Religious Faith and Rituals

Religious Faith and Rituals

Munnurukapu belong to both the Shaiva and Vaishnava sects and under the titles of Vibhutidharis and Tirmanidharis. They followers of Aradhi (Aradhyulu – Shankaracharyulu) and Shri-Vaishnava Brahmans.  In the religious and ceremonial observances Smartha Brahmans serve them as priests.  At funeral ceremonies Satanis are engaged by Tirmanidharis and Jangams by Vibhutidharis.  At present both of them are treated as Brahmins.  The Munnurukapu worship all the Hindu gods and celebrate the festivals.  Satya Narayan is the favourite deity, which is revered with the help of Brahmans.  Educated women honour the tulasi plant (Ocimum sanctum) daily.  Besides this, the women observe several ‘Britas’ such as Kedari Gauramma, Bathukamma, the most important of them being performed on any day between the 1^st and the 15^th of the lunar half of Kartik masam (Telugu month).  

The popular deities, Pochamma, Maisamma, Poleramma, are duly appeased with animal offerings.  The Munnuru kapus are superstitious a lot, since they ascribe every disease or calamity to the influence of some or the other malevolent spirit.  

Worship of Pochamma: Pochamma is the most popularity of Munnurukapu community Goddess in Telangana (I am sure a Dalit Bahujan Goddess with similar characteristics exists all over India). in every village, there is a small Pochamma temple. The temple is a place where the deity exists, but not in order that regular pujas be conducted for her.  Pochamma is not made the object of a daily Puja by the priest.  Once every year the masses go to the temple with Bonalu (pots in which sweet rice is cooked) wash the small stone that represents the deity, and clean the temple and its surroundings.  

Of course, the people can approach the goddess without the mediation of a priest.  They talk to the goddess as they talk among themselves.  Between the people and Pochamma there is no priest.  ‘Mother’, they say ‘we have seeded the fields, now you must ensure that the crop grows well one of our children is sick it is your bounden duty to cure here.  If one listens to these prayers it becomes clear that there is a very human affair.  There is nothing extraordinary about them.  The people put small quantities of the ‘bonam’ food (which is known as padi) on a leaf in front of the deity.  Finally, the chicken or sheep they have brought  will be slaughtered.  The dalit bahujans beat the dappulu (percussion instrument), while the young people dance and make merry.  

Worship of Kattamaisamma: Katta Maisamma is a goddess of water, whose deity (a small stone) is kept on the bund of the village tank.  She too does not require a big temple.  People believe that Katta Maisamma is responsible for ensuring that the tank is filled.  She regulates the water resources.  The farmers believe that right from the seeding stage to the cutting stage.  She god protects the crop.  The paddy fields below the tanks flourish because of her blessings.  

Once in three years a major festival focusing on Kattmaisamma is celebrated.  In some villages, several sheep, goats and chickens are killed and a big feast is organized.  Rice is cooked and soaked in animal blood and sprinkled in the fields as bali (sacrifice).  The belief here is that Katta maisamma must see to it that the fields yield good crops and that the crops become socially useful.  As we say in our language, it must have barkati (prosperous utility). 

Worship of Poleramma: Popularized among themselves is polimeramma (the border goddess).  Polimeramma is supposed to guard the village from all the evils that come from outside to stop them at the boundary of the village.  The duty that people assign to her is the protection of the whole village, irrespective of caste or class.There are several other village-specific, area-specific, caste-specific goddesses. Yellamma, Mankalamma, Maremma, Muthyalamma, Uppalamma, are some of them.