The Story of the Nalekkattu Pillamars

 The Story of the Nalekkattu Pillamars

According to the Aithihyamala of Kottarathil Sankunni, the ancestral home of the Nalekkattu family was in Vijayanarayanapuram, near Nanguneri in Pandinadu. Later, the family came to Kuttamperoor, near Thiruvalla, in Travancore.

The Nalekkattu family was known for its honesty, learning, intelligence, and administrative ability. Because of these qualities, they enjoyed the trust and favour of the Travancore Maharajas.

Among the members of the family, three individuals became particularly famous.

The first was Yogeeswaran.

From a young age, he was deeply interested in yoga. Eventually, he became a renowned yogi. When he came to Thiruvananthapuram, the Maharaja honoured him and provided him with a place to stay. He lived a simple life, taking mainly milk and fruits as food.

Every day, he would bathe in the Karamana River and was believed to possess extraordinary yogic powers. Later, he decided that he did not wish to die in Kerala. He went to Karinkulam in Pandinadu, where he devoted himself to Shiva worship and meditation and eventually attained samadhi. According to the legend, a temple and shrine were later established there in his memory.

Yogeeswaran's son was Yogeeswaran Raman Pillai.

He was a great Tamil scholar and poet. He entered government service and held several important positions, eventually becoming a prominent Melezhuthu Pillai.

When the Nalekkattu Nair family of Kuttamperoor became extinct, their properties were granted to him as an inam. He built a new house there and married a woman named Umayal Parvathi from Vijayanarayanapuram.

However, there was a problem.

Although they had been married for a long time, they had no children. Umayal Parvathi would become pregnant, but after four or five months, the pregnancy would repeatedly end in miscarriage.

They consulted physicians and several practitioners of traditional occult practices, but nothing helped.

Finally, they consulted the Pazhoor Padippura for a prashnam—an astrological/divinatory examination. A strange explanation was given:

It was said that a Gandharva was affecting Umayal Parvathi, and that this was the reason her pregnancies were not continuing.

They then decided to invite the famous magician and ritual practitioner Thevalasserithan from Chengannur.

On his way to Nalekkattu, Thevalasserithan stopped at a pond to bathe. After bathing, he placed his kaupeenam—the traditional cloth he wore—to dry. A monkey came and took it away.

He became angry.

He recited a powerful mantra, and according to the legend, all the monkeys in the area began following him!

Thus, he arrived at Nalekkattu accompanied by a large group of monkeys. The monkey that had taken his cloth was still carrying it.

Yogeeswaran Raman Pillai had faith in Thevalasserithan's abilities, but he also decided to test him.

The ritual to remove the supposed Gandharva influence then began.

Thevalasserithan seated Umayal Parvathi within a specially prepared ritual arrangement and began chanting powerful mantras.

At that moment, according to the legend, the Gandharva began speaking through Umayal Parvathi.

The Gandharva said that he had not come to harm her, but that he did not want her to have a child with her husband.

Thevalasserithan then used his ritual powers to bind the Gandharva.

Eventually, the Gandharva agreed to leave.

After the Gandharva departed, Umayal Parvathi became well again.

Not long afterwards, she became pregnant.

The following year, a baby boy was born.

This child later became known as Balaraman Pillai Samprathipillai.

When news of the birth reached the Travancore Maharaja, he was very pleased. When the child was brought to Thiruvananthapuram, the Maharaja reportedly took him into his own arms and placed him on his lap.

The child was named Balaraman, in connection with the name of Balarama Varma of the royal family.

Thus, according to the legend, a new generation began in the Nalekkattu family.

Balaraman Pillai later became famous as a Sanskrit scholar, poet, astrologer, practitioner of traditional occult arts, physician, and government official.

This is the story of the Nalekkattu Pillamars, as narrated in Aithihyamala. It should be understood primarily as part of Kerala's traditional legendary folklore, rather than as a strictly verified historical record.