Episode 1 - Muttupattan meets Pum...
The religious meditation of the Muttupattan is disrupted by Pummakkal and Tummakkal. He is blinded by love and stops his puja, songs narrate that he forgets about the lord and desires to be with the women. Love-struck, he runs to them and stands in their path. He asks the sisters who they are and who their parents are, he is determined to marry them.
Track Information : Muttupattan is love-struckPerformer(s) : K. Patmanabhan & groupCollection : Stuart BlackburnEpisode 2 - Conditions for marria...
Pakatai, the father of Pommakkal and Tummakkal here is laying out conditions for the marriage. He demands that Muttupattan take off the sacred thread, shave off his tuft, wipe off the sacred ash, wear a dirty cloth and start talking like a Cakkiliyar. He also demands Muttupattan to skin a dead cow and to serve it to Cakkiliyar.
Track Information : Conditions for Muttupattan to marry Pummakkal and TummakkalPerformer(s) : K. Patmanabhan & groupCollection : Stuart BlackburnEpisode 3 - What is caste, Maama?
Muttupattan here engages in a dialogue with Pommakkal and Tommakkal’s father, employing the respectful appellation "maama" (maternal uncle/father-in-law). Muttupattan articulates his persuasion regarding the perceived futility of caste distinctions. His query, "What is caste, maama? It is only a confusion of the mind..." is emblematic of his argumentative strategy. By underscoring an ephemeral nature of caste constructs, he contends that such categorizations are merely manifestations of one’s mind. Muttupattan further bolsters his stance by invoking instances from Hindu mythology, including figures such as Kuravar, Kankaiyan, and Atri's son. These mythological references serve as a rhetorical tool, reinforcing his assertion that caste delineations are fabrications of the human mind. In essence, this dialogue encapsulates a moment wherein Muttupattan persuades through mythological analogies to dismantle the edifices of caste divisions.
Track Information : What is Caste, Maama?Performer(s) : K. Patmanabhan & groupCollection : Stuart BlackburnEpisode 4 - Wedding of Muttupatta...
The concluding wedding sequence serves as a testament to the transformation undergone by Muttupattan, underscored by a juxtaposition with an earlier scene. In the initial scene, Muttupattan, positioned beneath a thatched roof, recites the Ramayana to an assembly of "a thousand Vedic Brahmins." This same setting reemerges during his wedding, but this time, the observers comprise his cakkiliyar in-laws. In a narrative continuum, the inaugural scene sets the stage for Muttupattan's departure from his Brahmin lineage. In contrast, the culminating wedding tableau achieves a narrative full circle, epitomizing Muttupattan's complete assimilation into a cakkiliyar family.
Track Information : Muttupattan Marries Pummakkal and TummakkalPerformer(s) : K. Patmanabhan & groupCollection : Stuart Blackburn