THEYYAM: THE SUBLIME DANCE FORM

Originating from Kaliyattam, it represents tribal practice of Hindu worship, says Dr Pooja Kashyap.

- Dr Pooja Kashyap.

Brightest of red-coloured costume, gigantic headdress, aesthetically painted face with fire torches in hand....was how I was introduced to a resplendent dance-form "Theyyam' from Kerala. Referred to as 'Muchilot Bhagvathy' this deity I witnessed was just one of the 456 types of Theyyam dance forms indigenous to Northern part of Kerala, specially the Kolathunadu area (consisting of present-day districts of Kasaragod, Kannur and taluks of Mananthavady in Wayanad and Vadakara and Koyilandy in Kozhikode districts).

According to 'Keralolpathi' a historical document Parasurama who was the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu had saved Kerala from the advancing sea and had sanctioned festivals like Kaliyattam, Puravela and Daivattam or Theyyattam to the people of the North Malabar. Thus, Theyyam originated from Kaliyattam as a dance of Velan community, finally developing into the present-day cult of Theyyam over a period of 1,500 years.

Theyyam is representative of a form of Hinduism practiced by the tribal communities since time immemorial, involving liquor and meat as offerings to God.