Sunday, October 1, 2023
  • Login
The South First
  • Home
  • States
    • Andhra Pradesh
    • Karnataka
    • Kerala
    • Tamil Nadu
    • Telangana
  • Politics
    • Behind the News
    • National
  • Entertainment
    • Kannada
    • Malayalam
    • Tamil
    • Telugu
    • Reviews
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Videos
    • Lifestyle
  • More
    • Opinion
    • In The News
    • Dakshin Dialogues
    • Cartoons
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • States
    • Andhra Pradesh
    • Karnataka
    • Kerala
    • Tamil Nadu
    • Telangana
  • Politics
    • Behind the News
    • National
  • Entertainment
    • Kannada
    • Malayalam
    • Tamil
    • Telugu
    • Reviews
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Videos
    • Lifestyle
  • More
    • Opinion
    • In The News
    • Dakshin Dialogues
    • Cartoons
No Result
View All Result
The South First
No Result
View All Result
Jagananna Arogya Suraksha Jagananna Arogya Suraksha Jagananna Arogya Suraksha

Home » Kerala » After BJP ‘sees’ Modi, Fort Kochi’s ‘Pappanji’ gets a new look and Kerala is laughing! Here is why

After BJP ‘sees’ Modi, Fort Kochi’s ‘Pappanji’ gets a new look and Kerala is laughing! Here is why

The BJP forced the carnival organisers to change the Modi-lookalike effigy. Now, the 'old man' looks like Kuttoosan — or is it Kummanam?

K A ShajibyK A Shaji
Published:30/12/2022 9:34 pm - Updated on 31/12/2022 8:31 am
A A
Pappanji

The changed face of Pappanji, which according to social media users, resembles Kuttoosan. (Supplied)

There seems to be no end to the controversy surrounding Fort Kochi’s celebrated Pappanji, an effigy lit on 31 December at midnight every year.

Initially, the BJP objected to the effigy after the party workers found an uncanny resemblance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Bowing to the pressure from the BJP and the police, the organisers of the Cochin Carnival agreed to change the look on Thursday, 29 December.

They made minor changes to the effigy’s face and added a long white beard, leaving Kerala, especially the internet community, in splits.

Kuttoosan or Kummanam?

Even as the changed look was reported and circulated on social media, a large section of people found it to have a resemblance to Kuttoosan, a character in Mayavi, a comic series published in the children’s magazine Balarama.

Kummanam
BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan.

Several social media users, especially Kuttoosan fans, decided to toe the BJP line and demanded the carnival organisers — albeit in a lighter vein  — to change the look so that their dear dark wizard would not be humiliated and go up in flames on 31 December.

The tale took a sudden twist when some others found the effigy looking like Kummanam Rajasekharan, former BJP chief in Kerala, who was also the Governor of Mizoram in 2018-19.

They asked why the BJP-RSS activists were not protesting against humiliating Kummanam, an influential South Indian voice of the saffron party.

Rajasekharan has often been laughed at in Kerala. Unperturbed, the BJP leader took them all in his stride.

Truth in BJP argument: Observers

Even as social media users made light of the Pappanji issue, independent observers felt there was some truth in the BJP-RSS argument that the effigy resembled Prime Minister Modi.

Pappanji-Fort Kochi
BJP workers said the festival organisers tried to humiliate Narendra Modi. (Supplied)

They pointed out that the Pappanjis of previous years were different in shape and appearance. On its part, BJP accused the creators of willfully trying to humiliate Modi.

“Going by the photographs of the Pappanji installed on Thursday, there was a deliberate attempt to humiliate Modi,” KS Shyju, Ernakulam district president of the BJP, said.

“What is the message they are giving to the world by burning a big effigy of their prime minister during the New Year celebrations? This is not unintentional. It was part of a larger conspiracy,” he added.

Meanwhile, several humorous solutions were found on social media, including having a clean-shaved Pappanji in jeans and a T-shirt.

Some others prescribed hair dye to make Pappanji younger, thus avoiding any resemblance to Modi or Kummanam.

Others join in

Non-BJP political leaders joined the discussions on Pappanji’s similarity with Modi. In a Facebook post, Kerala’s Education Minister V Sivankutty said: “Some people will sing only what they have learnt. This is Kerala. Let the truth prevail.”

Setting Pappanji ablaze at Fort Kochi in 2011. (Wikimedia Commons/Ajeeshkumar4u)
Setting Pappanji ablaze at Fort Kochi in 2011. (Wikimedia Commons/Ajeeshkumar4u)

Congress leader and MLA M Siddique said those who were fed up with Modi’s false promises, including one on bringing back the stash of black money corrupt politicians had deposited in Swiss banks, might have created the puppet, knowing well that it would be set ablaze.

“I am not in favour of burning anybody in effigy,” he added.

CPI(M) MLA VK Prasanth shared an image from the 2007 Malayalam film, Chhota Mumbai, in which a Pappanji was seen in red attire and a flowing white beard. It also resembled Modi.

“The film saved itself from BJP-RSS wrath by deciding to release it in 2007. The situation might have been different if it was to be released now,” he opined.

In Portuguese, Pappanji means older man, and it is customary for the residents of Fort Kochi to burn the effigy while welcoming the New Year.

The lighting of the effigy marks the end of the troubles of the previous year.

Who is Kuttoosan?

Black wizard Kuttoosan is a lovable villain in the comic series, Mayavi.

Kuttoosan
Kuttoosan from the Mayavi comic series. (Sourced)

Along with the witch, Dakini, lives in a hollow trunk of a dead tree in the forest. He aims to ‘trap’ imp Mayavi so that they could use his supernatural powers.

Kuttoosan and Dakini have Luttappi, an ‘evil’ but adorable imp as their aide.

Mayavi is the protector of the forest and his two little friends, Raju and Radha.

Incidentally, using cartoon characters from children’s magazines to satirically respond to serious contemporary issues is not new to Kerala.

Dinkoism and Dinkoists

A mock religion was ‘formed’ with Dinkan, a mouse born in a fictitious forest, Pankila.

Formed by a group of rationalists in 2008, Dinkoism has Balamangalam, a children’s magazine that ran the comic series, as its holy book.

According to Dinkoist ‘mythology’, the world was formed when Dingan bit a piece of tapioca. The ‘mythology’ challenges the ‘Big Bang Theory’ with its ‘Big Laughter Theory’, apparently making fun of religion that often questions scientific temperament.

 

Recommended For You

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian (third left) handing over a cheque to one of the injured passengers at the Coonoor Government Hospital on Sunday. (X)
In The News

As Coonoor bus tragedy toll rises to 9, TN health minister hands over ₹50,000 each to the injured

October 1, 2023
JDS - BJP alliance Lok Sabha elections Kumaraswamy CM Ibrahim
In The News

JD(S) turmoil: Karnataka president CM Ibrahim voices dissent over BJP alliance

October 1, 2023
Criticizing the ruling BRS, the Prime Minister said that ‘false promises’ regarding loan waivers were made to farmers, which led to suicides. (Supplied)
News

Telangana government is a car controlled by someone else, says PM Modi in Mahbubnagar

October 1, 2023
KTR
In The News

BRS is a family of 4 crore Telangana people with KCR as its head, says KTR in response to PM Modi jibe

October 1, 2023
File photo of the Cauvery river.
In The News

Cauvery dispute: Karnataka files review petition before CWMA even as increased inflow brings respite

October 1, 2023
Modi
News

Ahead of his Nizamabad visit, PM Modi announces Turmeric Board to win over Telangana farmers

October 1, 2023
apdc advt

Top Stories

Criticizing the ruling BRS, the Prime Minister said that ‘false promises’ regarding loan waivers were made to farmers, which led to suicides. (Supplied)

Telangana government is a car controlled by someone else, says PM Modi in Mahbubnagar

October 1, 2023
Modi

Ahead of his Nizamabad visit, PM Modi announces Turmeric Board to win over Telangana farmers

October 1, 2023
An aerial view of kanathallur village nestled on top of Western Ghats in Idukki. Photo: Kerala Tourism.

Welcome to little-known Kanthalloor in Kerala, which won Union government golden award for best rural tourism project

October 1, 2023

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receive daily updates direct to your inbox.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Like and Follow

Follow @TheSouthfirst

Latest

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian (third left) handing over a cheque to one of the injured passengers at the Coonoor Government Hospital on Sunday. (X)

As Coonoor bus tragedy toll rises to 9, TN health minister hands over ₹50,000 each to the injured

October 1, 2023
JDS - BJP alliance Lok Sabha elections Kumaraswamy CM Ibrahim

JD(S) turmoil: Karnataka president CM Ibrahim voices dissent over BJP alliance

October 1, 2023
Criticizing the ruling BRS, the Prime Minister said that ‘false promises’ regarding loan waivers were made to farmers, which led to suicides. (Supplied)

Telangana government is a car controlled by someone else, says PM Modi in Mahbubnagar

October 1, 2023
The South First

CATEGORIES

  • News
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Entertainment & Culture
  • Featured
  • Health & Wellness
  • Andhra Pradesh
  • Karnataka
  • Kerala
  • Tamil Nadu
  • Telangana

PAGES

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

© 2023 The South First

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • States
    • Andhra Pradesh
    • Karnataka
    • Kerala
    • Tamil Nadu
    • Telangana
  • Politics
    • Behind the News
    • National
  • Entertainment & Culture
    • Kannada
    • Malayalam
    • Tamil
    • Telugu
    • Reviews
  • Opinion & Analysis
  • Health & Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • In The News
  • Cartoons
  • Dakshin Dialogues
  • Videos
    • Lifestyle

© 2023 The South First

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.