Pulimaranja Thondachan or Kari Gurukkal is the main idol of the Pulaya community. Pulimaranja Thondachan Theyam belongs to the group of distinguished persons who became gods after death. In North Malabar, Thondachan means grandfather. Many tribal cultures used to worship their ancestors. The Pulaya community is a community that gives great importance to ancestors.
A couple, Vallikudichi Virunthi and Maniyan Kanjan, were the servants of Chenicheri Kunhambu, a local lord of Kunhimangalam near Payyannur. Chenicherry had brought them from Thiruvarkad to work on his farm. Kari was a baby boy born to Virunthi and Kanjan. From a young age, Kari was not interested in farming. Kari had a great desire to learn Kalari an ancient martial art. But those belonging to the Pulaya community, who were considered a low caste during that period, were not allowed to learn Kalari. However, under the insistence of his son, Kanjan told Chenicheri Kunjambu to cherish this wish. Lord Chenicherry took pity on Kari and allowed Kari to be admitted to Kalari. Chenicherry admitted Kari to Kalari by changing Kari’s name and clan name so that others would not have problems by telling his caste name.
Kari, who was highly skilled, acquired techniques from the eighteen kalaris that were in vogue at that time. Kari learned magic and astrology from Chotiyar Kalari, the 18th Kalari. Kari also mastered the technique of Puli Marayal (Tranforming as tiger), which is extremely tough and requires extreme caution.
After learning all the techniques, Kari returned to Madai and was honored by the locals with the position of Gurikal. Thus Kari later came to be known as Kari Gurikal. Chenicherry Kunjambu gave Kari the authority to practice witchcraft and kalari in the country. The skill of the Kari Gurus was known in the village and outside of village. Meanwhile, Kari married a woman named Vellachi. But curing diseases and performing spells that even great Siddhas could not reverse caused jealousy among a section of people. It angered them that Kari, who was just a fluke, had become such a famous person.
One day people came to call Kari to cure the Lord’s plague from Alladam Swarupa. But Chenicherry Kunjambu Kari did not allow the Gurus to go. Even though people came from Alladam swarupam six times, Chenicherry did not send Kari gurus. But the seventh time was the message from Allada Thamburan. It was written on the that half of Alladam Tampuran’s property would be given to Kari if the disease was cured. So with the consent of Chenicherry Kunjambu, Kari went to Alladam.
On reaching the Alladam home, Kari performed treatment and spells and the Alladam Lord’s plague was completely removed. But when he recovered from his illness, the lord’s attitude changed and he refused to give half the property as promised. And they plan to cheat and eliminate Kari. Lord Alladam said that he would give me half of his property if he showed me the Puli Marayal (tiger technique) that Kari had mastered.
Puli Marayal Vidya is a highly adventurous and dangerous technique in which a human transforms into a tiger and then back into a human. However, Kari agreed to show the tiger technique. Kari returned home and told his wife Vellachi. He made a rule with his wife to perform the rites to transform me back into a human when I came back as a tiger. He agreed with his wife that if he comes as a tiger, he should throw rice-washed water on the tiger’s face and dip green dung in a broom and hit the tiger’s body, only by doing so I can turn back into a human being. And Kari told his wife to keep the matter very secret.
Kari went to the Alladam home and surprised everyone by performing the tiger trick, after which Kari turned into a tiger and left for her home. But when Kari reached home, he found the door of the house closed. Alladam Tampuran’s spy had already met Kari’s wife Vellachi and told Vellachi tiger trick was not performed and she should close the door and sleep, Vellachi coundn’t realize the cheating of Tampuran’s spy and she kept door closed. Seeing that the door was not open despite all the noise, the tiger jumped towards the door and broke the door. But when the white tiger unexpectedly broke the door and entered, she forgot all that Kari had said in fear of his life. After a few moments, Kari completely transformed into a tiger and brutally bit Kari to death. Unable to regain human form, Kari Gurus fled to the tiger den and hid.
A few days after these events, Lord Allada was again afflicted. Allada village was full of mischief. Alladam Lord’s children went mad. The tiger ate all the cattle. When mischief became a sequel, Chirakal lord came directly to solve the problem. When the problem was raised with the astrologers, it became clear that all these misfortunes were the revenge of Kari who had cheated by the Allada lord and destroyed the human birth. Kari has become God’s son, and the problem is clear that there must be a remedy. So according to the astrological ruling, Lord Allada gave half of his property to Chenicherry Kunhambu, made Kari Gurus form out of gold and built a temple for Kari Gurus and started performing Theyyam for Kari. Chenicherry gave half of the properties given by Allada Tampuran to Theyam, but Theyam returned that property to Chenicherry himself. Chenicherry asked Theyya what he would do with such wealth, and the Lord said, “If you can’t keep it in your hand, then give it to poor.”
That’s how the Kari gurus started to perform as Theyam. Kari Gurukal Theyam also known as Puli Maranja Thondachan, because he tranformed to tiger and hid himself in the tiger’s den.
