Kirmira Vadham - Kottayam Thampuran(1645 to 1716)                                                                       BACK

This story is taken from the Aranya parva of Mahabharatha. Yudhishtira is the main character of this story. (Yudhishtira is addressed as Dharma Putra in Kathakali). Yudhishtira is a masterpiece of this creation, so is Lalitha the abductress of Panchali.

After losing everything in the gane of dice Pandavas come to live in the forest at a wooded place called Kamyaka vana. Yudhishtira was very sad and tired after walking through the hot sands. Hundreds of brahmins had followed the lost-out king into the woods. Panchali is worried how to feed them. Acharya Dhoumya maharshi advises Yudhishtira to pray to Sun God.

After making Tapas to Sun God, Sun God appears and gives him a divine vessel which will have enough food for all but only until Draupadi eats on any particular day. Draupadi is also happy. Krishna also visits them and was about to send his discuss to kill Duryodhansa but Yudhishtira stops him saying it is unjust.

 But the happiness of the Pandavas is short lived. Duryodhana sends a hot tempered Maharshi called Durvasavu to the Pandavas who arrives just after Panchali has taken food. He goes to take bath in the river. Panchali knows the wrath of Durvasavu if he sees that there is no food left for him. So she asks Krishna'as help. Krishna comes as if he himself is very hungry and eats a leaf which was stuck to the divine vessel. Immediately Durvasavu feels that his own stomach is full and leaves after blessing the Pandavas. In the nearby forest lived a Demonised Cannibal called Shardula. He comes to fight with Arjuna but gets killed. His wife Simhika decides to make amends by abducting Panchali and presenting her to her brother Kirmira. She dons a beautiful shape and slowly guides Panchali through the forest towards an imaginary temple. But there is no temple. She starts dragging her and Panchali cries out for help. Sahadeva comes along and drives her away after disfiguring her with his sword. Simhika complains to Kirmira who comes to war with Biima whereat Bhima kills Kirmira.

Simhika is a chararcter invented by the author since he was influenced by his predecessor Kottarakkara Thampuran who created Shurpanagha in a manner that was originally portrayed by Kamba in his Kamba Ramayana. In this story Simhika comes in two veshas - Kari and Lalitha. As usual pandavas and Krishna are Pacha, Sudarshana is Red Beard, Shardula and Kirmira are Kathi, Sun God comes witha red makeup and others are Minuku.