Theyyam - Gods on Earth Series
Theyyam – A thousand year old ritualistic festival celebrated in the northern part of Kerala, India. Unlike other festivals in India where idols are worshipped, here people embody a deity and perform in front of an audience, often village people.
The word Theyyam derives from the word “Deivam”, the Sanskrit word for ‘God’. Some believe that Theyyam is a rare survival of some pre-Aryan and non-Brahminical Dravidian religious system that was later absorbed into Hinduism’s capacious embrace. Others argue that Theyyam were tolerated as an acceptable safety valve to allow complaints against the misdeeds of the feudal to be expressed in a ritualized and non-violent manner.
Today it is social ritual of every one in the area where social norms of the people are inverted and for a short period the position and power are miraculously transferred to the insignificant and deprived. The performers of Theyyam embody the Gods by narrating stories through songs, music and dance. Villagers gather to witness, get advice on their problems and seek blessing from the Theyyam.
Villagers gather around to seek blessings from this Theyyam in Kananghad, Kerala, India.
Village folks work together for the Theyyam festival in Kananghad, Kerala, India. It is a team effort with approximately two dozen people involved in this endeavor from dress weaving, making face masks, head gear, body and face painting, etc.
A Theyyam artist is getting his makeup done in Kananghad, Kerala, India. Typical makeup and decoration for a Theyyam artist takes roughly 3 hours. It is a team effort with approximately two dozen people involved in this endeavor from dress weaving, making face masks, head gear, body and face painting, etc.
Theyyam artists are getting their makeup done in Kananghad, Kerala, India. Typical makeup and decoration for a Theyyam artist takes roughly 3 hours. It is a team effort with approximately two dozen people involved in this endeavor from dress weaving, making face masks, head gear, body and face painting, etc.
Villagers gather to see the Theyyam festival ritual in Kananghad, Kerala, India.
Villagers gather to see the Theyyam festival ritual in Kananghad, Kerala, India.
Villagers gather to see the Theyyam festival ritual in Kananghad, Kerala, India.
Villagers gather to see the Theyyam festival ritual in Kananghad, Kerala, India.
Villagers gather to see the Theyyam festival ritual in Kananghad, Kerala, India.
This is called as Pottan Theyyam. As part of this Theyyam, the dancer rolls on the fire pit symbolizing destruction of social evils prevailed in the society like castism and to uphold social harmony among the people. The background story is that ‘Lord Shiva’ blessed an impotent Brahmin lady by giving a son, whose name was ‘Sankaran”. Being dexterous in Theology he wanted to occupy the foremost chair in this art. ‘Lord Shiva’ decided to test his social ethics by disguising himself as ‘Chandalan’; a low caste man. ’Devi Parvathi’ and ‘Nandikaesan’ also accompanied him. With a bottle of alcohol and by reciting the local songs he walked through the way in which ‘Sankaran’ was coming. By seeing a low caste man on his way he uttered him to move out of the way. By flatly refusing his order he raised the voice for the socially deprived and it lead to a quarrel among them. The outspoken ‘Chandalan’ explained the need for protecting all kind of people in spite of his social background. ‘Sankaran’ prayed for a minute and ‘Lord Shiva’ appeared in his original image and blessed ‘Sankaran’ and bid farewell to his journey. In order to remember the disguised appearance of ‘Lord Shiva”, he created an embodiment image for the same as “Pottan Theyyam”.
This is called as Pottan Theyyam. As part of this Theyyam, the dancer rolls on the fire pit symbolizing destruction of social evils prevailed in the society like castism and to uphold social harmony among the people.
A local villager seeks blessings from the Theyyam in Kananghad, Kerala, India