Vishnu Murthy or Narasimha Murthy is a very famous Theyam in North Kerala. Vishnu Murthi Teyam is actually Narasimha Murthy himself, the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who took birth to kill the evil Asura king Hiranya Kasipu. The Vishnu Murthy Theyam is also performed in a slightly more intense form as Thechamundi or Ottakolam Theyam.
Although there are many stories about the origin of Vishnu Murthy Theyyam, the most popular one is related to the life and death of a young lower cast man named Kannan, who was killed due to the brutality of upper class people, and then reborn as a god.
The Kuruvat family of Pallikkara were the lords of King Nileswaram. Kannan, a boy belonging to the Thiya community, was an servant in the Kuruwat clan. Kannan was in charge of tending the cattle of the family. Kannan used to reach the cattle shed of the family early in the morning and return after sunset. Kannan, who climbs the forest and mountains to feed the cows, but he was not geting enough food. Kannan often got hungry by going to the local farms and picking mangoes. One day when Kannan was eating a mango from the top of the mango tree, the nephew of Kuruvat Kuruppu was passing by, and a mango accidentally fell from Kannan’s hand and fell on her. The enraged mistress ran to the family home crying and told her uncle that Kannan had behaved rudely to her.
Seeing his nephew’s distress, the uncle trembled with anger and immediately walked under mango tree. Kannan, who was beaten, he pulled Kannan from the tree and threw him down and beat him brutally. He warned Kannan that he would kill him if he set foot in this village again. Kannan, who trembled with fear, left the village. Kannan walked north and reached a village near Mangalore. There he saw a Vishnu devotee mother named Thandar Amma of Jappillam Koil Kutippadi house. Thandar Amma felt compassion for Kannan and took Kannan with her. That mother raised Kannan as her own son. Kannan was entrusted with the responsibility of the puja in the temple of Narasimha Murthy, the deity of their family. One day, the milk kept for the puja was missing, and since the milk was not found, the mother asked why the milk was missing (in malayalam Palenthayi). But Kannan was worried because he didn’t know where the milk had gone, and when he saw Kannan’s distress, his mother said, “Don’t worry, Kannan, just think that I called you by your name.” Thus, Kannan got the name Palenthayi Kannan.
Kannan lived in Koil Kutippadi house for twelve years, and one day in his dream, Kannan saw Mango in Pallikkara village, his hometown. Kannan wanted to go home. Kannan asked the mother’s permission and prepared to leave for the Pallikkara. The mother took a umbrella made by palm leaves and gave it to her son as a gift, and when she was ready to leave, Churika (A special kind of long sword weapon used in Kalari Payattu), who was in the temple, came and sat on Kannan’s right hand. So Kannan walked towards the Pallikkara with the umbrella and churika. When he reached Pallikkara, his hometown, someone betrayed the news of Kannan’s arrival to the Kuruwat Karanavar(Elder member in family). Knowing that Kannan had returned, the angry Kuruat Kurupu decided to kill Kannan. Kannan was coming down to bathe on the bank of a pond called Kadali Kulam. Then the cruel Kurupu came to the pool without making any noise and brutally cut Kannan from behind with a sword and killed him by slitting his neck. Because of that, the Kurupu could not stop his anger and kicked Kannan’s umbrella and churika. But in no time miracles started happening there. The broken straw umbrella stood up by itself and Churika began to tremble. At the same time, all the people in the Kuruvat family started spitting fire and Kannan’s head was shaking in the family. Umbrella and Churika crossed the stairs and danced. Kuruvat house bunt to ash. Kuruvatu’s daughter-in-law went mad because of slander against Kannan.
When they could not bear the misfortunes, they called the Astrologer and inquired what the problem was. Astrologer said that it was actually God Narasimha who came with Kannan, and Kannan also became the son of God. Atonement for killing Kannan. Churika which sprang from Kadalikulam, is sitting in the west of Moyon at Kottapuram at Nileswaram,, where a temple is to be built for Kannan and Narasimha Murthy. Theya Kolam of Narasimha Murthy should be performed.
They did whatever the Astrologer said. Temple was built at Nileswaram Kottapuram. Thus Kottapuram Vaikunda Temple came into being. Narasimha Murthy and Palenthai Kannan were enshrined there. Also, the resting places of Palantai Kannan who came to Pallikara from Tulunadu became the place of Vishnu Murthy. Despite doing so much, the ego of the Kuruppu did not allow them to fully accept the Kannan. Kuruppu and Lord Nileswaram decided to test the God who came with Kannan. Then Palai Parappan, the elder of the Malaya community, was summoned and ordered to perform the Theyyam of Narasimha Murti and dance in the fire within forty-eight days. That night Lord Vishnu appeared in Palai Parapan’s dream and showed him a form of gold and asked him if he could perform the theyam like this, but Kurup said that he did not have ability for that, then Lord Vishnu showed him a form of silver and asked him if it could be done like this, Kurup said that he also did not have ability for that. Then Bhagavan showed the form of Palm leaves, Parappan said to Lord that Parappan can happily perform it like that and thus Vishnu Murthy took the form of Palm Leaves. In Palai Parappan’s imagination.
Kurup and Nileswaram Loard gathered firewood the size of a house at Kunjipulikali near Pallikara and burned it into ember. Karanavara said that if he was a real Narasimha Murthy, he would conquer fire. And so in the Malayalam month of Tulam for the first time, Narasimha Murti began to be performed as Theyam, and Vishnu Murthy was born, the fire-breather. Tying the Kurutthola form shown by the Lord, Parappan lit the fire one hundred and one times and defeated the fire. Seeing Vishnu Murthy, who did not suffer even a single burn despite being engulfed in fire, everyone stood with awe and reverence.
There is also a popular story that Palanthai Kannan is Narasimha and Kurupup is Hiranya Kasipu. Similarly, when Lord Vishnu’s incarnation of Narasimha split the pillar, all the creatures on earth stood still, but the fire was still burning. There is another story in which Vishnu Murthy is a sign of revenge for Lord Vishnu’s wrath against the ego of Lord Agni(Fire). Vishnu Murthy is actually Lord Vishnu who mocks fire by saying that he gets cold even when he falls on burning coals.
Vishnu murti is usually performed by the people of the Malaya community, but the people of Mavila, Vannan and Pulayar communities also have the Vishnu murti in a few places. Although the origin of Vishnu Murthy is the Kottapuram temple, Chimeni Mundya is also an important abode of Vishnu Murthy. Also, the resting places of Palanthai Kannan who came to Pallikara from Tulunadu later became the place of Vishnu Murthy.
