Chola Theyyam

On my final night in Kannur, we pulled an all-nighter at an eight-hour marathon of Theyyam rituals in Chola Village just outside the city. 

The word Theyyam - which comes from Devam or god - refers to complicated religious rituals that channel the deity with dance recital and invocation.  People believe that, when the performer puts on his mask, face paint, headdress, and costume, and starts to dance, he actually becomes the god whose story he is enacting!

Theyyam is held once a year from October to April and is unique to Northern Malabar. The dancers, musicians, and priests are from specific lower castes who - along with their heirs - have the sole right to enact their roles. The duty and honor to perform Theyyam is said to have been conferred on these communities exclusively by ancient rulers. 

I also discovered in my research that the Paniyars, an indigenous Dravidian tribe native to this region, may have been permitted at one time to participate in these rituals. I’m unaware if they still do but it speaks to how ancient these rituals are and how they’ve been handed down through the generations! 

Outdoor Location

Theyyams are not traditionally held in temples but in outdoor locations associated with Nature worship such as banyan trees and sacred groves (kaavus). 

The venue we visited was a 50 square yard open space with stadium style seating. Old newspapers were spread on stone slabs to protect against dirt, cold, and morning dew. The temps dropped considerably and I was glad to have my hoodie!  On the road outside, cars were parked for over a mile in either direction. 

Veeran, Gullikan, and Puthia Bhagvathi!

Three Theyyams were enacted covering the legends of Veeran (a warrior), Gullikan (a form of Shiva), and Puthia Bhagvathi (a form of Kali). All are actually older pre-Vedic deities that were associated with non-Brahminical worship and later adopted into mainstream Hinduism. 

As I had seen before at the Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple, the dancers carrried  clubs and shields; advanced and retreated; jumped up on pedestals and performed with such verve that they often had to be physically restrained by their attendants!

Not every Theyyam is a story of a deity. Some are dedicated to local folk heroes and even martyrs who were unjustly harassed or killed by higher caste people. As opposed to Sanskrit chants, the songs are sung in Malayalam and can be easily understood. 

The Theyyam performer blesses the drummers, village elders, organizers, and “karnavars” (male heads of family, usually maternal uncles) who sit in a small enclosure. He then turns to the general public, performing benedictions, distributing flower petals, and accepting donations in return. Everyone gives a few rupees. 

The entire village pays for Theyyam. Besides small donations from local residents, Keralites from the region who work in Arabian Gulf countries send large sums of money to ensure that Theyyam traditions are preserved.

Grand Finale 

For the grand finale, the Theyyam performers came out wearing gigantic headdresses. Puthia Bhagvathi had a headdress with 16 flames to begin with; when he returned, there were multiple flames coming out of his lower body as well! 

At one point there was a procession with men carrying ceremonial umbrellas and children with coconut, marigold, and other offerings. One of the persons, known as a “vellichappad” (an intermediary, also a pre-Vedic concept), appears with a scythe and performs a cosmic dance.

Gullikan was full of pep, running around like a teenager! He wore an amazing green headdress made from latticed coconut palms that was at least 50 feet tall!  We had caught him earlier (large, a bit grumpy!) resting after his Thottam* performance and tried to sneak a few pictures but were scolded for not asking permission before we did.  After asking permission, he relented!

The younger and more energetic performer of the Veeran Theyyam did cartwheels and somersaults in and around the campfire while five drummers provided accompanying music. 

I also noticed a woman hold up a coconut branch torch. She was the only woman participating in the ceremony.  

At the very end, the younger priests - having taken a cold dip in a nearby tank to further purify themselves - rapidly jumped in and out of the dying embers of the campfire causing huge sparks and cinders to fly around, besides a general commotion. This was quite a startling sight and was, somehow, a fitting end to the night’s events! 

Fireworks 

The only 21st century inclusion in a ceremony that was over a couple of millennia old was modern fireworks! There were three loud and totally unnesessary (I thought!) bursts of firecrackers that exploded over our heads for far too long, polluting the air. 

Relevance

At the heart of Theyyam is a rural agricultural lifestyle. The songs speak of a culture that is pre-Vedic, pre-Brahminical and combines legend and history. They talk about people and their problems, their relationship with Nature and each other. 

The performance is usually followed by a feast, an example of sharing resources and coming together as a community.

Theyyam is also helping to preserve the ecosystem and biodiversity of the sacred groves where they are performed. 

Younger generations want Theyyam traditions to continue. We heard that people from the village who live overseas return regularly for Theyyam season. An audience member we met had flown in from Melbourne, Australia to attend. He said the reason the performers were so proud to participate was because it’s the one time they can command the respect of the entire village as both high and low caste people attend. No other event confers so much honor.  

For a short period of time, the low caste (SC/ST)** performer becomes a living god, and upper caste people pray to him!  It speaks to an inclusiveness and a broad mindedness one rarely sees. 

I can’t imagine TamBrams (slang for Tamil Brahmins!) attending or finding such events worthwhile but the cultural experience is truly remarkable!  

Theyyams could also be a lucrative source of revenue for the government if the tourism department got involved in organizing tours. 

When we departed at dawn there was a sharp nip in the air. Most of the audience had already dispersed with only a few bleary-eyed men, women, and  kids braving it out...

Ludi Joseph

Kannur, Kerala 

Jan. 26, 2020


* A Thottam is a mini-Theyyam, a sort of precursor, performed in advance of the main event. See videos below stills: priests jumping in fire; Gullikan Theyyam; Veeran Thottam; Gullikan Thottam; Veeran giving blessings; and Veeran Theyyam.

** SC/ST stands for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Their rights are enshrined in a schedule in the Indian Constitution; hence the term! They are also referred to as Dalits or Adivasis. 

Gullikan

Puthia Bhagvathi

Campfire

Gullikan sans Headdress 

Gullikan with Headdress 

Veeran getting ready