MAILARA
Mailara
(ಮೈಲಾರ) is a small village on the banks of the Tungabhadra River
in Hadagali talluk, Bellary district. This is a well known piligrimage center famous
for the Shivamallari temple. The icon is a Shivalinga made of clay. References to
this God are found in a fifteenth century work, named ‘mallAri mahAtmye’. This temple
and its history is an example for the phenomenon of appropriating a local deity
and raising it to a higher state by building myths and legends arround it.
Mailaralinga known
by different names such as Khandoba, Marthanda Bhairava and Mallari is worshipped
in South Maharashtra, North Karnataka, Andhrapradesh and MaLva. He was a village
deity with ‘mALaci’ (Mhalasaadevi) as his wife. He was worshipped mainly by people
belonging to the communities of shepherds, (kuruba) upparas(Salt making community and other Hindus. The priests of Mailaralinga
usually belong to the kuruba community and they are referred to as ‘gorava’, ‘goravayyaalu’
and Vaggayyaiahs. Mailaralinga temples exist all over Karnataka, the main one being
the temple on a hill (DevaraguDDa) in the Ranibennur talluk of Haveri district.
The other places are Hire Mailara, Gutturu Mailara, rekkaalgonDa Mailara, yaadagiri
Mailaara, muDukutore,
mailaara
etc.
Gradually, a legend was built arround the deity and he was elevated
to the level of an avatar of Shiva. According to the local legends two demons called
Mani and Malla were pestering the public and moved by their prayers Shiva created
tuppada maaLamma a goddess to slay the demons. She could not accomplsh the task
and Shiva himself had to take birth as a gorava and slay them. He assumes the name
‘mallaari’ (An enemy of Malla) and marries tuppada maaLamma in due course.
This slaying of the
demons is celebrated annually in the month of February. Thousands of devotees gather
there and many ‘miracles’ and acts of physical courage are performed. The Godess
MaaLaci appears on one of the devotees and utters a sentence anticipating future
events.(kaaraNika) The devotees also enact a pantomime acting as dogs. Five different
miracles are performed. Goravas take a leadng role in all these activities. A folk
epic entitled ‘Mailaralingana Kaavya’ is recited. Goravas religious proffessional
singers enact their ritual dance with the accompaniment of Damaruga and PiLLangOvi.
This performance goes on through out the night and celebrated during Shivaratri
festival. The annual fair at Mailara in Bellary district is a minor variant of this
theme.