This goddess is also known as Kundora Chamundi, Kundadi Chamundi and Kundur Chamundi. Kundora Chamundi is a goddess belonging to the group of war deities. Kundora Chamundi is found in North Kerala between Chandragiri river and Valapatanam river. It is believed that Kundora Chamundi is the goddess who is the goddess of the country and the goddess of the house. Kundora Chamundi is a very ancient kolam in the Theya universe itself.
It is believed that Kundora Chamundi is actually Kali who killed the evil Darikasura who wreaked havoc in the seven worlds. The story of Kundora Chamundi is as follows. The deities who were in despair because of the evil deeds of Darikasura actually took refuge in Lord Shiva. Determined to kill Darikasura, Lord Shiva swung the Mahatandava and after that gave birth to the six Kalis, daughters of great power, from Fire. Then Maheshwara told one Kali, the chief of the six daughters, that the purpose of your incarnation was to kill Darikasura, and he gave weapons in all eighteen hands and sent her to battle.
Kali, who followed his father’s wishes, went to war and called Vetala(an evil spirit) for accompanying her. The goddess awakened Vetala who was in a deep sleep with his head on the sun rising mountain and his feet on the sun setting Kula mountain. Kali asked the Vetala form that had awakened like a storm if he would come with me to battle. Kali said to Vetala who is lying hungry that I will give you the blood and liver of Vallasura . Accordingly, taking Kali on his shoulders, Vetala rushed to Darikasura’s fort.
Kali in the form of a Begger woman took Munmozhi Mantra from Darikasura wife Kalakeya Ponmakal and then came back to her true form and went to battle. Kali fought fiercely with Darikan for seven days, on the eighth day, Kali put Darikan on Vetala’s tongue, grabbed his head by his hair and strangled him by the neck.
After the Darika assassination, Kali bathed in the Kaveri river to cleanse herself of impurity. Kundora Tantri(Vedic do Pujas in temple) and Ettillam Tantri, who were on the other side while bathing in the Kaveri, were punished by Kali in their bath and daily ritual. Realizing this, Kundora Tantri invoked Kali in a copper pot. The tantris took the copper pot that they had brought and set off. Tantris rested in the shade of a tree. While the tantris were resting, Kali created a light breeze with her power and put the tantris to sleep. Then with a great vibration, the copper pot exploded and Kali came out and looked fierce. In one night, Kali devoured cattles from a hundred and one catle shed in Kumbhazha Kooloth place. Local King, who understood the presence of Kali, said that if she is such a powerful goddess, if she restores her cattle to the old condition, he can give her a pedestal to sit on Kundorappan’s right side and a weapon to hold. Seeing this, Local King reverently seated Kali on the right side of Kundorappan as per his promise. So that Kali got the name Kundora Chamundi.
Later from there, Kali traveled to the south and reached a place called Keezhur. But Keezhur Shasta would not have given way to anyone there. Keezhur Shasta did not give way to Kali even though she was doing penance on one leg for a Jupiter cycle, angry with this, Kali sowed evil in the whole country and Shasta’s priest was brutally killed. Shasta opened his eyes and told the game to prove its strength. By using sands from Kanjirotu Perumpa river shore Kali made a huge rope and presented it to Keezhur Shasta. Realizing the great power of the goddess, Shasta gave the goddess a place and blessed her as the goddess of the house, the goddess of the country to the country and gave her the way.
Then Kundora Chamundi reached Kolathiri land in Malanadu. From their people worshiped the Kundora Chamundi by performing Theyya for Kundora Chamundi. Kundora Chamundi theyyam is performed by Velan community. Kundora Chamundi is the first Theiyam that descends just before the 10th month of Malayalam month Tulam, when the Theyya season begins in North Kerala. Kundora Chamundi Theyyam also has a ceremony of biting a burning kerchief reminiscent of the story of Maheshwara avoiding danger by swallowing the rushing Kalagni himself. Kundora Chamundi’s Thotam Pattu is full of Tulu language words.
There is another belief that the ancestors of the Tulu Velans came to Malanad from Kundapura in Karnataka, that the Kundapura Chamundi they worshiped in Tulu land was later known as Kundora Chamundi in Malanad, and that the word Kundora was derived from the word Kundapura.
