Origin – Bale Bail to Vodeel



Once upon a time, it is told, the twin places called Bale Bail  & Dere Bail now  included with in Mangalore Town, was the origin of Irwathraya Vamsha.  About two hundreds years ago,  two Irwathraya brothers were living at Bale Bail Irwathraya family.  Younger brother was named Ramappa Irwathraya. Elder brother cheated Ramappa Irwathraya  during the family partition of properties. Disgusted by this, Ramappa Irwathraya  left the house without taking  even a single Pai.  He joined a Guru of Kermunnaya  Vamsha.  He learnt Mantravada, Jyothishya & Pourohithya from this Guru. Both were living like Sanyasis. Roaming from place to place, this Guru Shishya combine landed at Vodeel Naala Village near Maddadka of Beltangady Taluk.  They took shelter in a Shivalli Brahmin house, but found that the entire household was in a sorrowful mood. On enquiry, it was revealed that, at Maddadka  a Bhoota Kola  was due on that day,  and the Bhoota  was to be offered Nara Bali (Human sacrifice) every year during the Kola.  The sacrificial boy was being selected on rotation from the various house holds from the village. It was a coincidence that, during this year, a boy, the only son of the Brahmin family who gave shelter to the Guru – Shishya combine,  was slected to be offered as Nara Bali to the Bhoota.  Learning this, the Guru-shishya combine decided to stop this inhuman practice. They assured the Brahmin family that, there was no room for any worry, and they would take steps to protect the boy from the Nara Bali  to the Bhoota.They put a Mandala and the boy was asked to sit on that Mandala. Thereafter, they created a roll of Kadike (the bamboo mat used to store paddy) and chanted the mantras. The Bhoota Kola stared at Maddadka, and then it was the time for Nara Bali. When the Bhoota Kartru (Yajamana) told the Bhoota that, the Nara Bali would not be offered, the Bhoota became very aggressive and repeatedly insisted for Nara Bali. Then because of the Mantra Power, the Bamboo Kadike roll directly jumped from its place to enter the mouth of the Bhoota, and blocked its mouth. The Bhoota suffered pain and agony, and then apologized for its act of insisting Nara Bali. With this event, the Nara Bali tradition to Maddadka  Bhoota came to an end, and the inhuman practice was stopped for ever.

Entire villagers breathed a sigh of relief. Highly pleased with this great event, they requested the Guru (Kermunnaya) and Shishya (Ramappa Irwathraya)  to stay in their village for ever. They offered lands and provided houses to them for dwelling. It is told that, a girl from Kornaya family was married to Ramappa Irwathraya, who settled at Vodeel Tangoyi house. Thus the Irwathraya from Bale Bail near Mangalore migrated to Vodeel Tangoyi house. This was the beginning of a new generation of Irwathrayas. Even now a family of Irwathrayas  continue to live at Tangoyi house at Vodeel.  It is told that, the Kermunnayas were the Kula Purohiths for Irwathraya family thereafter. A Kermunnaya family also continues to live at the place now.  Irwathrayas continue to worship the powerful Maddadka Bhoota even to this date and now the Bhoota stops speaking and becomes dumb after half time of the Kola. It is believed that, this was the same time slot, when the Bhoota’s mouth was blocked by the Mantravadi Guru-shishya combine in the past, during the  Nara Bali episode narrated above.  

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