Kudumbi - Kudumbi Temples

Kudumbi Temples

Traditionally, many Kudumbi localities have their own devili (temples) that are owned by a trust, committee or family from the local community. Most of the Kudumbi temples are dedicated to Devi or Vishnu although a few of them to Lord Shiva. Following the exodus to Kerala, the Kudumbi were unable to maintain contact with their Goan brethren such that for decades the Kudumbi have absorbed other local cultures into their ethos. Unlike other Konkani speaking communities, the Kudumbis do not have any traditional kuldevtas (family deities) in their temples while they are all built using traditional Kerala temple architecture and follow the rituals, customs traditions, festivals and pujas in the Kerala tradition. The pujarii or priests in Kudumbi temples are usually Gouda Saraswat Brahmins, Nampoothiris or Ezhavas and few temples have priests from the Kudumbi community. Kudumbis worship Sri Kurumba Bhagavathi of Kodungallor as their kuladevi . The annual festivals in Kudumbi temples may last for three to ten days. The ladies offer a traditional puja popularly known as Suvasini or the Suhasini Puja, which is performed exclusively in Kudumbi temples. In order to commemorate special occasions, the Satyanarayana Puja is conducted in some Kudumbi temples. According to Kerala tradition, the ceremony of Talapoli or procession of ladies carrying oil lamps accompanied by chenda (percussion instruments) or tappu melam can be seen during the festivals in these devi temples. The traditional haampu (multi-stacked portable brass lamp or a similar stone lamp) found in a number of Kudumbi temples is lit on special puja days. Votive items made from Aval, (puffed rice) or beaten rice and jaggery are still offered as prasadam in many Kudumbi temples. Holi—the festival of colours—is celebrated in many Devi temples by the Kudumbi. During this festival, "Kamadeva" (Bodhan) the symbolic entity of "Kama" will be burnt to fire, purifying the life of all who participate in the festival. There will be a procession on the streets where all the participants will be applying colour each other, dancing with songs sung in Kudumbi language. Youngsters and children go in a group, pour water from a yellow pot kept in front of every house and finally gather at their local devili temple. In the night there will be a special group dance by women (fuguda) by gathering in a circle and clapping and doing brisk movements. After this there will be delicious dinner and food will be offered to souls.