History of Vellicode: 6. The Joint Village Feast

Rice and oil.

A view

Parish Priest Rev.Fr. Thatheu Leon Jose.

The Joint Village Feast

Introduction

The people of Vellicode have been conducting a Common Feast called “Oor Kuudi Ayanam” from time immemorial.

This "Joint Village Feast" comes in the month of December – usually the first or second Sunday after the festival in the St. Xavier’s Church, Kottar on 3 December.

There existed a small church at the top of a big rock in Vellicode. The feast had been conducted in that church until it was demolished to erect the present church. Later, it was conducted in the R.C. Primary School – now R.C. Middle School – Vellicode.
In those days there was no family planning. The people had many children, say about ten children. The family could not be run with their meagre income. They had no money to buy rice. They used to pick up paddy that lay scattered after harvest. Many survived on tapioca and a small amount of boiled rice. In those conditions, the people of Vellicode resolved to conduct a feast once in a year.
The poor people around Vellicode used to get wind of the exact date of the feast from various sources like market goers. Many came with coconut-cadjan torch - called chuttu - as they had to return at night.

Genesis.

No document is available to tell the year of commencement. However, the people of Vellicode, as a rule, say that it is a 150 to 200 year old custom.

Mr. M. Maria John, teacher, from the Avari vilai area – based on the information passed on by his father - says that rice & black gram gruel along with tapioca had been given in the early days. Others do not share this information.
However, as a large number of poor people used to turn up for this feast, very often there were shortages for rice. In those situations, the organizers resorted to give gruel in palm tree leaves.
In the initial stages - senior people say- palm tree leaves were used to supply the meals because plantain leaves were not available.

The general belief is that boiled rice and curry had been given to the poor. The reminder, if any, had been equally apportioned among the contributors.

Some elderly people say that Vellicode - just like any other village - had been witnessing mass deaths – occasionally - due to cholera or small pox. In order to save the people from these disasters, the people of Vellicode village had taken a pledge to conduct this feast every year.

However, some people believe that the people of Vellicode in those days had been silently suffering due to starvation, and they resolved to give one satisfactory meal every year to all poor people of the surrounding areas.

Unique Nature.

This feast has been a characteristic feature of this village for a very long period of time. In fact, it has been a unique one. Now, a few other villages of this region conduct similar feasts for various reasons.
In those days, only about 20 families owned paddy fields. The rest survived
by about 200 to 500 gram of rice per day. Yet, they had taken this decision.

The method of conducting the feast in the past.

In order to conduct this feast, every family contributed a definite amount of rice and money in the past. About five per cent of poor families contributed half this amount. This was equivalent to a tax. This tax was called "vari".

The contribution was purely a voluntary one. But, no family – ordinarily- failed to contribute its share. The names of the contributors were recorded in a book.

The only condition for accepting the contribution was that the head of the family must be a member of the Vellicode church. The contribution from the ostracized members – if any - was not accepted. However, ex-communicated members were very rare.
A characteristic feature of this feast was that a he-goat was sacrificed. Besides, a specially prepared sweet called "kozhukkattai" was supplied to everyone taking the meals.

The method of conducting the feast about 50 years ago.

About fifty years ago, one measure of rice –about 1500 gram called 1 pacca – and Re.1/- had been collected from every contributor. Donations were not accepted. After calculating all expenses - like he-goat, fuel, grocery, wages of workers - the balance money – if any- was used to buy rice, and it was added to the collected rice. At times, small vessels were used to boil the extra rice.The point is that nothing was done with any profit motive.

In those days, preparation started at 6 A.M. and distribution, usually, started at 7 P.M.
Contributors or the members of his family were not allowed to sit along with the poor people to take meals. A special team used to check this using a torch light. Even children of "tax payers" were shifted without any hesitation.

In those days, the poor people around Vellicode used to congregate near the school and wait from the morning. Some beggars came on the penultimate day and used the day time to beg in the village. At 7P.M. they were given boiled rice and curry in the school ground.

Some people –due to acute poverty- used to take home some boiled rice supplied to them. But, they were prevented from doing so.
After feeding all poor people, the names of the "tax payers" were called in the order of seniority of registration and were asked to sit in spiraling queues in the school ground. The remaining food materials – rice and curry - were apportioned equitably.

All members of the family eagerly waited for this. At times, they waited up to 12 P.M. or 1A. M. Children settled in other places usually came to their parental house to relish this. The day passed off like a festival day.

The method of conducting the feast in the last few years.

Now, there are practically no poor people in need of food as gratis. So the question of supplying one sumptuous meal per year per person does not arise.
Further, small pox has been eradicated. Cholera epidemic is also very rare. Therefore, many radical changes have been introduced in the last few years to the discomfiture of some people.

Thus, curry was substituted by “sambar” about 36 years ago. It was stoutly opposed by some members then.

As the contributors started giving different varieties of rice, the habit of collecting rice was abandoned a few years ago. Instead, money has been collected and a single variety of quality rice purchased from the market.

Further, many people contribute more than their share in the form of vegetables, coconuts and money. So there is a dinner at noon. The preparation starts on the penultimate day.

All members - along with their friends and relatives - are invited to eat food. Very few poor people from the surrounding villages attend. The distribution starts at 10.30 A.M. in the marriage hall.

After distribution, the reminder is given to the tax payers. About 98 per cent of the contributors turn up to receive this.

The feast in this year (2011).

In this year (2011) the feast was conducted on 11 December 2011. Re. 100/- was collected from every member on 4 December 2011. There were 530 contributors. In addition, many members donated money and materials lavishly. Some people contributed things worth Re.2,000/- to Re.10,000/-. Re. 53000 was collected as tax and about Re. 2,00,000/- was received as donation - in kind or cash. On an average every family got food worth more than Re.500/.
The collected money could not be spent. The balance amount of Re.9000/- went into the account of the Our Lady of Seven Dolours Church, Vellicode.
A novelty was that a donation of Re. 500/- was received from a Hindu- a Mr. Hari - for the first time.

Disregarding the opposition of some members, “payasam” and “pappadom” were introduced in the meals for the first time.
There was a shortage for "pappadam". Some children cried because they did not get it. Due to this there was a small commotion.
However, the feast passed off as usual. Almost all tax payers attended the function. They came with their friends and relatives. They exchanged news and views.
About one third of the prepared food was spent for meals and the rest was apportioned equitably to the contributors. About 98 per cent of the contributors turned up to receive this.

Conclusion.

Thus a poverty alleviation programme has been transformed into a social function like "an at home function".