Draupadiamman, known as Pandiale among the French-speaking Caribbean Shaktas, is a form of the Goddess Indrani, and she governs over fire and the rituals of firewalking, and her cult is a regional Hindu sect in which the Pallis or Vanniyar Kula Kshatriyas communities worship Draupadi Amman as main god of vanniyar as a village goddess with unique rituals and mythologies. The Pillais, Vanniyars, Mudaliyars, Konars and the Gounder community of Tamil Nadu, and the Tigala community of Karnataka believe Draupadi Amman was an incarnation of Adi Parashakti and was the household goddess (kuladevi) of their communities. There are many temples in South Indian villages dedicated to Draupadi Amman, observing annual festivals. One of the popular temples of Sri Dharmarayaswamy- Draupadi temple is at Thigarapete, the heart of Bengaluru, Karnataka. When it comes to Caribbean Shaktism, when the camphor is lit on the four sides of the firepass consecration area, it is to her which the invocations are done. Her name and cult, even if firepass has been passed down, has been forgotten by Caribbean Shaktas. During the festival of Theemithi (Firepass Week), Karagams are built in the honour of Draupadi and the Karagam Pusari passes over the fire with the Karagam as an oath to her.
In the Mahabharata, Draupadi and her twin brother, Dhrishtadyumna, were born from a yajna (fire sacrifice) organized by King Drupada of Panchala. Arjuna won her hand in marriage, but she had to marry the five brothers because of her mother-in-law's misunderstanding. Later, she became the empress of Indraprastha after Yudhishthira performed the Rajasuya ritual and achieved the status of the emperor. She had five sons, one from each Pandava, who were collectively addressed as the Upapandavas. The most notable incident in Draupadi's life is the game of dice at Hastinapura where Yudhishthira lost all his possessions, and she was humiliated by the Kaurava brothers and Karna. An attempt was made by Dushasana to disrobe her, but she was saved by the divine intervention of Krishna. Following the subsequent episodes, Draupadi and the Pandavas were exiled for thirteen years, with the last year being a period of hiding when she assumed the identity of the maid Sairandhri. The exile was followed by the Kurukshetra War, where Draupadi lost her father, brothers, and her five children. After the war, she resumed her role as the empress for thirty six years, after which she retired to the Himalayas along with her husbands.
I also want to cover the deity Aravan, known as Arjunin among French Caribbean Shaktas, who is also worshipped: Krishna allows Aravan to witness the entire duration of the Mahabharata war through the eyes of his severed head. In another 18-day festival, the ceremonial head of Aravan is hoisted on a post to witness the ritual re-enactment of the Mahabharata war. The head of Aravan is a common motif in Draupadi temples. Often it is a portable wooden head; sometimes it even has its own shrine in the temple complex or is placed on the corners of temple roofs as a guardian against spirits. Aravan is worshipped in the form of his severed head and is believed to cure disease and induce pregnancy in childless women. Due to this, we also pray to him before a firewalking ritual.
Devotees of Draupadi commemorate the Mahabharata war by conducting an annual festival known as patukalam. This festival usually begins with a kuttu ("drama") re-enacting Draupadi's wedding. During the festival, the actor playing the part of Draupadi (and other women participating in the public ceremonies) lament the death of Aravan and the other heroes of the war. There is some variation in the length of the patukalam festival and in the day allocated to performing the kuttu of "Aravan's sacrifice" (kalappali), but wherever the ritual kalappali is performed, that place is declared to be, symbolically, the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
In Irunkal, Tamil Nadu, this kuttu is usually performed 16 days before "patukalam day", the last day of an 18-day festival. In Singapore, however, the kuttu is performed on the day of the new moon in the Tamil month of Purattaci (September–October). In shorter 10- to 12-day festivals, the kuttu and ritualisation of Aravan's kalappali are performed on the concluding night of the festival, as can be observed in Bangalore and in and around Chennai—at Sowcarpet, Alantur and Punamalli.
There is also variation in how Aravan is represented in the festivities. While permanent wooden Aravan heads are used in temples in Chennai and Puducherry, in rural areas the head and body of Aravan are made of clay; both are destroyed at the end of the festival. At Tindivanam, a headless clay and bamboo body of Aravan is modelled, showing him in a heroic position, kneeling on his left knee and holding a bow. A clay head is then ceremoniously fixed, making the effigy about 7 feet (2.1 m) tall. The officiating priest first takes a sword, striking pieces from the head. Then, a pumpkin is sliced into 32 pieces, symbolising 32 pieces of Aravan's sacrificed body. Next, Aravan is fed his own "blood", represented by the blood of goat, sacrificed to Aravan beforehand. Aravan's body from the neck downwards is then covered with a bloodstained white cloth. Finally, blood-soaked rice is sprinkled on Aravan's face. Devotees, as in the Kuttantavar cult, believe eating this rice from Aravan's face, recovered after the ceremony, can induce pregnancy.
In Cattiram Karuppur, near Kumbhakonam, a 25-foot (7.6 m) statue of Aravan is constructed horizontally and placed on the ground. Aravan's story is then re-enacted; one of the actors, believed to be possessed by Kali, kills a rooster over the statue's neck, symbolising the sacrifice. Again, blood-soaked rice is distributed to devotees, especially childless women. Similar rituals associated with a symbolic sacrifice and blood-soaked rice are performed in Melaccari, Alantur, Punamalli and Villupuram. At Alantur and Punamalli, a goat is sacrificed, in Cuddalore, Patirikkuppam and Villupuram, a cock is sacrificed. In the districts of Cuddalore, Thanjavur and Villupuram, Aravan's head is hoisted to an elevated position to watch over the patukalam and the symbolic re-enactment of the Mahabharata war. Theemithi, or Firepass, is celebrated a week before Deepavali, during the month of Aipasi (or Aippasi) of the Tamil calendar (Gregorian calendar months of October and November). Offerings: Draupadi Amman- Limes, neem leaves, goat (a goat is usually sacrificed before the firepit to commence the firewalking), fruits, flowers, pongal, payasam, tamarind rice, lemon rice, cooked goat curry from the sacrificial goat, roosters, banyan leaves, typical hindu offerings for gods such as sandalwood, kumkum, haldi, fruits, flowers, etc. Aravan Aiyyar- Limes, neem leaves, goats, blood-soaked rice, pumpkin, milagu pongal, cigars, goat curry, roosters and rooster curry, liquor, typical hindu offerings for gods such as sandalwood, kumkum, haldi, fruits, flowers, etc.
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