Dance Art from Kerala: Theyyam

chillibreeze writer — Karunakaran TK

Red and silver flash against the golden hue from the torches that stands tall all around. The beats of the drums and the mystic tunes have taken them to new heights. Before us dancing, is the enchanting Muchilottu Bhagavathi, the all powerful goddess with silver eyes and torches in hand. We see not the performer, but the Goddess herself.

Theyyam is one of the oldest, indigenous and mystic ritual art form of Kerala, India. Its roots can be traced back to over 2000 years ago, and still preserves its tribal and Dravidian features although the art form has evolved over centuries to form what can be called an amalgam of religious and spiritual traditions. It is now practiced in the land of Kolattunadu (The land of the Kolathiri), the northern part of Kerala. This region today stretches from the northern parts of Kozhikode district to the Kasargod district. Etymologically, the term ‘Theyyam’ comes from the Sanskrit word for god, ‘Daivam,’ meaning God. What separates Theyyam from other performing arts is its ritualistic nature itself. It is a phenomenon of cultural, spiritual and artistic significance. More than 400 Theyyam forms depicting various deities exist in this cult that has become the cultural symbol of north Kerala.

The ritualistic background of the art form comes from the practice of worshipping ancestors, trees, heroes, animals, forests, gods, devils and demons etc. This practice and how it embraced the later advent of Brahmanic deities is of great anthropological relevance. For example, Shaktism, Vaishnavism and Shaivism dominate the cult now. At the same time, one can see the influence of nature, ancestor and hero worship, indicative of an earlier Dravidian history. The absence of blood offerings and the fact that the performer is required to fast before the performance could indicate the influences of Buddhism and Jainism.

The Performance & the Training

During the performance, it is said, that the performer becomes the deity itself. The performance generally takes place in the open, mostly before a village shrine or a house if the deity is an ancestor. The ritual art form is performed exclusively by men of the Vannan, Malayan, Velan, Mavilan, Pulayan and Koppalan castes. These castes, belonging to the scheduled castes & scheduled tribes categories once formed the ‘untouchables’ of Kerala’s complex caste system. It is interesting to see however, how the social inequality and degradation inverted itself during a Theyyam performance. These untouchables then became the very deities that the upper castes worshipped, the deities before which the upper layer of the society stood bowed with folded hands.

A performance depending upon the deity extends from 12 to 24 hours with intervals in between. The performer goes to rigorous fasting that could range from 3 to 40 days, vegetarianism etc. before the performance. The performance usually begins with what is known as the ‘Thottam pattu’ or ‘Vellattam’. The dancer, devoid of decorative costumes along with the drummers recites the ritual songs related to the deity. After the Thottam, the dancer returns to the ‘Aniyara’ (backstage) and returns for the performance fully decorated and costumed. The make up involves face and body painting with different sorts of costumes made of leaf and cloth and differs with the deity being depicted. Costumes are mostly dominated by red, green and silver. The dancer then approaches the shrine, and as the performance progresses, the performer enters into a trance and becomes the deity he portrays. The aura that the performance creates and the mystic mist of colors it renders makes it a magical experience to the viewer.

Training plays a very important role in Theyyam as it involves playing folk instruments, recitals, costume preperation and most importantly, a distinguished way of dancing. It is said that it normally takes 8 to 10 years for a Theyyam artist to master the art form. Training usually begins at a very young age. For certain Theyyam forms, it is mandatory to undergo training in Kalaripayattu, the martial art form of Kerala. These are normally required for the hero deities.

Way Forward

Globalization has always been a strong catalyst for cultural evolution. Today, cultures worldwide are fast changing. Though it has evolved in time incorporating different cultures, the challenge that Theyyam faces today is one that threatens its very existence. The art form has since ages been the sole authority of certain classes in society. As members of these communities prefer other career paths, the population of trained Theyyam performers has dwindled drastically. Let’s hope that this beautiful art that represents Kerala and its folk culture remains intact and that we will be able to treasure it proudly as we move ahead towards economic prosperity and power.

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Karunakaran says, "A humble traveler through space and time in search of the cause. Music, photography, travel, and philosophy interest me."

Dance Art from Kerala: Theyyam

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