THEYYAM- A Ritual Art Form

                         
                                                           economydecoded.com

   Theyyam is a popular, traditional and ritualistic art form of worship of North Malabar region in Kerala. This ritual of sacred dance is performed before the shrines by the people of few lower castes and tribal communities of Malabar like Vannan, Malayan, Mavilan, Velan and Pulayan and is believed to bring about well being for the society as well as the family. Theyyam is not merely a unique combination of dance and music (both vocal and instrumental) whereas it is a product of synthesis of various art forms such as painting, sculpture, architecture, costume- making, designing and also literature. The performers of Theyyam attribute great preponderancy to the worship of heroes, ancestral spirits and spiritual deities. It is considered that he immortal deity enters the mortal body and performs the ritual.  Either the person who perform theyyam or his companions first recite the mythical story .i.e. tottam to invoke the spirit of god into his body. Then becoming possessed by the spirit, he performs the ritual and then finally he receives the offerings of the devotees and blesses them.

The word theyyam is derived from a Sanskrit word “daivam”, which stand for god. Theyyam season begins in Malabar on 10th day of Malayalam month Thulam (last week of October) and ends by mid Edvam month (first week of June) and are performed at various sites which are known as Pallujara, Sthanam, Mundya, Pathi, Kavu, Kazhakam, Madappura, Podikkalam, Kotta.

Theyyam is also a rumination of the communal harmony ,as in some of the theyyam, a few Muslim characters are included namely Ali Chamundi, Mokri Poker, Kallandha Mokri and Bapporan. Usually Hindu dancer performs the Muslim theyyam and dresses up with special costumes, artificial beard and adorns cap and conduct rituals like washing hands and feet, recite some verses from the holy book as well as performs Niskara rituals sitting on a green carpet as per Muslim tradition.

As we already mentioned theyyam is predominantly a male affair. The only exception to this is Devakoothu or Malayikoothu theyyam performed by a lady belonging to Malaya caste at Thekkumbad near Kannur district. Theyyam being a whole male affair, majority of theyyam worshipped are of goddess.There are456 theyyakolams and 112 of them are very important and famous. There  some rituals like thotam and vellatam for almost all the theyyams they are performed. From the view of characterstic features of theyyam, it states four types mainly; Bhagavathi, Saiva Vaishnava, Manushika, Purana theyyams and these include subparts.

                                        THEYYAM- A TOTAL ART

  MUSIC TRADITION- 

 Music of the theyyam comes under tottam which includes both poetic and prosaic recitations and this subsists of Aniyarakkair, Varavili, Sthuthi, Anjadi of various kind and Mumbasthanam challol.

 FACIAL PAINTINGS AND MASKS- 
                           
                                                     Indian Travel
Apart facial paintings, some of the theyyams also include body painting. Each facial painting has its own elaborated patterns and color combinations namely kodumpurikan, prakkezhuttu, narikkurichezhuthu which are mad with the help of natural colors.
  COSTUME MAKING- 

 Costume making of theyyam also requires special skill. Theyyam has various kinds of dresses known in different names like kani munda, vithanathara, kuttivelumban wearing on the lower part of the lower part of the body made of cotton and in addition to oli made of festoons of coconut leafs.

  DANCE- 
                                                                                                                  
                        
                                             http://www.keralagreenery.com/

    Dances of theyyam cantain various footworks and different traditions like lasya and thandava. The dance moves of theyyam expresses various aesthetic senses like ruddhra, santha and hasya. There is a strong argument that theyyam is the forerunner of some of the classical dance forms of Kerala like Kathakali.



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