India, a long time ago, was a land that abounded in riches, wealth and trade. travelers, adventurers, merchants from various parts of the world came to India to explore and also to trade. The southernmost part of India, in God's own country known as Kerala, Kozhikode also known as Calicut has been over centuries been a very busy and important port town that welcomed foreign trade and traders.
Much before India became a democratic nation, Kozhikode was ruled by a King as was ruled the tradition in India which was filled with a million small kingdoms. The King of Kozhikode, the Zamorin, was a very rich and influential ruler. His ministers were wise and learned. Kozhikode was prosperous much to the envy of other kings. The Dewan or the Prime Minister of Kozhikode was a very wise and spiritually inclined person, much respected by the King and people.
The Zamorin lived a life of luxury but suffered from a very painful physical ailment. the Zamorin had chronic in his right shoulder that was untreatable. Many doctors, mendicants, magicians, healers all tried to cure the King but could not do so. the pain kept increasing and the Zamorin suffered a lot.
One day when the Dewan had left the palace on official state business, the Zamorin was holding his Counsel meeting with his Ministers. A young, sharp looking man entered the hall and claimed that he could heal the Zamorin. everybody in the hall looked at the young man with disbelief and believed that he was just making tall claims.
The young man told the Zamorin that the shoulder pain would disappear if he applied a wet towel on the shoulder. This suggested remedy evoked a mixed response from all those present in the hall. The Zamorin though willingly tried this remedy too. What a wonder! The pain vanished instantly.there was much celebration in the hall and the young man was given gifts and a lot of rewards.
This news reached the Dewan, who immediately started to the palace. On the way, the Dewan seemed to be searching everywhere for something. it looked like he had lost something very important. As he kept searching and walking, he reached the most famous Kozhikode Angadi, the Kozhikode market. There he saw a beautiful lady, divinely dressed and bejeweled. dewan rushed up to her and told her, "Young lady, Ï have a very important secret to reveal to you.
The young lady was surprised that a young man would talk to her in such a manner as it was very unusual in those times for a man to speak to an unknown woman. Intrigued, she asked him what the secret was but she was asked to wait for the answer as the Dewan had to rush back to his office as he had forgotten his seal. The Dewan requested the lady to wait for him till he returned.
The Dewan seemed to be disturbed and agitated about the official seal and looking at his plight, the young lady agreed to wait for the Dewan. The Dewan then insisted that the young lady should give a binding promise that she would wait in the Kozhikode Angadi till the Dewan returned and revealed the secret. The young lady taking pity on the Dewan gave the promise and told she would wait in the very same place. Mollified, the Dewan went to the palace.
On reaching the palace, the Dewan quickly went to the Zamorin and told him that the remedy that gave such immense relief from the chronic shoulder pain, was done so with evil intentions. Dewan told the Zamorin that the pain was caused by Goddess Lakshmi, the Indian goddess of prosperity, danced in her happiness on the Zamorin's shoulder. Applying the wet towel had forced the goddess to leave, taking with her the blessing of wealth, prosperity and peace.
After hearing this the Zamorin and the ministers were distraught. The Dewan pacified them saying that he had managed to save the prosperity of Kozhikode by making the goddess stay in the Kozhikode Angadi till the time the Dewan would meet her again.
The Dewan had recognized the goddess and very wisely made her stay with a promise. This wise act of the Dewan saved the kingdom of Kozhikode from destruction and poverty.
Even today the Kozhikode Angadi is a very busy and wealthy trading place. Many say that the Goddess Lakshmi is still waiting for the Dewan to return. Those who truly believe will truly see the Goddess and imbibe the wealth of Kozhikode Angadi.
Source: A retelling of the story from Aithihyamala by Kottarathil Sankunni.
Divya Unnikrishnan
Much before India became a democratic nation, Kozhikode was ruled by a King as was ruled the tradition in India which was filled with a million small kingdoms. The King of Kozhikode, the Zamorin, was a very rich and influential ruler. His ministers were wise and learned. Kozhikode was prosperous much to the envy of other kings. The Dewan or the Prime Minister of Kozhikode was a very wise and spiritually inclined person, much respected by the King and people.
The King of Kozhikode, the Zamorin
The Zamorin lived a life of luxury but suffered from a very painful physical ailment. the Zamorin had chronic in his right shoulder that was untreatable. Many doctors, mendicants, magicians, healers all tried to cure the King but could not do so. the pain kept increasing and the Zamorin suffered a lot.
One day when the Dewan had left the palace on official state business, the Zamorin was holding his Counsel meeting with his Ministers. A young, sharp looking man entered the hall and claimed that he could heal the Zamorin. everybody in the hall looked at the young man with disbelief and believed that he was just making tall claims.
The young man told the Zamorin that the shoulder pain would disappear if he applied a wet towel on the shoulder. This suggested remedy evoked a mixed response from all those present in the hall. The Zamorin though willingly tried this remedy too. What a wonder! The pain vanished instantly.there was much celebration in the hall and the young man was given gifts and a lot of rewards.
This news reached the Dewan, who immediately started to the palace. On the way, the Dewan seemed to be searching everywhere for something. it looked like he had lost something very important. As he kept searching and walking, he reached the most famous Kozhikode Angadi, the Kozhikode market. There he saw a beautiful lady, divinely dressed and bejeweled. dewan rushed up to her and told her, "Young lady, Ï have a very important secret to reveal to you.
The young lady was surprised that a young man would talk to her in such a manner as it was very unusual in those times for a man to speak to an unknown woman. Intrigued, she asked him what the secret was but she was asked to wait for the answer as the Dewan had to rush back to his office as he had forgotten his seal. The Dewan requested the lady to wait for him till he returned.
The Dewan seemed to be disturbed and agitated about the official seal and looking at his plight, the young lady agreed to wait for the Dewan. The Dewan then insisted that the young lady should give a binding promise that she would wait in the Kozhikode Angadi till the Dewan returned and revealed the secret. The young lady taking pity on the Dewan gave the promise and told she would wait in the very same place. Mollified, the Dewan went to the palace.
On reaching the palace, the Dewan quickly went to the Zamorin and told him that the remedy that gave such immense relief from the chronic shoulder pain, was done so with evil intentions. Dewan told the Zamorin that the pain was caused by Goddess Lakshmi, the Indian goddess of prosperity, danced in her happiness on the Zamorin's shoulder. Applying the wet towel had forced the goddess to leave, taking with her the blessing of wealth, prosperity and peace.
After hearing this the Zamorin and the ministers were distraught. The Dewan pacified them saying that he had managed to save the prosperity of Kozhikode by making the goddess stay in the Kozhikode Angadi till the time the Dewan would meet her again.
The Dewan had recognized the goddess and very wisely made her stay with a promise. This wise act of the Dewan saved the kingdom of Kozhikode from destruction and poverty.
Even today the Kozhikode Angadi is a very busy and wealthy trading place. Many say that the Goddess Lakshmi is still waiting for the Dewan to return. Those who truly believe will truly see the Goddess and imbibe the wealth of Kozhikode Angadi.
Source: A retelling of the story from Aithihyamala by Kottarathil Sankunni.
Divya Unnikrishnan
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