Rayirenelloor Branthachalam Temple: A place to remember Naranathu Branthan

 

Most people in Kerala know Naranathu Branthan as the elusive lunatic but his life teachings in many ways shaped humanity in the years when people hardly realised their self-capabilities. This is the story & legend of Naranathu Branthan and remembering him at the Branthachalam temple.

The 5th child of Vararuchi was a peculiar person as he grew up in the family of Ambalavaasis who were associated with the temple rituals. From an early age the boy had a special task which he endured all his life. He would take a hike to the mountain every day and collect large boulders which he would then push down the hill. He made sure that the boulders never hit anyone or caused any damage to property or animals. His unique ways made people believe that he was insane and so called him branthan or lunatic, but his actions were only a recreation of what every human needs to do each day of their life. Every day one has to go through many thoughts; some good, some unhealthy, some to cherish but for a life of happiness one should always get rid of what happened in the past.

The actions of Naranathu Branthan were a way to tell people to let go of big thoughts and focus on the journey of life. 

Narananthu Branthan was a person who lived a simple life but with some rigid rules. Everyday morning he would go up a mountain and roll down the boulders, rest a while there and post afternoon would go around asking for rice. He would never ask for alms or anything other than rice.

Once he collects enough rice, he would take a small pot, pour water from a nearby stream, use firewood and cook the pot to make a rice porridge. While the rice would cook, he would take a nap, once the rice was cooked, he would only eat a small portion and the rest of the cooked rice would be placed on a stone for the elements. This would also be his only meal of the day. He would then clean the pot and go to sleep for the night. The next morning he will go up the hill and send boulders down and again start wandering for rice. This routine never stopped and he continued doing this wherever he wandered. 

There have been many instances where his wits were challenged by people who finally had to concede defeat. 

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Once while wandering, he ended up coming to a cemetery or smashanam. After cremation the people left the grounds leaving behind sticks and twigs. Naranathu Pranthan collected them to light his fire for preparation of rice. He placed his pot on some stones and cooked the rice. As per Mythology, Chudala Bhagawathy with her consorts would come to the cemetery to carry souls of people for their afterlife. The same sequence unfolded here, Bhagawathi and her consorts find Naranathu Branthan near the pyre which is uncommon as no human dared to stay in a cemetery at night. The Goddess surprised by such a presence decides to scare Naranathu Branthan and adorns the most fearsome mood of hers. Along with her consorts she tries her best to scare Naranathu Branthan but is unsuccessful and finally accepts defeat. The Goddess understood that the person she was confronting was no simple human and asked Naranathu Branthan who he was and why he could not be scared by her. Naranathu Branthan in his very simple demeanour said that a person with no wilful interests can be scared as for that person life is a destiny which has to be fulfilled.

The Goddess understood this argument but asked Naranathu Pranthan to move from the place as they had to dance around the pyre to take the soul but Branthan said he cant move from the place as he follows a certain pattern in the day which cant be broken and asks the Goddess to leave. The Goddess pleaded with him as she could not perform her ritual while a human watched and continued to plead with no avail. Finally the Goddess decided to leave but she had to either curse or give a boon to the human. She decided not to curse Branthan and so told him to ask for a boon. 

Branthan said he had no intentions of getting anything from anyone other than raw rice, but she kept insisting and finally Baranthan asked her, “Hey Chudaladevi, how much more would I live?”

To this the Devi replied “36 years, 6 months, 12 days, 5 hours & 3 minutes from this moment is your life span”

Branthan said, “Then, I would want you to grant me 1 day more”

The Goddess said she could not change what is written and could not extend a person’s life span

Baranthan said, “Then, I would want you to grant me 1 day less”

The Goddess again said she could not take life of a person earlier than what is written

Naranathu Branthan became angry and told the Goddess, if you can’t grant what I want then what is the use and this is why I said I do not intend to take anything from anyone.

The goddess said she could grant anything other than anything related to death. By this time, Branthan had become tired as he had to also eat the only meal of the day which was ready.

Naranathu Branthan had a limp in his left leg from childhood and so he asked Devi to shift the limp from his left leg to his right so that he could live out the rest of his life with another orientation. The boon was granted by the Goddess and she left to the happiness of Branthan who could now eat. The moral of the story is that in life sufferings will always be there, one cannot rid themselves of it, only make small adjustments and live with them.

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There is also a story related to Narananthu Branthan where he made one of his disciples understand the importance of not following someone with blind faith. Another story is about how he made one person realise truthfulness in curing himself of a disease. Naranathu Branthan is also said to be the person who grants moksha to his sister Karakkal Amma from eternal youth.  

Naranthathu Branthan continued his way of life wandering from one place to another and continued his merry ways. It is said that he finally attained moksha while being chained to a Kanjiram tree on a mountain which is now called Branthachalam. This mountain is one among four that surrounds the Rairanalloor Mountain atop which is the Bhagawathy temple consecrated by Naranathu Brantham himself. The place where the temple stands today is where Naranathu Branthan is said to have got the vision of Goddess Jagdamba while sitting on a swing. She is said to have taken 9 steps and these steps are what one sees inside the temple and they are worshipped. The temple is a place of marvel as it is situated on top of the mountain & reaching the summit is through a flight of steps. Near the temple one can also see a statue of Naranathu Branthan standing amidst boulders in a yogic state. The Branthachalam mountain has the Kanjiram tree still standing with the chains embedded in it. There are also countless wells in the mountain which have sweet water said to be dug by Branthan himself. There are also many caves one can see here which are places of meditation said to have been present from the time of Naranathu Branthan himself. 

The story of Naranathu Branthan is similar to that of his other siblings from the clan of Parayi where each person endured in their own way to make others understand the importance of destiny in life. Naranathu Branthan with his life also shows a mirror to most humans about life and its simplicity.