Keladi Nripa Vijay, is a beautiful narrative by the poet Kavi Linganna that details the genealogical order of the Keladi kings and queens in chronological order.  According to this narrative, Basappa Nayaka, in the year 1743 A.D., had constructed a small fort known as ‘Manohara gadha’ on the coast of Kaup and a bigger fort at Mallar in Kapu, for the stay of his forces. That is when Maari entered Kapu along with the soldiers. Therefore, she is also known as ‘Dandina Maari’, where ‘Dandu’ means army. So she was called the wartime spirit, deity, or Maari.

‘Mallar Kote mane’ is what the fort in Mallar was called. The worship of the Maari was done by the ‘Kote sevegara’ who was the family who was living in the fort. She was worshipped inside these forts of Mallar as the goddess by the soldiers who lived there. So 'Kapu', which means ‘wait’ and also ‘guard’ in Tulu, and Maari, who was worshipped by these soldiers who were waiting and guarding the forts, go hand in hand with Dandina Maari. 

K. L. Kundanthaya, a historian who refers to the history of Kapu, writes that during the reign of Tipu Sultan, the ‘ugrani’, who was the administrator, continued to retain this position even after the fall of Tipu Sultan. A popular legend claims that this administrator, a Muslim man, whose name is lost to time, was the first human that Maariamma spoke to. It is believed that one night, at the tank inside the fort that Basappa Nayaka built, the sound of someone having a bath was heard by the Ugrani. Along with the sound was the fragrance of jasmine flowers emanating from the direction of the tank. The Ugrani then went towards the tank and asked aloud: “Who is it? Who is there?” A bodiless voice answered, “I am Maari, I need a sanctuary that I can call home.” The Ugrani replied, “This is a fort, Kanamma, and there are only soldiers here. How can I find such a sanctuary for you? And I am a Muslim too.” To this, the voice replied: “Unite the four castes of this village and build a gudi for me (a shrine)." 

 

The Ugrani went ahead and built the gudi for the voice of Maari at the fort. It is believed that Tipu encouraged soldiers to offer puja (worship) at the fort, and it was around that time that Maariyamma began to be known as ‘Kapu da appe’, meaning mother of Kapu (appe means mother in Tulu). To this day, during ‘Maari worship’, or Maari puja, we see participation from Kotemane, Kote sevegara, Ranya (who claimed to be warriors), and other sects worshipping her together like soldiers of the place. The fact that some of these people are Kannada speakers goes to show that the goddess is the power that came along with the force. ‘Kote’ means a fort, and to date, in the Kote mane, which means the fort house, when translated, Maari is worshipped as the goddess. In the Maari gudi, or shrine, the Hawaldar, or solider, prays first to the goddess. Then the Sevegaras and Ranyas perform the worship on Tuesdays as per the Maari rituals followed earlier in the fort. ‘Ranaveeraru’ or ‘ranyadavaru’ are the Maariyamma worshippers who were soldiers and who stayed at the fort. 

 

Today, Maariyamma reigns over the Udupi district of coastal Karnataka as Maariyamma, the goddess.  In various parts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts, wherever we find Tulu speakers, there is a belief and trust in the Daivas, the tutelary spirits, along with the Devas, the gods, and hence the Daivasthanas. The abode of the Daivas is equally important as the Devasthanas, or the abode of gods.  They are worshipped to this day as Daivas, who have no form, and Devas, who have a defined form. Likewise, Maari and Anusandhana, or the search for form and presence, are in custom only.

 

Ucchangi,  who is Maariyamma’s messenger, is worshipped along with her in the temple.  She sits in front of the main deity and is worshipped by all. Sri Laxmi Janardana, who is the owner of the land of Kapu, along with the goddess, grants all the prayers of the people who come and pray to them. Maari being, a great mother, is also called Satya da appe (Mother of Truth) to people who lead life truthfully, ‘Sharanu Durge’ to people who come to her as suppliants. Tuesday is the favourite day of Maariyamma, and the ocean of devotees visiting here to see the goddess is evidence of the same. Maari pooja (Mari worship), Chandika Yaga, Gaddige pooja (throne worship), and Thulabhara Sevas are performed on Tuesdays in the presence of Maariyamma. 

 

Our Indian culture is an amalgamation of Saindhava and Vedic culture, and folk mentality is its breath. The belief remains that ‘worship takes place not because there is presence, but because presence may occur while worshipping’ as per folk belief. Tulunadu has many stories that are passed on orally from one generation to another. Based on this practice, our religious practices, rites, and rituals have passed through centuries in the form of oral history. The form that was described orally is the form that has remained today, in the form of Maariyamma, for instance, before us. Though the forms may have changed over the centuries, the originality and power of these gods have remained untouched. Our mode of worship of these forms, such as that of the form of ‘Maari’, has passed through the test of time and has now evolved as a form to be worshipped in the temple as a goddess. 

 

Has the folk story any evidence? That is hard to answer, but the source of history, which was more of an oral history passed down from one generation to another, remains in its evolved form today. So when one asks, Is this the original form of Maari? Or, when one asks, is this the truth of her coming down along with the military to Kapu, or is this how she appeared?  Then one has no definite evidence but relies on oral history, and the belief is that this is how Kapu Maari, also called Maariyamma, appeared and is believed by all in this present form. 

 

One will notice that there is no particular idol inside the temple. The pooja was earlier done only to her throne, which is the Gaddige. As the years passed, it was believed that a ‘kalasha’ or a pot was kept on the throne or the gaddige and worshipped. At the end of the day, this pot was emptied, and the process was called ‘kalasha visarjana’. Only during Maari pooja is an idol made out of wood called 'hongaraka', and the pooja is performed to this idol. The wooden idol is decorated with jasmine flowers and garlands, and at the end of the ritual, the idol is discharged. Hence, pooja is performed to the ‘Gaddige’ with the throne, and so ‘Gaddige pooja’ is very sacred to the goddess, along with ‘Hoovina pooja’, which is pooja with flowers, and ‘kumkumarchane’ which is pooja done with vermilion. In other words, the worship of the throne, the gaddige, is far more important than the worship of the idol.