Devi Vilayattom

“Get up Get up, Vena is very high fever” Amma shook Appan.

“Hmm Hmm” He went right back to sleep.

Amma shook him again and he got up at last. “What time is it?” He asked, sleepily, and then turned to look at me. I was sitting on the bed rubbing my eye. Vena had rashes all over her and she looked very ill.

It is not morning yet and it is dark outside. Machachan, Appan and Amma get dressed and take Vena to the doctor. I am left with Kousu and her mother. Kousu’s mother says, “Don’t worry, this is Devi Villayattom, the goddess is visiting this house, that is why Vena baby has rashes all over her. The Devi is blessing this house.”

She then goes and soon is back with neem leaves, bundles and bundles of it, She ties them around the cot where Vena usually sleeps and we wait.

The news about the Devi blessing Vena soon spreads and people start coming to our house and when they comeback from hospital, the front yard is filled with people waiting to see and get blessed by Vena. Vena is sleeping and the noise of the waiting devotees wake her and she starts crying at the top of her lungs. Amma tries to calm her but they themselves are scared seeing the crowd. They manage to reach the door and take her to the bed.

“Oh My God, What in God’s name is all this?” She asks.
””This is Devi Villayattom, the Devi has blessed the child and is now inside her and people have come to take her blessings.” Kousu’s mother explains.

“Non sense Vena has measles, not Devi inside her” Amma is almost hysterical. “Why are all these neem leaves tied around the cot like this?”

Appan tries to calm her down; “Neem leaves have disinfectant properties so it is okay. The thing to do is stay calm, don’t get upset.”

“They have different customs and while we may not like it, as part of the community we may have to let them do at least some of it.” Appan tried to reason.

“Well, I am not letting them touch or do any mumbo jumbo to my child, she is sick as it as and I don’t want any of them performing any black magic on her.”

Appan asked, “Kousu, what do these people want?”

“They want to see the Devi and take blessing.”

“Now! Vena is very sick and needs rest. Maybe after a few days.”

“I don’t know how they will take it. Anyway I will tell them.”

She goes off to tell the crowd outside, Appan follows her and she tells them they can’t come in and see the Devi today but maybe after a few days. They are angry, some try to reason, others try to push in but then they all leave without much of a scene.

Kousu’s amma stays to help with the Vena, who sleeps peacefully surrounded by neem leaves.

In the evening I don’t feel so good, and I start breaking out in rashes and a trip to the hospital confirms measles. I too go to sleep near Vena surrounded by neem leaves.

When I wake between bouts of sleep I see people standing around with hands folded, praying. Amma sits near us keeping a watchful eye on the devotees.

Days later, as the fever leaves us and we start getting back to normal, I see that the old leaves are replaced every day with new ones. Then it is all over and Vena and I are back to normal, fully recovered and ready to take on the world.

“It was scary when it happened but in a few years we will look back on the Devi Villayattom as funny.” Appan said.

“ I suppose so but coming home from the hospital and seeing all that crowd in front of the house really scared me.” Amma replied

“Good thing all this happened before the house shifting.”

“What shifting?” I wanted to know.

“Didn’t we tell you? We are moving to a house nearer Appan’s office.”

“It is also near George’s house, so you can play together.”

“Okay I like that. But what about Kousu?”

“We are taking her with us.”