Kuthu Ratheeb
Encyclopedia
Vettum Kuthum Ratheeb or simply Kuthu Ratheeb is a ritual
performed by a section of the Muslim
(Mappila
) population of the state of Kerala
in India
. Kuthu Ratheeb is performed at ritual festivals, mosques and homes. At homes they are done to escape from incurable diseases and to fulfil the aspirations of the people. The word "Kuthu Ratheeb" is a mixed form of Arabic verbal noun "Ratheeb" (which means something done repeatedly) and Malayalam verb "Kuthuka" (which means to stab or to use any weapon upon someone's body). The ritual consists of acts like piercing parts of the ones own body like the tongue, the ear, and the stomach with knives and sharp-edged steel tools. Hymns known as Byths or Ratheebs are sung during the ritual. (There are more than twenty different byths being used). Arabana (a percussion instrument similar to daf
) and Kinnaram are the main musical instruments used in Kuthu Ratheeb. The followers and protagonists of the ritual believe, that even though injuries are inflicted on the bodies of the performers by weapons, these do not cause pain or damage to the body. They believe that, since the ritual is performed by, devotees who have received "ijazath" (permission) from their "sheikh" (deity), it will not cause injuries.
While follower of the ritual portray Kuthu Ratheeb as a folklore
art, Islam
ic revivalist
as well as reformist movements in Kerala
(like Islahi Movement in Kerala
) maintain that this ritual is, in fact, a deviation from the original teachings of Islam
and that neither do the Quran, nor the Prophet Muhammad
did advocate either this particular ritual, or rituals of this kind.
Kuthu Ratheeb is connected with the Sufi saint Rifai who lived in Iraq
. In Malabar, Kuthu Ratheeb is still practised as a popular art by the Muslims. The village of Pothattippara on Malappuram
to Kondotti road is famous for the Kuthu Ratheeb.
Ritual
A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers....
performed by a section of the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
(Mappila
Mappila
Mappila or Moplah refers to a Muslim community of Kerala, primarily in the northern region called Malabar, which arose in Malabar as a result of the pre and post Islamic Arab contacts. Significant numbers of the community are also present in the southern districts of Karnataka and western parts of...
) population of the state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Kuthu Ratheeb is performed at ritual festivals, mosques and homes. At homes they are done to escape from incurable diseases and to fulfil the aspirations of the people. The word "Kuthu Ratheeb" is a mixed form of Arabic verbal noun "Ratheeb" (which means something done repeatedly) and Malayalam verb "Kuthuka" (which means to stab or to use any weapon upon someone's body). The ritual consists of acts like piercing parts of the ones own body like the tongue, the ear, and the stomach with knives and sharp-edged steel tools. Hymns known as Byths or Ratheebs are sung during the ritual. (There are more than twenty different byths being used). Arabana (a percussion instrument similar to daf
Daf
A daf is a frame drum used as a musical instrument in popular and classical music. The term daf is used in Iran / Kurdistan for a large drum that has a series of four interlinked rings in the frame. Daf is mostly used in Middle East, Iran, Armenia, Pakistan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and ...
) and Kinnaram are the main musical instruments used in Kuthu Ratheeb. The followers and protagonists of the ritual believe, that even though injuries are inflicted on the bodies of the performers by weapons, these do not cause pain or damage to the body. They believe that, since the ritual is performed by, devotees who have received "ijazath" (permission) from their "sheikh" (deity), it will not cause injuries.
While follower of the ritual portray Kuthu Ratheeb as a folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
art, Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic revivalist
Revivalist
Revivalist may refer to:* An individual who is involved in a movement of Christian revival* Revivalist artist - a performer dedicated to reviving a musical or cultural form from an earlier era* Revivalism...
as well as reformist movements in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
(like Islahi Movement in Kerala
Islahi Movement in Kerala
The renaissance of the ancient Sunni Muslim community in the Kerala state, South India mostly owes to the rise of Salafi ideas and scholars in the early 20th century, referred as Islahi movements of Kerala. Salafism is a puritanical and legalistic Islamic movement under the Sunni umbrella, and is...
) maintain that this ritual is, in fact, a deviation from the original teachings of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and that neither do the Quran, nor the Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
did advocate either this particular ritual, or rituals of this kind.
Kuthu Ratheeb is connected with the Sufi saint Rifai who lived in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. In Malabar, Kuthu Ratheeb is still practised as a popular art by the Muslims. The village of Pothattippara on Malappuram
Malappuram
Malappuram is a municipality in the South Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 33.61 km2. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Malappuram district. As per the 2011 census Malappuram urban agglomeration is the fourth largest UA in kerala with a total population of...
to Kondotti road is famous for the Kuthu Ratheeb.