Theyyam and other gods
Theyyam Theyyattam is a colourful and vibrant religious ritual of northern Kerala. I just watched on my TV some of the Theyyams (the performers) landing from their boats to a warm reception by the people who were waiting anxiously. Northern Kerala has quite many such religious art forms. Apart from Theyyattam, there are thirayattam, kurathiyattam, garudanthookkam, kummaattikkali, kaliyattm, and so on. They are amazing art forms which are essentially religious rituals. Originally, these were not Hindu religious rituals. They were pe-Hindu, indigenous Dravidian and tribal practices of the North Malabar region, today’s Kannur and Kasaragod districts. Over the centuries, through a process of cultural assimilation and syncretism, they were integrated into the broader fold of popular Hinduism. Much, much before mainstream Puranic Hindu traditions became dominant in South India, the indigenous communities of North Malabar practised folk religion centred on: · ...
