Vettakkorumakan
| Vettakkoru Makan | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Malayalam | വേട്ടക്കൊരുമകന് |
| Affiliation | Son of Shiva |
| Weapon | Churika |
| Region | Kerala |
Vettakkoru Makan (Malayalam: വേട്ടക്കൊരുമകന്) is a Hindu deity worshipped in parts of North Kerala and North-Western Tamil Nadu. This deity is alternately referred as Kiratha-Sunu (son of Kirata) in Sanskrit. Vettakkorumakan is believed to be the son of Lord Shiva by his consort Parvathi, born when he assumed the form of a Kirata (hunter) to deliver a weapon known as Pashupathasthra to Arjuna. He is mostly and exclusively worshipped in Malabar region of Kerala. The most famous temple of this deity is the Balussery-Kotta Vettakkorumakan temple about 25 km from Calicut. This was once the fort of the Rajas of Kurumbranad. Other prominent temples are at Ramanthali, Nileshwar, Kottakkal, Nilambur, Karaparamba and various places in Kannur district and Kasargod district. He is the family deity of the Rajas of Chirakkal, Nileshwar, Kottakkal, Nilambur Kovilakam, Kalathil Kartha's, Aluva, Amarambalam Kovilakam and Randu Illam Vargam Nambiars. Those families among the erstwhile nobility of Malabar who have Vettakkorumakan as their family deity are connected in one way or other incidentally to either Balussery Fort or Kurumbranad.
Vettaikkorumakan in (Malayalam: വേട്ടക്കൊരുമകന്) and (Tamil: வேட்டைக்கொருமகன்) supposedly means "a son from a hunt", though grammatically and etymologically it is not acceptable. It is because the word comes from 'Karumakan' (കരുമകന്).Therefore, the correct name is 'Vettakkarumakan' (വേട്ടക്കരുമകന്). Traditionally, it was a deity of hunting; (vetta, വേട്ട = hunting, in Mal.). The Malayalam-English dictionary of Hermann Gundert too mentions the name Karumakan (കരുമകന്). In ancient Kerala, especially in northern Kerala, people who went for hunting used to give oblations (vazhipadu, Mal.) at the shrines of Vettakkarumakan. The Kerala Bhasha Institute has published a well-researched book titled 'Vettakkarumakan' (വേട്ടക്കരുമകന്) by Y.V. Kannan. The wrong and illogical transformation of the word to Vettakkorumakan (വേട്ടക്കൊരുമകന്) is a relatively new development, probably post-1850's.
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