418. Moolianna: An ancient priestly designation

Most of the ancient religious shrines in Tulunadu have survived to this date as they were well managed with the active cooperation and participation of devout public. Each shrine was   an institution   with a designated administrator and caretaker (usually hereditary) to oversee the proper functioning.

One such ancient religious designation is known as “Moolianna” (or Mūlyanna). The word is significant for students of history and heritage as it throws certain light over the way our religious customs and institutions evolved over the time. We shall discuss and analyze the word “moolianna”( and related  “mooliyadige” ) considering an example from Uliya  in Ullal, southern Mangaluru.

Devu Moolianna at Uliya, Ullal

On the southern bank of River Netravati, to the south of Mangaluru city, lies the port town of Ullal, historically well known as the bastion of dynamic queen Abbakka, who is well remembered for her freedom struggles against the tyrannies of Portuguese invaders.

Geographically, Uliya is a river island within Ullal. There is a historical undated Ullaldi Dharmarasu (dharma=righteous path; arasu=king) shrine, located within Uliya area consisting of a large number of members of Sapaliga community. It is managed by a “Moolianna”. Based on the religious designation, the Dharmadarshi (religious caretaker; a trustee) is specifically is known as “Devu Moolianna”, wherein the name “Devu” refers to the name of first person who donned this designation in the past history.  The title “Devu Moolianna“continues usually along hereditary lines. Presently, Shri Kripanand, son of Bhavani and Shivappa is holding the moolyadige rights of the shrine.

Muri: an  earthen vessel

Origin of  Moolianna

What could be the origin of this designation: Moolianna or Mulyanna?. The term “mūlya” or “moolya” usually   refers to members of Kulāl community, who are traditional pot makers in Tulunadu. In this case, the designated title: ” Devu Mooliyanna”  is not selected from Moolya community. Then what is the relationship between the designated title “mooliyanna” and the nature and duty of caretaker (dharma-darshi) of the shrine?

In order to understand the significance of this religious title, we have to review the evolution of our ancient religious practices that date back to a historical period, before the formation of communities and castes in Tulunadu.

Mūri and mūrlu : the symbolic holy pot worship

The word “mūri” (or mori) refers to small   earthen pot.  It is also at places known as “mūri-ginde”. (Tulu Lexicon, vol.6, p.2659).

Following the invention of wheel, the art of pot making from earthen clays came into being in the early civilizations.  The earthen pot, a wonderful creation at that point of civilization, was used as a holy symbol of deity or deities. Thus, in the tradition of one of the oldest religious customs that prevailed all over ancient India, the earthen pot was used symbolic of the deities they worshipped at that time period.

 The devotional symbol “mūri” is also associated with the word “muri”or “muria”, the ancient form of swearing or the prayer to divinity. The word “muri” is a homonym with several interpreted meanings and one of the oldest meanings associated with word means swearing (to God) or praying (Tulu Lexicon, vol.6, p.2638). The related Tulu word “mureDunu” also means swearing, entreating, praying etc. In the traditional devotional ceremonies, usually three earthen pots (“mūrlu,” plural of mūri; also known as “murlu daiva”) were used. (See also: “Tuluvara Moolatāna: Adi AlaDe” (Kannada) by Dr. Indira Hegde, (2012), p.44).

Mūri and mūrte

The earthen pot is also used traditionally for tapping toddy from toddy palms/ palmyra trees. The art of tapping the tender parts of the toddy palm trees and collecting the toddy into the mūri vessels is known as mūrte.

Kadya and Kādya

Alternate regional variants of “mūri” are known variously as kaDya, kandel, kumbha, kalasha etc. The  kaDya, another form of mūri, was used as symbolic of the ancient serpent god , the Nāga. Thus, the word  “KāDya” also used to represent  the Nāga deity.

The word  kumbha also means a pot and thus the traditional pot makers are known as kumbhārs. The kumbha also became a zodiac symbol of an astral constellation.

Kalasha and brahma-kalasha

An alternate word for “mūri”, was “kalasha”. Even nowadays, the kalasha consisting of earthen or metal pot filled with water and overlaid with mango leaves and coconut, is used extensively in auspicious ceremonies. This appears to be an evolved form of the ancient “mūri”.

The concept of kalasha, originally derived from ancient primitive prayer forms has evolved further and in the present cultural scenario it is customary to perform periodically  the auspicious “Brahma-kalasha” ceremony during the  renovation of  temples.

Mūri > mūli

The word “mūri”, has an alternate, probably an evolved   form in “mūli” (or mooli). Thus traditionally, the person or the priest who conducts worship and prayers to “mūli” was known as “Mūliyanna”.  The designation initially was formed before the ancient society was divided into different communities.  Thus we find the “mulyādige” (or the status of conducting muri/muli worship) was independent of community tags.  However, with passage of time, those priests were known as “mūlya”.

Since such muri/muli worships were conducted by traditional pot makers (now known as Kulāls (old name: Oḍāri) in Tulunadu), the term “Mūlya” (the priest of holy pot worship) became a surname of pot makers. (The –anna suffix tag in the designation “Muliyanna”, is   an honorific  suggesting ‘elder brother’).

There is village known as “Moolara-patna” on the banks of River Gurupur, near the ancient temple town of   Polali.

Muri> murthi

From one original word another word derives during the course of the time. The ancient practice of “muri”, the symbolic holy or auspicious pot worship, has evolved over the time and refined artistic idols replaced the place of symbolic worship.  The auspicious time for performing any ceremony is known as mūrta (> muhūrta). Similarly, the   symbolic artistic idols were and are known as “mūrthi”. Thus the word mūrthi  appears to have been derived directly from the ancient word : mūri.

 Murthi: A bronze idol of Krishna.

Mooliyanna vs. Mukkaldi

Similar to “Moolianna”, there is another priestly designation namely, the Mukkāldi .  Mukkālti (or Mukkāldi) is a designated person who would take care of the facial mask symbol of the Bhūta deity (moga/mooka/mukha) and other accessories of the spirit shrine.  In some areas he is known as “Bhūtada māni” (man of Spirit deity).
Usually there will be a mukkāldi  (Bhuta mask keeper) in every family, who carries on the duty of performing periodical worship rites in the Spirit shrine of ancestral house. The designation and rites of  Mukkāldi  was once commonly found all over southern India, as evident by   the existence of Mukkaldiyar caste in Tamilnadu

The status of Mūliya  priesthood is known as Muliyadige. The designation was irrespective of the caste or the community.  Even though the origin of the word “Mūliya” (or “Mooliayanna”) and the parallel word “Mukkāldi” are different, nowadays due to confusion, the words are sometimes used interchangeably.

  For example, the Tulu Lexicon defines the term “muliyadige” as …” the duties of bringing the mask and other objects of worship to the place where annual kola rituals of Bhuta take place, holding of torch and other responsibilities usually performed by the members of potter community” . (Tulu Lexicon, vol.6, p.2663).

Gunaga priests

After the communities were formed in the society, the members of Mulya (now equivalent of Kulal) community were the traditional priests. The Gunaga (potters) are the equivalents of Mulya/Kulals  in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. Even today, they are performing the worship rites in the rural temples of Uttara Kannada.

Summary

1. Following the invention of wheel, the art of pot making from earthen clays came into being in the early civilizations.

2. The earthen pot, a wonderful invention during the early civilization, became the symbol of the invisible supernatural, the God.

3. The holy earthen pot was referred to as muri, muli, kadya, kalasha, kumbha etc in different regions and sub-cultures.

4. The priest and the caretaker of mūri/mūli was designated as “mūliya” ( or respectfully: “mooliyanna”).

6. The priestly designation “mūliya“, eventually, became the surname of a community.

7. The ancient symbolic worship cult of “mūri”, further evolved into the art of making   idols or “murthi”s.

8. Presently, the priestly two designations “mūliya“, and “mukkāldi”, are sometimes used interchangeably due to confusions, probably because of the merger of essential duties handled, in spite of the independent origin of the two words.

R