The best way to sip into the essence of a place is by experiential travel. Plan your journey during an event, be it a yearly festival like Holi at NorthIndia, Ganesh Chathurthi at Mumbai, Gharbha at Ahmedabad, Christmas at Kochi, Trivandrum during IFFK, or Goa during the carnival. The heart and soul of places can be best experienced on these days with a 360-degree sensory extravaganza. And if you are a travel fanatic sure visit in season and offseason to indulge in both experiences.
Urban tale this festival season is on - Theyyam-the ritual, history, and more. A mini-series with a prologue to the art form and a story of one unique kavu in detail as the next chapter.
The Best experiential event of North Kerala-Theyyam
If you are visiting Malabar (northern Kerala) along with the cuisine, serene beaches to explore, attending Theyyam in person is one experience you wouldn't want to miss from your bucket list.
This is a humble attempt to share a prologue to Theyyam and the visual treat it offers.
The Dance of the divine clad in fiery red - the 'Theyyam' (also known as Theyyattam )is ritualistic dance worship performed at Kavu (village shrines) which holds an elite place in the cultural heritage of Kerala. It is also a global icon representing North Kerala -Kannur, Kasargod districts among popular tourist destinations.
The dance of the divine- a prologue :
Glorious tales from the past, myths and real stories of gods, heroes, are retold and brought to life using the art form.
Here tales are brought to light again and recreated yearly in Kavu. It's a walk down the memory lane through art to the present generation on the battles fought and legacies of the past. The association of Theyyam is mostly with folklores and in special cases with classic Hindu texts.
People consider Theyyam as a channel to God and seek blessings and solutions. It is performed by hereditary specialists assuming imagined shapes of the god and becoming transformed and communicating directly with devotees, resolving their problem.
The sensory extravaganza:
Theyyam encompasses dance, trance, dialogues, music, and audience interaction. There are more than 400 Theyyam each with its unique myth, music, and style.
Looking from an artistic perspective -it's a visual treat with folklore and cultural practices embedded in the act. The dance or invocation is generally performed in front of the village shrine and at times at houses as ancestor-worship with elaborate rites and rituals. Gods in red and the trance they create allure mystery and vibrancy in Kavu and the neighbourhood.
Check out the video to enjoy the colours of Theyyam, beautifully captured by Prajul Pradeep
Mukhathezhuthu and costumes:
Theyyam attire and makeup is an art on its own. Costumes are vividly coloured in red, black, white, and yellow frilled mostly with tender palm leaves. 'Mukhathezhuthu’, the art of intricately painting the face with elaborate detailing and patterns adorns the Theyyam in shades of red, orange, yellow, and black made with natural dyes. But eyes capture all attention, emphasized in dark colour they enhance the facial appearance of the performer.
Most of the Theyyam has crown-like headgears, ornated breastplates, metallic and gold painted wooden bangles. Attire and face painting vary with each Theyyam but the wonder it evokes always remain.
Worship in unison to nature and as a response to social structure:
Kavu is typically an organic forest with wild trees and plants with mini shrines. They are reminders of how we lived in past with harmony to nature celebrating the seasons.
It's also a reflection of the political, socio-economic, caste structure, and challenges of people of the lower strata in the past. Not many years ago the right to worship in temples was prohibited for the lower caste. Along with the cultural influence of the Dravidian and Aryan eras, Theyyam and the Kavu as a worship centre was also an outcome of the social construct of the period.
Words fail to narrate the true aura and glory of the Dance of the divine.
(PC:1,3-6- Sarin Raghuraman, 2- Roshin Chengara)
Get to know more :
Quite diverse Theyyam performances can also be witnessed if you visit between January and March. The most famous ones include Kathivannur-veeran , Kandanar Kelan,Teechamundi, TeeKuttichathan, Pothi, Kandakarnan, Putiya Bhagavathi,Raktha Chamundi,Muchilottu Bhagavathi, Wayanadu Kulaven, Gulikan, and Pottan etc.
Check out the videos to have a quick glimpse of the variety in Theyyam of North Kerala and capture the action and music.
One overview of Theyyam and how to experience it portrayed by Ayush Dinker:
Travel tips:
Travel time: The best time to visit for diverse performances is between January and March., check out the Theyyam calendar and plan your journey. (SUBSCRIBE TO US to Recieve the Freebie Theyyam calendar we are launching next week)
Nearest airport: Kannur international airport (CNN), India.
Kannur and Kasargod two major places where Theyyam happens is well connected by road, getting a local guide would help in easy access.
Recommending five-day visit. Theyyam happens at day and night, timing and rituals vary with Kavu. Do consider clubbing visit to multiple kavu and exploring the Malabar cuisine.
For more Theyyam photographs check out:
For a detailed historical perspective give a read :
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Share the post to your travel buddies with whom you would love to experience Theyyam in real and save the article for next year to include in your travel bucket list.
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