The Story behind Padayani

The Story behind Padayani
The Story of Darika Vadham
The art form

The Story of Darika Vadham

Devas vs Asuras

A very destructive war between the devas (gods) and the asuras (anti-gods) left only two women, Danavathi and Darumathi, with the asura class. Left to themselves they practiced tapasya (devotion penance) to please Brahma the creator.

Darika's Birth

By his blessings each begot a son, Danava and Darika.

When Darika came of age Darumathi narrated to him the sad tale of the defeat and destruction of their class by the devas. She exhorted him to do penance to please Brahma and obtain powers with which he should retrieve the lost glory of their class.

Darika's Boon

Darika performed arduous tapasya, which Brahma could not ignore, and he blessed him with such powers as may shield him from harm by man or god night and day. Brahma bestowed him with the mighty rod of Brahma, a weapon of great destructive potential. But an arrogant turn by the asura enraged Brahma who added to his devotee’s luck death by a divine damsel.

Darika Returns to Fight the Devas

Darika with the help of the supernal architect Maya built a splendid palace on the shores of the western sea and proclaimed protection and honor to all the surviving members of his class scattered and hiding. With their help he reconstituted the asura army, fought with Indra the chief of gods, and defeated him. Darika didn't stop with this. He took intermittent military excursions into the territories of the devas and became a perpetual menace to them.

Gods Plead to Vishnu and Narada Pleads to Shiva

The gods in distress petitioned to Vishnu the great god of preservation who directed them to Shiva who told them that only a goddess of extraordinary prowess could slay Darika. Thus Brahma created Brahmi, Vishnu created Vaishnavi and Shiva Maheswari, Indra Indrani, Subrahmanya Kumari, and Yama Varahi. Their combined effort could not, however, vanquish Darika. Then fate in the form of Narada, the celestial monk, came in Darika’s way. The haughty asura reproached the saint and threatened to kill him. The distressed Narada went to Kailasa and complained to Shiva about the demonic behaviour.

Shiva Creates Bhadrakali

The infuriated Shiva created Bhadrakali out of his third eye and assigned to her the task of destroying the asura. In the battle that followed Bhadrakali killed Darika’s minister. Provoked, Darika decided to confront Kali, but before going to the battlefield he transferred all the powerful mantras (hymns of invocation) to his wife.

Kartyayani Tricks Darika's Wife

Darika used the rod of brahma forcing Kali to retreat. Goddess Kartyayani, an ally of Kali, who knew that Darika was no more the sole owner of the mantras of his success, tricked the asura’s wife disguising herself as an innocent Brahmin girl.

Kali Kills Darika and Subrahmanya Calms Down

With all the powerful mantras of the opponent now with her, Kali fought with Darika and on the twenty-second day she captured the rod of Brahma, cut her opponent's head and slaked her thirst with his blood. Kali’s fury raged even after the war ended. Her army of goddesses and phantoms, terrified at the unusual anger of their leader, fled the field and sought refuge in Shiva. Shiva proposed several modes of entertainment to cool her down. Dance, music, comic dialogues and mime were tried but all in vain. But when Lord Subrahmanya drew her furious form on the ground, and then acted her out with gorgeous accoutrement and rhythmic movement, Kali was amused and pleased.

This, in brief, is the story behind Padayani.

The art form

The Myths Exist to Propagate Ethics

Mythical narratives of this sort that form background to art forms like Padayani are also ground for the founding of certain ethics.

Kolams

During succeeding stages of social change meanings were attached ‘figures’ – acted out with the help of accoutrement and designs drawn on the floor.

The ‘figures’ (Kolam in Malayalam) became signifiers with signifieds lying in the religious system that was developing alongside the social system.

Spiritual Beliefs

Padayani, as it is known today, has, apart from its artistic function, the function of relieving the social group of ‘spirits’ that malign body and soul.

Each Kolam has a purpose and a meaning, its function is not individual but social.