Bull.lnd.lnst.Hist.Med. Vol. XXVIII - 1998 pp 1 to 6

RELIGIOUS PRACTICES IN SOUTH TO CURE DISEASES

M.M.ALAM* & B.RAMA RAO**

ABSTRACT

There is belief in South Indian villages that epidemics are due to evil spirits surrounding the villages. The propitiating of Gods and Goddesses to get rid of diseases in these villages are discussed. The Christian and Muslim traditions to cure the diseases by practising religion are also detailed.

All religions in ancient civilization regarded as an incarnation of disease worshipped various gods and that destroy children. Lord Buddha goddesses for relief from physical turned her into a protector of children ailments and mental agonies. It was a from her old character of destroyer of common belief of villagers that the children. Sitala is an identical form of villages are surrounded by evil spirits Hariti and goddess of smallpox who cause failure of crops, fire or inflict worshipped in India. diseases, epidemics like cholera, small In Vedic religion Ashvins are pox, fever, cattle diseases. They used associated with the act of healing. to turn towards guardian deities and Several miraculous cures like providing propitiate them to ward off such an artificial iron leg, rejuvenation, cure diseases and calamities. of blindness, leprosy are attributed to Ancient Indian civilization had these twin gods. Many of the hymns of worship of deities for averting epidemic Atharvaveda are for cure of diseases diseases and other such calamities supposed to have been caused by evil supposed to have been caused by evil spirits. spirits Traces of worship of mother Inspite of the fact that rationalised goddesses are found in Indus Valley medicine and medical concepts of civilization thereby giving an impression Ayurveda and use of medicines in that worship of goddesses was various forms and from various sources prevalent for cure of diseases. Chinese emerged long before the appearance of traveller I' tsing mentioned that image Ayurvedic classics, worship of gods and of Hariti was found near the door of all goddesses was continued and is Buddhist monasteries. Hariti was continued even today. Some temples

* Assistant Director ** Director Indian Institute of Panchakarma, Cheruthuruthy, (India). 2 Bull. Ind. Inst. Hist, Med. Vol. XXVIII- 1998 which are known for relief of certain The Kogillu village in Karnataka diseases and also various practices and there is a slab of rough stone of about sacrifices of animals for relief of five feet high and three feet broad. It is diseases specially epidemics by placed on a stone platform and is villagers in South India are presented worshipped whenever cattle s get here. sorefeet. In another village the goddess Worship of gods, goddesses and of small pox, Maramma, is represented spirits is in vogue in villages. People, by erecting a square stone pillar of about both men and women, boys and girls five feet height and half a feet in who have died violent or untimely, are thickness near the cattle stone. She is worshipped after death. called Maramma - Hethana and is There are temples of goddesses offered buffalloes and sheep whenever Ankamma and Gangamma for cholera epidemics break out. and small pox respectively in Andhra In Mariamma or Mari is Pradesh. Temples have been built to worshipped for small pox while Kali is plagueamma to prevent plague. A story regarded as the goddess who protects is mentioned by Henry (1921) thatthere from evil spirits and ghosts. In some was a widow, Ramamma living between parts she is the special goddess of the Vijayawada and Hyderabad. She had vivid character and in some villages she illegal relation with one of her servants is also the guardian against cholera. The named Buddha Sahib. The brother of cholera goddess is believed to be the Ramamma on knowing it killed both of mother of washerman. He is therefore them. After this murder there was out chosen to officiate as the pujari (priest) break of cattle plague which people as the son alone can hope to succeed attributed to the spirit of Ramamma. in propitiating such a fierce divinity. The They instituted special rites to pacify her washerman bathes early morning and spirit. Now there is a practice of taking places a decorated pot called karagam out wooden images of about 2 feet high on his head. The villagers pour ragi gruel to represent Ramamma and Buddha in iron buckets which are kept for boiling Sahib with two images of local water. The poor are fed this ragi gruel goddesses as their attendants during and the washerman dances before them cattle plague. The images are placed holding a sickle in one hand and on a cart and are dragged in procession margosa leaves in another hand. After at night through all the main streets of dusk when the procession passes the village accompanied by fire works, through the village, sheeps are music and dance. Finally the cart is sacrificed at the important centres in the dragged to the boundary of the village village and the blood is collected in an and is thrown into the territory of the earthen pot. The washerman goes on adjacent village in order to transfer the dancing accompanied by musicians and angry spirit of Ramamma. places the karagam and blood vessel Religious Practices in South India - Alam & Rao 3 at the border of his village. He returns rheumatic patients going to Guruvayur. home after taking bath. The goddess is In recent example late Chembai believed to be propitiated by this and is Vaidyanatha Bhagavataer is known to carried beyond village limits. The have regained his golden voice after villagers of adjacent villages in their turn Bhajanam at Guruvayur. There are carry the karagam to the border of the certain prasadams known as antidotes next village and this way the karagam for certain diseases. The talkari of travels long distance resulting in the Maruttoruvattom temple, the va/iaenna transfer of angry goddess to a safer of Takazhi Sasta temple and black place. ointment resembling eyetex obtained In some villages Kaliamma is from the big lamp at the entrance of represented by seven brass pots one Ettumanur Siva temple are known as above the other with margosa leaves such antidotes for diseases. There is a attached to the mouth of top most pot tank with perennial supply of water along with an earthen pot filled with water (Muchukunda Tirtham) adjoining Sri and adorned with margosa leaves. It is Parthasarathi Temple at Munjanakavu possible that the seven pots represent in Kasargod Dist. It is believed that a seven sisters or seven virgins found in dip in this water, three pradaksinas and Tamil Nadu shrines. offering of handful of Navadhanyas is a It is reported that in Kerala many sure remedy for all warty growths on religious communities have faith in human body. supernatural beings and believe that Muslims and Christians are no prayers, partaking prasadams or exceptions in superstitions. St Thomas nerchas is very useful for their welfare. tradition believes in miracles. St. Bhajanams are offered in certain Sebastian possesses power to afford temples to get children. Many miracles relief from contagious diseases and St. are attributed to the Lord of Sabaarimala George from serpentine displeasure. i.e Ayyappan, like dumb devotees Pilgrims at Arthungal Church to pay regaining speech and so on. homage to St.Sebastian crawl on - their Performance of certain vazhipadus in bellies from the beach to the church (urul the Taliparamba Siva temple cures nercha) and make offerings of gold and diseases like epilepsy. The goddess of silver images of human limbs, bows and Kurumba Bhagavati temple at arrows. Kodungallur (Kerala) is the masuri At St. George's church at Edathua devata (qoddess of small pox) and models of snakes, ears and other organs prayers are offered to ward off the are offered apart from gold and silver. disease. is known for The water from the well in St. George's definite cure of rheumatism and other Church at Edappalli is having miraculous maladies. Bhramarasandesa and curative powers. The Orthodox Syrian Chakorasandesa (19th C) refer to the Church, Manarcaud is visited by 4 Bull./nd./nst.Hist,Med. Vol. XXVII/- 1998 mentally sick and those possessed by believed to be direct desendents of the evil spirits. Putupalli Church is visited Prophet and their help is sought in for cure form poisoning. The tamuk a difficulties. Musaliars are attributed with special edible sweet in some churches miraculous powers of curing diseases, like that of Infant Jesus, facilitates easy exorcising evil spirits and doing general delivery and pregnant women partake good to the welfare of the family. it. Conclusion Kerala Muslims have faith in saints The main aim of worshipping village - dead and living. The jarrams are gods and goddesses is to avert their graves of some Muslim divines and they wrath. The purpose is to get rid of attract devotees in large numbers. The cholera, small pox, cattle disease or tomb of Beema Bivi and her son is in drought and other calamities. The Beemapalli in Tiruvanathapuram. This worship in most of the villages takes tomb is visited by physically crippled and place during epidemics while in some mentally deranged. The tanga/s are villages annually. REFERENCES

1. Leslie, Charles 1977 Asian Medical System A comparative study, University of California Press, London.

2. Ramana Rao, vv. 1971 Indian Goddesses of Epidemic diseases, Bulletin Ind.lnst.Hist.Med. 1 (1-2) 44-88.

3. Sreedhara Menon, A. 1996 Cultural Heritage of Kerala S.viswanathan Pvt. Ltd., Madras.

4. Whitehead, Henry, D.O. 1921 The village gods of South India, Oxford University Press, Calcutta. Religious Practices in South India - Alam & Rao 5

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