Poothappaattu, a classic poem in Malayalam written by Edasseri Govindan Nair is considered one of the best in world literature and centres around the myth of the Poothan in the Valluvanadan region. It is celebrated as an epitome of a mother's love and sacrifice for her child. Who was the Pootham? Believed to be a supernatural being who lived in the wilderness in the fringes of the village, the Pootham was feared by villagers as they believed that once upon a time, she used to transform into an enchantress, lure wayfarers up the Pala tree, drink their blood and throw their bodies down on the rocks. But something happened that softened her heart and made her always lament. What was it? Every year, in the month of Makaram, after the harvest, when she visited the village in a grand deified form, what was she looking for? The legend awaits behind the curtains.