA.

Kururamma’s bhakthi had no bounds although she was an illiterate lady and due to that reason started NAMA JAPA of LORD GORUVAYURAPPAN and RAMA NAMA THARAKAM. Although there are many stories about her and how Lord Krishna became a child to her I shall tell one more story about her before I conclude. As years rolled down, all the family members of Kururamma died and she became alone. She realized that she had no one in the world except LORD KRISHNA. Her NAMA JAPAM elevated her to the highest degree of BHAKTHI YOGA. She started praying to Lord Guruvayurappan who appeared to her in her dreams and asked her as to what boon she wanted. Kururamma replied that she had none in this world and wanted him to be her son and not to abandon her as he did with YASHODA. Lord Smiled and as an orphan boy came to her and started staying with her. She called him UNNI (ഉണ്ണി, உண்ணி).UNNI in Namboorhiri’s Malayalam is “my pet boy”. Although he was very mischievous, he helped her in all household work including in preparation of food etc. Although, He was Guruvayurappan himself due to His creation of illusion Kururamma could see him only as a small boy. Vilvamangalaththu Swamiyar could see all GODS of Hindu faith and hence Kurooramma wanted him to perform POOJA to her beloved GURUVAYURAPPAN in her house. But she had a rival in the form of another Namboothri lady called CHEMMANGATTU AMMA who was very wealthy and who took a promise from Vilvamangalaththu Swamiyar to perform a Pooja in her house on the particular day. Kurooramma sent her request through her servant to the Swamiayar requesting him to go to her house and perform the Pooja. However, the swamiyaar told that he had already promised to CHEMMANGATTU AMMA that he would perform pooja in her house in the first instance and therefore told her to keep it on some other day. Kururamma felt very sad but UNNI consoled her by saying that he woud reach her Illam on the same day and told her that he would prepare everything for pooja including the food (പ്രസാദം, ப்றஸாதம்). He brought flowers for the Pooja etc. In the meanwhile, Vilvamangalaththu Swamiyar prepared to go to CHEMMANGATTUILLAM. The pilot who used to go with the conch, when started blowing it, did not produce any sound. Vilvamangalam thought for a while and then told the Pilot to go to Kururamma’s illam. Lo! the conch started producing sound , and hence told to the Pilot that it was the message from GOD to go to Kururamma’s Illam. He also took his disciples. As customary Brahmin ladies never spoke to others than their husband and hence asked UNNI to welcome the Swamiyar . The disciples and Vilvamangalam were surprised by seeing the arrangements which were carried out by high precision. When Swamiar started Pooja UNNI stood before him and the flowers he put after chanting MANTHRAS fell on the feet of UNNI. The disciples and the Swamiar were infuriated by this act of UNNI who asked him to stand in one corner. Alas! Then also the flowers put by the Swamiar fell on the feet of UNNI. The Swamiyar, then came to know that this UNNI was none other than Lord GURUVAYURAPPAN, but did not say openly since Bhagavan with a gesture told him not to let out the secret. This is how KURURAMMA was blessed by Lord GURUVAYURAPPAN.

I shall tell one more story about her which I remembered now. Being illiterate She did not know when EKADASI FALLS since that was the day she should not take any food. Hence she thought of a device that she used to put from the EKADASI day a stone in a box for 15 days and started putting stones every day. On 15th Day it was EKADASI for her. It so happened that some Brahmins who knew astrology also went to her house for food. She told them that the day was EKADASI and hence she was unable to serve any food to them. The Brahmins took their KAVIDI BAG (കവിടി സഞ്ചി, கவிடி பை) and checked there itself whether it was EKADASI day and found that it was indeed EKADASI DAY. When they went to another ILLAM where the lady was literate she told them to take bath and come for food. When they told her that it was EKADASY DAY she told it was only next day and told them to come for food after bath. The Brahmins took their KAVADI Bag and checked from that ILLAM which was the correct EKADASI DAY and found to their surprise it fell on the next day. Again, they went to KURURAMMA’S ILLAM and checked with their KAVIDI when EKADASI fell, it was showing as on that particular day. Thus Guruvayurappan showered in her all His blessings.

Friends, it will not be out of place for me to tell an incident which happened to me. I went to Guruvayur to have Drarshan of the Great Lord. Since there was heavy rush on that day, I could not get the darshan. Dejected, I sat on one KALYANA MANDAPAM. One person came and asked me as to why I was sitting there in a dejected mood. I told him my plight. He asked me as to what was my name and I told him my name. He also told me that his name was also the same and further told me to stand upon the Kalyana Mandapam and said that I could see from there the Deepaaradhana.I did the same and I could see the Deeparadhana being performed. The person then told me to give way to him so that he could also see it. I gave way to him and to my surprise the person had disappeared. Even I could not thank him. I do not know yet, whether it was LORD Himself or not.

LORD GURUVAURAPPAN’S “MAYA JALA” CANNOT BE COMPLETED BY WORDS DURING THIS BIRTH.
Regard to one and all and Namaskarams