The Legend
Many legends of Perumthachan are seen in eithihyamala, the compilation of legends and folklore of Kerala written by Kottarathil Sankunni. According to the legend, Raman Perumthachan was born to a Brahmin father Vararuchi and mother from a Paraiyar (reed weaver) caste, hailing from the village of Thrithala. After their marriage, they set out on a long journey. During the course of their travels, the woman became pregnant several times, and every time she delivered a baby, she was asked by her husband if it had a mouth. Every time that she replied in the affirmative, Vararuchi asked her to let go of the baby, averring that the God which carved its mouth, will fill it as well. Each of these babies, twelve of them in total, was raised by people belonging to different castes, making the legendary Parayi petta panthirukulam or literally, the twelve castes borne out of the pariah woman. Each of them grew famous in their lives and many tales and lores were attributed, with them as the main cast. The eldest was Agnihothri, a Brahmin, whose place is Mezhathur in Thrithala. The others are Pakkanar (basket weaver), Perumthachan (Master carpenter), Naranath Bhranthan (an eccentric philosopher who was perceived as a madman), Vayillakunnilappan (a child with no mouth, whom the mother wanted to keep with her) and so on.
Since Raman (രാമൻ) was raised by parents who belonged to Asari (Vishwakarma/Carpenter) caste, he mastered the art and science of carpentry, architecture, and sculptor to become a Perumthachan. He read the sacred texts and imbibed the ancient intellectual tradition. He was commissioned for many a great architectural project to build temples and palaces. In course of time he came to be regarded as the reincarnation of the chief architect of the gods.
Raman Perumthachan had a son named Kannan (കണ്ണൻ), who like him mastered and excelled in carpentry and architecture and in time, duly surpassed his own perfection. The repute of Perumthachan's son spread far and wide, which allegedly spurred animus between father and son. According to the Aithihyamala, Perumthachan, blinded by his professional jealousy dropped his chisel on his own son in the guise of an accident, killing him on the spot. Thus the legend ends in tragedy, telling us that even great men can have their frailties.
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