Parayi and The Twelve Issues
The Brahmin called Vararuchi was the prime scholar in the court of famous king called Vikramaditya. Once the king asked Vararuchi, which the important verse in the epic Ramayana was. But he failed to give the right answer immediately. Vararuchi started his journey seeking answer to the question. He reached a forest and on resting under a Banyan tree, happened to listen to the conversation between the forest Goddesses. It was as follows: "A girl took birth in Paraya hut and her future husband would be the man who was taking rest under the banyan tree". This was an important turn in Vararuchi's life that gave him the answer he was seeking for. Thus he returned to the court of Vikramaditya and told the king that a girl had taken birth in a Parayi's hut and she would bring disaster to the country on reaching three years of age. The king who had faith in Vararuchi's prophesy decided to put the girl in a ferry made of plantain stem with a torch rooted on her head and to let her adrift in a river. After doing that, the king along with Vararuchi returned to the court happily and peacefully.
Years passed. One day Vararuchi happened to arrive at a Brahmin's home during his journey. The Brahmin invited him for lunch after having a bath. In order to test the Brahmin's intellect Vararuchi said that he would be taking the meals, only if his interests were fulfilled. He had demanded for Veerali Silk after having bath. Besides, he said that hundred people were to be fed in front of him. He also said that he required hundred curries for lunch and after lunch he needed three men to eat and four to carry him. To save the poor Brahmin, his daughter agreed to meet all the demands of Vararuchi. She knew that 'Veerali Silk' was nothing but a bed. Thus the intelligent girl of the Brahmin passed the test of Vararuchi and Vararuchi at last demanded the girl to make her his wife; And married the girl and tool her to his home. Once Vararuchi happened to see a wound on her head. She revealed her story that she was not the real daughter, but the adopted daughter of the Brahmin. Her mother had obtained her from the river while the girl was coming in ferry of plantain stem with a torch on her head. She said that the scar was of the wound created by the stick which was on her head. Vararuchi thus realised that the prophesy of the Goddesses of the forest came true. Thus he decided to go for a pilgrimage with his wife.
In course of the journey, Vararuchi’s wife became pregnant and given birth to a baby. Vararuchi inquired whether the babe had a mouth and when his wife answered 'yes', he told her to leave the baby there itself. After that she had delivered eleven children and all were left on the way. When Vararuchi repeated the question on birth of the twelfth child she answered 'No'. Thus Vararuchi permitted her to take the baby and they continued the journey. Vararuchi’s wife, the unfortunate woman though had given birth to eleven babies, could not bring-up even a single one. That was why she lied. But without much delay, the mouth of the little one disappeared. Vararuchi enshrined the child alive on a hill and later he became a icon namely 'Vayillakunnilappan'.
All the other eleven children were brought-up by eleven different families belonging to different strata of the society.