Author – Sheeja Radhakrishnan,

Introduction

Mariamma John – better known as Mariamma Chedathy – was a well known Dalit folk artist in Kerala. Mariamma Chetathi who worked in a college as a sweeper, took a class on folk songs to the postgraduate students at the College, even though she did not have any schooling. Later she became a well-known folk artist of Kerala.

Life Sketch

Mariamma was born at Changanachery of Kottayam in the Paraya community, which comes the under Scheduled Castes of Kerala. Her parents Kunjappan and Chinnamma named her Kotha.  She was not able to get an education as her parents were unable to provide for them. An upper-caste landlord named Kaimal is said to have purchased her ancestors from another landlord and were then made to work for him as slaves. (Mariyamma Chedathy.ping.Wikipedia.)

Kotha married John at the age of fifteen and adopted Christianity and became Mariamma John.

As she grew older working different jobs and then got the job of that of a sweeper at St. Bechman’s College, Changanacherry. During this period, she attended the Literacy Mission Campaign conducted at Changanacherry, Kottayam district, Kerala state and performed folk art and songs. Mariamma’s proficiency in folk arts and songs was identified by professor Sebastian Vattamatam of S. B. College. Her exemplary performance in this field paved the way for Professor Sebastian Vattamatam recommending her name as the Folklore Consultant at the Malayalam department of the same S. B. College.

Thus, even without any primary education she became Professor Mariamma John and has taken classes for postgraduate students at the college. (Mariyamma Chedathy’s Manikkam Pennu, by Prof. Sebastian Vattamattam, and D. Vinayachandran’s Mariamma Chedathy Malayala Mahimanam, Kalakaumudi June 14, 1998)

Mariamma John as a folk artist 

Mariamma John was affectionately and respectfully known as Mariamma Chedathy and was a well-known figure in the Paraya community. Even though she was illiterate, she knew thousands of folk songs by heart. These songs were passed on from generation to generation through her forefathers and also through other Dalit ancestors. These folk songs usually describe the valour and valiance of Dalit forefathers. They were learned by the word of mouth and were not in any written form.

Folk songs collected from the memory of Mariamma Chedathy have been published in a book format named Manikkam Pennu by Kottayam Literacy Publishing Community. Manikkam Pennu was edited by Professor Sebastian Vattamattam.

The workers and farmers sing these songs in the fields, while paving the water from the field, during planting and harvesting of paddy, and also while transporting the farm products in the country boat. (Satheesh Kumar OrmaMaram, Kerala Live, August 2013)

Mudi-attam and Kolam thullal are some of the ritual arts of their community. Mariamma was a prominent exponent of those art form and was one of the last to the above ritual arts.

Mudi-attam is an art form once prevalent, but now disappearing in central Travancore in Kerala. This is performed by the Pulaya and Paraya castes (both are scheduled castes at Kerala). Originally a fertility dance, this is now staged as a community entertainment. Young women are the exponents of this, they should have long hair and should number a dozen. Songs are sung to the accompaniment of *Karu, Maram, Thudi, Udukku, and Maddalam (* these are percussion instruments) in tune with the rhythm and the trend of the song the women sway about in different patterns swinging their loosened hair.  The founder of this art form is believed to be PooyinKalamma, the first mother of the Parayas.(Nadan Kalaroopangal by Vettiyar Prem Nath)

Kolam-thullall. is a ritual dance form prevalent in South Kerala, South India, it is customary in houses and temples of Kaly, a female deity. It is performed at temple festivals and to drive away evil spirits from the possessed bodies. Its origins are with the  Tinto Group of the Kaniyar(scheduled caste at Kerala) caste. (Nadan Kala Roopangal by Vettiyar Premnath)

Mariamma Chedathy as a Dalit Activist 

Mariamma Chedathy was the first among the Dalit poets of Kerala. Over time, it has increasingly become clear that all the songs that Mariamma sang were a great blow against the caste system that prevailed in her times.

                 Enthu shudhi (what Purity)

                 Ethu shudhi (which Purity)

are the two lines of one of her most famous poems which depict the casteism of that period. This poem is a big blow on the face of the Indian Caste and colours. This poem is a historical juncture of the retaliation of the basic people of India.

Mannikkam Pennu, Chengannoor Athi, Chengannoor Mani and Pandi Chirutha are her poems portraying the Dalit warriors during the period of Upper caste hierarchy.

Apart from the above poems, her collection of poems include:-

Njattupattukal (songs sung durning sowing of paddy)

Pongachapattukal ( songs praising the Land Loads)

Vettupattukal( blessings songs sung before proceeding for hunting)

and much more………….(Dr. M.B. Manoj, Moodhitha, Dalith’s poems in Malayalam, 2014)

Film

In 1999 Malayalam film director Mr. Jayaraj has used her poems in the film “Karunam” and those songs were sung by Mariamma Chetathi herself. (Nana cinema Varika, November 7, 1999. Mazhayathoru cinema, Karunam.)

Awards

1999 Kerala Folklore Academy Fellowship.

2001 Kerala Sangeeth Nataka Academy Award.

2003 Film Critics Award.

John Abraham Award from Federation of Film Society of India.

Diocese of Vijayapuram Winners Award.

Mariama John withdrawal from the arena of life was on 31st August 2008, Leaving behind her wonderful poems for generations to come.

To know more about Mariamma Chedathy, read  –

1.Mariyamma Chedathy –  Malayala Manorama September 24 1998 issue.

2.Mariyamma Chedathy’s Manikkam Pennu, Professor Sebastian Vattamattam,2011.

3.Malayala Manorama September 1998.  Adicvhuvaranum, classedukkanum ee prtofessor, pusthakavum ezhuthum

4.Manikkam pennu, Professor Sebastian Vattamattam, Literacy Co op. Socierty 2011.

5:Slavery at Kerala, Modernity of Slavery by P.S. Mohan, Oxford University, press 2015 Social science 345 page. & Vinil paul article’s Mathrubhumi Varika 2019 October 6, October 15,  February, May 12.

6.Azhakedathu Kaimal’s   reference Mariyamma Chedathy’s  Mannikkam Pennu, professor Sebastasin Vattamattam, 2011

7.]Oral l information received from famous folklore’s Parassala Thankappan & C.J.Kuttappan

8.Malayalam Manorama weekly September 24, 1994, &  Orna Krisdhnkutty’s Book ” PARAYAR(Kulam, Gothram, Samoohika Jeevitham”  published by State Institute of Languages, Trivandrum, Kerala.

9.Malayala Manorama September 24, 1994, &  The week, October 31, 1988.

10.Dr. M. B. Manoj “Moodhitha, Dalith Ladies poems in Malayalam (2014).