ODIYAN

Kaali had the blessings of Kaari Gurukal, the Ancestral GOD of the Pulaya community to which he belonged. He seemed to have been trained under Ayyan Oddimoppa himself. Oddimoppa was himself a master in Odividhya (Disguise Sorcery). He had got the title Oddimoppa because of his extraordinary skills and it was rumored that he was a master in PambaOdi (Snake Disguise Sorcery), Paruntodi (Eagle Disguise sorcery) and many others. Kaali had earned his respect as he seemed to master many more.

Amminikutty was only eighteen when she was found dead in the paddy fields near Rayirathil Tharavad and the foetus stolen from her womb. It was rumored that Kaali had killed her to get the Odithailam (which is nothing but the Amniotic fluid in the womb of the pregnant lady). They use it to rub their earlobes to go into subconscious stages for hours. By the end of which they would assume a shape of an animal or object to camouflage themselves to attack their victim by surprise.

The contract was given by Kongad Shankaran Nair to Kaali to end Rayirathil Krishnan Nair. Both the families had a feud to settle which started with Kongad Nair’s sister Vishalakshi marrying Shankaran without the consent of her family. This also meant that the property of 100 acres land and the Nalluketta as per Nair caste system still belonged to Vishalakshi. This hurt Kongad Shankaran Nair more than anything. His sister was dear to him but since she betrayed the family as per him she deserved to pay the price.

Kaali was promised a piece of land as his bounty for the same. It was the 10^th day after new moon and he would have to wait another 4 days more to get his act together. He preferred Amavasya (No Moon Days) and they detest any lights. Kaali was one of the 4 kids hand-picked by Ayyan to train and hand over this trade. He liked Kaali for his dedication but feared his ruthlessness for he never differentiated the purpose. It had become a business for Kaali. 

The sole toddy tree after the chitra theathre was swaying more than usual. Bats won’t sit on it and the lamp in Choronamma’s house still lit across the road. Sankaran Nair was on his way after seeing Narayan Master from the party office in Major Road. The decision to conduct a road block next day to protest against Chembramkulam School teachers beating of a 4^th standard student took some time to decide. He was about a distance of 500 meters from the Rayirathil Tharavad when an eagle swopped on him. He ducked but the claws had scratched his neck veins. He ran, while the eagle tried to swoop again. Sankaran fell on the ground and the last he saw was the eagle’s dark eyes swooping with a smile of man about to engulf him.

The next day he woke up on his bed to find himself surrounded by his family members. Vishalakshi was weeping and said that it was the ancestor’s blessings that the local oracle was present to save. Kaali was vanquished. As Ayyan had said every Odiyan dies when he is unconscious at the hands of a conscious man