Travel_Kerala_in_this_theyyam_season

Introducing Theyyam
Come to Kerala, India on this theyyam season (Nov. ‘10 to May ‘11)

Introducing Theyyam: About
Theyyam is a popular Hindu ritual of worship in North Kerala state, India, As a living cult with several thousand-year-old traditions, rituals and customs, it embraces almost all the castes and classes of the Hindu religion in this region. The performers of Theyyam belong to the indigenous tribal community, and have an important position in Theyyam. The term Theyyam is a corrupt form of Devam or God. People of these districts consider Theyyam itself as a God and they seek blessings from this Theyyam. Please click here for details on theyyam.
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KandanarKelanTheyyam enters in pyre

Introducing Theyyam: Performance
Theyyam is performed in the courtyard of a house or village temple, as the performer gets ready and the spirit of the deity is evoked during the night time. The hood, headdress, face painting, breastplate, bracelets, garlands and fabric of attire of each theyyams are distinct and meticulously crafted. Please click here for details on theyyam.
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VishnumurthyTheyyam
Monthikolam

Introducing Theyyam: Rituals
The performer along with the drummers recites the particular ritual song, which describes the myths and legends, of the deity of the shrine or the folk deity to be propitiated (called “thottam”). This is accompanied by the playing of folk musical instruments. After finishing this primary ritualistic part of the invocation, the performer appears as theyyam with proper make-up and costumes .
Please click here for details on theyyam.
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MuchilotBhagavathyTheyyamThottam
VishnumurthyTheyyamThottam

Introducing Theyyam: Thottam
The first part of the performance is usually known as Vellattam or Thottam. It is performed without proper make-up or any decorative costume. Only a small, red headdress is worn on this occasion.
Please click here for details on theyyam.
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After face painting
PuliyoorKannanTheyyamVellattam

Introducing Theyyam: Costumes
The costumes of Theyyam are made out of cutting and painting coconut sheaths in black, white and red patterns, fresh coconut fronds form skirts, fashioning breasts out of dry coconut shells and tying a red cloth around the waist. The facial decorations are intricately designed with enriched symbolism. Please click here for details on theyyam.
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Beauty of VishnumurthyTheyyam
MadayilChamundiTheyyam

Introducing Theyyam: Temple
The dance or invocation is generally performed in front of the village Temple (Kavu). It is also performed in the houses as ancestor-worship with elaborate rites and rituals. There is no stage or curtain or other such arrangements for the performance. The devotees would be standing or some of them would be sitting on a sacred tree in front of the shrine. Please click here for details on theyyam.
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The most influential Theyyam Temple
ParassinikkadavuMuthappan Temple
MuchilotBhagavathy Temple

Introducing Theyyam: Customs
There are lots of related ritual performance along with theyyam performances. In some occasions temple priest (komaram / Velichappadu) will jump through wooden pyre just before theyyampeformance starts. Please click here for details on theyyam.
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Performance of temple Komaram
KalavaraNirakkal

Introducing Theyyam : Performers
Theyyam’ performers belong to one of the Hindu communities (Malayan, Vannan, Velan (Thuzhuvelan), Koppalan, Mavilan, Chingatthan, Panan, Parayan, Pampatharavan, anhuttan, Munnuttan etc.). Each individual caste has the right to perform certain deities and all performers must poses a wide range of extraordinary skills. They must know the ritual and character of every deity. Please click here for details on theyyam.
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MecheriChamundi in action

Introducing Theyyam: Season
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Theyyam season begins with middle of October and ends in Jun month. During these times, theyyam will be performed in more than 500 temples / kavus of Kannur , Kasargod districts. Theyyam will be performed as a part of yearly temple festival or as a separate prayer by a family or individuals . There are more than 400 types of theyyams, most of them are closely related each other.

Introducing Theyyam: Blessings
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Just after initial performance, theyyam starts blessing the devotees. In this elevated state theyyam assumes super human and divine powers—speaking, moving, blessing and even healing as a god or goddess.

Introducing Theyyam: Devotees
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After wearing the headdress the actual moment of "becoming" the deity, the moment of crossing the line, as he stares into a small hand-held mirror. It is at this point that, almost imperceptibly, he slips into another state of being, his eyes widening as they focus not on his own reflection, but on the enigmatic features of a divine being. This is the moment of fusion, the defining moment known as mukhadarshanam, or the seeing of the face. It is the moment when a mortal becomes a god.

Introducing Theyyam
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Theyyam always interact with devotees and ritualists. There are lot of complicated rituals through out theyyam performances.

Introducing Theyyam: Theyyams
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MuchilotBhagavathy
MadayilChamundi
PadakkathiBhagavathy
KannangatBhagavathy
Vettakkorumakan
Puliyoor Kali

Introducing Theyyam
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A scene from VengaraChidayarKulangara Temple, on occasion of theyyam festival held in Novomber 2009. GulikanTheyyam, along with other theyyam visiting temple pond .

Introducing Theyyam
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The facial decorations are intricately designed with enriched symbolism. There are different patterns of face-painting. Some of these patterns are called vairadelam, kattaram, kozhipuspam, kotumpurikam, and prakkezhuthu. Mostly primary and secondary colours are applied with contrast for face painting. It helps in effecting certain stylization in the dances.

Introducing Theyyam
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Muthappantheyyam is considered as one of the most influential theyyam. MuthappanTheyyams are performed year-round whereas other Theyyams are seasonal. Muthappantheyyam is performed daily at the Parassinikadavu Temple and people of all castes, religions and nationalities are permitted to enter the temple and take part in the worship.
Thiruvappana and MuthappanTheyyam

Lots more in Kerala
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Ayurveda Treatment
World class hill stations
Beaches
Marital Art
Backwater Journey
Kathakali

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For more information on theyyam & travel enquiry
Website : www.vengara.com/theyyam/index.html
For enquiry :theyyamritual@gmail.com
For more than 50 theyyam videos : click here
Exclusive theyyamcalendar : click here
Designed by : Santhosh Vengara

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Travel_Kerala_in_this_theyyam_season

by Santhosh Vengara on Jun 19, 2010

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