7. The Grand feast in Sanskrit Literature

There are only a few Sanskrit works also referred the myth of grand feast. Most prominent of them are Keralodaya of K.N Ezhuthachan and Annadatricarita of K Balarama Panicker. Whereas Mushikavamsha did not mentioned this popular myth.

1. Grand feast in Keralodaya

Keralodaya is a prominent Mahakavya written by Dr. K. Narayanan Ezhuthachan. It describes the history of Kerala from ancient period to the modern scenario. The work has 21 chapters, which divided into five parts known as Svapnamanjari, Smritimanjari, Aitihyamanjari, Bodhamanjari and Caritramanjari.

Obviously, K.N Ezhuthachan portrays Utiyan Ceralatan as a great donor of food to everyone. But he avoided the popular myth about Utiyan Ceralatan, i.e. serving food in the Kurukshetra war. Even if the author not forget the fact that, Utiyan was a generous contributor of food for common people. In the words of the poet,the king always pleased people by giving food in the eatery located in Kuzhumur.

[...]^[1]

He always pleased everyone by generously serving the grand feeding conducted in Kuzhumur.

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After the birth of his son Imayavaramban, Utiyan Ceralatan’s happiness reflected in different dimensions such as freedom to prisoners, prizes to poets and food to common people. Here also his generous feeding is mentioned.

Dr. K.N. Ezhuthachan does not mention the myth of grand feast held by Utiyan Ceralatan in the Kurukshetra war. But, author stated that Utiyan Ceralatan’s ancestors participated in the Kurukshetra war in support of Pandavas.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Dr. K.N Ezhuthachan, Keralodayas mritimanjari, (Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Govt. Cultural Department and publication, 1992), 83.