Parayi Petta Panthirukulam

Parayi Petta Panthirukulam, is a popular folktale in Kerala. According to this folktale, Vararuchi, one of the nine wise men of Emperor Vikramaditya’s (57 BCE- 78 AD) court married a girl belonging to Paraya, a lower caste. The couple set out a long pilgrimage. On the way, they were blessed with 12 children. Upon each delivery, Vararuchi enquired whether the baby had a mouth. If the wife said "yes", he would say, "God will appease the one with mouth" and would ask the wife to abandon the baby then and there and proceed. Eleven children were deserted, since they had a mouth. However, these children were adopted and brought up by 11 different families, varying from the aristocratic upper caste to very low caste. Following are the name of the families who are believed to have adopted the children, with their caste affiliation in parenthesis:

1. Mezhathol Agnihothri (Namboothiri)
2. Pakkanar (Parayan, a lower caste)
3. Rajakan (Washerman)
4. Naranath Bhranthan (A divine person who pretend to be mad)
5. Karakkalamma (Royal nair women, only girl born to the couple)
6. Akavoor Chathan (Farmer,later became a caretaker)
7. Vaduthala Nair (Nair soldier)
8. Valluvan (Pulaya)
9. Uppukottan (Muslim trader)
10. Pananar (folk musician)
11. Perumthachan (Engineer, Architect)
12. Vayillakkunnilappan, (Hill Lord without mouth) the 12th child was born without a mouth. Vararuchi consecrated this child on a hill in Palakkad district of Kerala, which is now known as "Vaayillaakkunnilappan temple" .

People with the family names and caste affiliations accounted in the folktale, who are believed to be the descendants of Vararuchi, live in Shoranur, Pattambi and Thrithala of Palakkad district of Kerala state. Despite the huge difference in their caste and social ranks, these families are traditionally bound together by rituals and religious customs.