Vamini

This name (not to be confused with Bamini, Padmini, Yamini, Jamini, or Kamini) was a very much in use in India before 1700’s. It was a name only taken by female babies in royal families or women of highest status and caste.

The name was known to be another name of Goddess Parvathy in the earlier time. The women with the name were believed to have a avatar of Goddess Parvathy reside in them. Hence why only royal families, families of highest caste status name their daughters this name because it they were believed to be divine beings or demi-gods, that live in human bodies.

The name Vamini was used in almost every Indian Language, but since of its exclusivity in only royal families, high caste use in a country very caste oriented the name became only used by less women. But as Divine as the name is, it is also known to be careful in naming the daughters Vamini because it is still believed in many parts in India that women with that name are another avatar of Goddess Parvathy.

Why many fear the name Vamini?

There were many royal women in many parts of India with that name but we have a story in Kerala that has been passed down many centuries. In the years 1529-1550’s there was a Princess of the Chandradevan Thampuran Royal Family. She was beautiful, smart, kind, caring, with sharp eyes always wearing beautiful kajal. She was also very brave she learned all war strategy and fighting strategy. No commoner could see her, she comes to Amme Bhagavathy temple and everyone saw her as Goddess Durga herself.

Thampuran had 3 wives and (വാമിനിദേവി) was the daughter of first Sree Akhilandeshwari Thampurati. In the stories it’s told as the other 2 wives also had daughters and nobody respected them like the did for Vamini Devi. On one of the Full Moon rituals there is a tradition for people to do Firewalking on fire pits. The other wives of Thampuran had planned and on a (പൂർണ ചന്ദ്രൻ) Special full moon as usual when Vamini Devi is going to do the Firepit walking ceremony, they paid some men who work in the forest to use bamboo blowpipe with snake venom on the darts, on Vamini Devi when she is going to walk on the pit. They had used oil on the bottom of the Mundu of Vamini Devi was going to wear.

They said on that day, it was raining. The moon was covered as a sign of inauspicious, but for the welfare of the family, and village Vamini Devi prayed Goddess Parvathy and was getting ready for the firepit ceremony. Since it was raining a little that day they added so much coal for burning, so the fire doesn’t stop with the rain. As Vaminidevi stepped in the firepit after her third step her clothes quickly caught on fire. As the fire started the men with the poisonous blowpipe blew the Venom dart on her throat and the poison spread fast. Which is why she couldn’t get out of the fire. She was paralyzed and fell into the fire screaming burning alive.

Many say her scream can still be heard in the older villages around Kodungallur. The curse of death wiped out the entire empire and not one person in the whole family died naturally. All were horrific deaths. The names of the entire Chandradevan Thampuran clan were completely wiped out from history. They only live through passed down stories. Many have claimed to have seen a beautiful women wearing lots of gold and wearing very luxurious mundum neriyatum smile, and walk around the forests. Some worship her as even a goddess, and pray to her to bring rain to their soil. Because they think she is angry that’s why it doesn’t rain.