- Vandazhi
Vandazhi is a small
village inPalakkad district ofKerala state,south India . It is underAlathur Taluk in Palakkad district of Kerala state, India.It was once famous for its paddy cultivation and elephants and mud pot making. The famous family Nellikkal Edaom is situated here. They used to have monopoly in capturing elephants.The famous Chamakkad, Veluthakkal, Kulappura Veluthakkal, Thekke Veluthakkal, Chakkingal, Mannath families are here.
During pre-independence days the place was one of the ideal place for anti social elements and communists were more here. Even there is a place here named as " MOSCOW MUKKU"
–By Murali (Thankam mema's grandson) Further on the veluthakkal family. The family temple / god of the veluthakkal family is known as Chathu Mamman. There are numerous legends regarding the origins of the shrine. The most popular one is that many centuries ago...there was a time when vandali was ravaged with non-stop torrential rains. Rain and floods lasted for weeks on end and food was becoming scarce at the Veluthakkal house. One such night, the inhabitants of the house were woken up by a harsh knocking on the door. They opened the door to meet a drenched, weak and hungry middle aged man. Despite the house being crowded, the family invited the man inside. The man being hungry, weak and wet, the family offered him some food (shared from very little that was available). The man ate happily and they all went to bed. The next morning the family woke up to see that the man had gone...with him was gone the rain and flooding!! Later that evening the family patriarch woke up from his afternoon siesta to see an apparition of the man from the previous night. He thanked the famiuly for their kindness and told the patriarch that he is a good spirit looking for a just and kind family to be placed within. He called himself Chathu and granted a blessing stating that he will forever lookafter the wellbeing of the veluthakkal family's generations to come.
This is how the karakkad temple was established. Prayers and offerings to the shrine continue to be offered to this day and chathumamman lives on in veluthakkal family members' hearts.
The family has its House Known as the Veluthakkal House in vandazhi.
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