Theyyam
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The Theyyam or Theyyattam is a popular ritual dance of north Kerala, south India, particularly presented in the Kolathunadu(of the present Kannur and Kasargode districts). As a living cult with centuries old traditions, ritual and custom, it embraces almost all castes and classes of Hindu religion in this region. The term Theyyam is a corrupt form of daivam or God. It is a rare combination of dance and music and reflects important features of a tribal culture.
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[edit] History
The earliest Brahminic settlements like Payyanur and Perimchellur (Thaliparamba) in Kolathunadu where the Brahminic religion was propagated through the institutions of temples largely influenced the popular folk religion based on Theyyam and other tribal cults. According to the legendary Keralolpathi, Parasurama sanctioned the festivals like Kaliyattam, Puravela and Deivattam or Theyyattam to the people of Kerala. He assigned the responsibility of Theyyam dance to the indigenous communities like Panan, Velan and Vannan. These traditions explain how the indigenous cults like Theyyam were incorporated and metamorphosed under the religious supremacy of the Brahmanism. In the long historical process a social system evolved in Kerala in which the little culture like Theyyam belonged to the depressed castes and classes where as the temple oriented culture belonged to the dominant castes and classes. There were no violent confrontations between these two cultures as there was no total destruction of the indigenous culture. “There can be no doubt”, say Bridget and Raymond Alchin, ‘that a very large part of this modern folk religion is extremely ancient and contains traits which originated ruing the earliest periods of Neolithic , Chalcolithic settlement and expression (The Birth of Indian Civilization 1968 p.3039).
[edit] Classification of Sub Cults
Under the impact of Aryan religions, the cult of Theyyam had changed substantially incorporating new trends and sub cults along with its tribal character.
In a different way, it can be stated that all prominent characteristics of a primitive tribal religious worship had widened the stream of Theyyam cult and made it a deep rooted folk religion of the millions. For instance, the cult of Mother Goddesses had an important place in Theyyam. Besides this, the practice like spirit-worship, hero-worship, masathi-worship, tree-worship, ancestor-worship, animal worship, serpent-worship, worship of the goddesses of disease and gramaadevata-worship are included in the main stream of Theyyam cult. Under the influence of Aryan myths and legends, a large number of Brahminical gods and goddesses had infiltrated as separate cults into Theyyam. Along with these gods and goddesses there exist innumerable folk gods and goddesses. Most of these goddesses are known as Bhagavathis as a matter of sanskritisation.
Different branches of Brahminical religion such as Saktism, Vaishnavism and Saivism now dominate the cult of Theyyam. However the forms of propitiation and other rituals are continuation of a historical past. In several cult-centers, blood offering is forbidden under the influence of Buddhism, Jainism and Brahmanism. In such centres separate places outside the outer wall of the shrine are selected for blood offering and preparation of the traditional kalam known as vatakkanvathil. The Theyyam deities propitiated through cock-sacrifice will not enter inside such shrines walls. This is a good example of a long-standing cultural synthesis of ‘little’ and ‘great’ cultures.
On account of the later origin of Vaishnavism in Kerala, it has no wide-spread influence on Theyyam cult. Only a few deities are available under this category. This may probably be due to the lesser influence of Vishnu on the village folk who had an uninterrupted tradition of the worship of Mother goddess for fertility and the god Siva and his son Murukan for protection and security even during the Sangam age. Two major Theyyam deities of Vaishnavism are Vishnumoorthi and Daivathar. Vaishnavism was very popular in Tuluva country during the 13th century under Vishnuvardhana of Hoysalas. He was a great champion of Vaishnavism. Most probably he was deified as Vishnumoorthi and propitiated in the Bhoota cult of Tuluva and then propitiated as a prominent folk deity in the Theyyam also. The legend of Vishnumoorthi is identified the God’s migration from Mangalore to Kolathunadu.
All other categories of Theyyam deities can be incorporated in Saivism and Saktism. Even ancestors, heroes, animals etc are deified and included in those categories. In brief Theyyam provides a good example for the religious evolution and its different stages in Hinduism.
[edit] Patronage by Brahmins
When the cult of Theyyam borrowed liberally from Brahmanism or it was super imposed by the Brahmanical legends and myths, the Brahmins with their social and caste superiority, also patronized the Theyyam gods and goddesses.
They even established their own shrines and kavus (groves) for Theyyam deities where non-brahmanical rituals and customs are observed. The goddesses like Rakteshwari, Chamundi, Someshwari, Kurathi, and the gods like Vishnumoorthi are propitiated in these house-hold shrines. There, the scheduled caste Theyyam dancers appear during the annual festivals of gods and goddesses. The rituals in such shrines are different from those of the Brahmanical temples. Such a cultural fusion or inter-action between the ‘little’ and ‘great’ cultures makes Theyyam an interesting field of research for social scientists. The impact of this cultural fusion could be traced on social organization based on caste system and in the agrarian relations. Once the cult is patronized by the Brahmins, the highest authority of Hindu religion, the intermediary and lower castes also took it as a major religious practice. IN fact the cult has become the religion of the masses.
[edit] A Paragraph on Performance
The dance or invocation is generally performed in front of the village shrines. It is also performed in the houses as ancestor worship with elaborate rite and rituals.
There is no stage or curtain and other 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. In brief it is an open theatre. A performance of a particular deity according to its significance and hierarchy in the shrine continues for 12 to 24 hours with intervals. The chief dancer who propitiates the central deity of the shrine has to reside in the rituals. This may be an impact of Jainism and Buddhism. Further after sun set this particular dancer would not eat anything as legacy of Jainism. His make-up is done by specialists and other dancers. First part of the performance is usually known as vellattam or thottam. It is performed without proper make-up or decorative costume. Only a small red headdress is worn on this occasion.
The dancer along with drummers recites the particular ritual song, which describes the myths and legends of the particular ritual song, which describes the myths, and legends of the particular deity of the shrine or the folk deity to be propitiated. This is accompanied by the playing of folk musical instruments. After finishing this primary ritualistic part of the invocation the dancer returns to the green room. Again after a short interval he appears with proper make-up and costumes. 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 had effected certain stylization also. Then the dancer comes in front of the shrine and gradually “metamorphosises” as the particular deity of the shrine. He, after observation of certain rituals places the head-dress on his head and dances. In the background folk musical instruments like chenda, tuti, kuzhal and veekni are played with rhythm. All dancers take a shield and kadthala (sword) in their hands as continuation of the cult of weapon. Then the dancer circumambulates the shrine, runs in the courtyard dances. The Theyyam dance has different steps known as kalaasams. Each kalaasam is repeated systematically from first to eight step of footwork. A performance is a combination of playing of musical instruments, vocal recitation, dance and strange makeup and costumes. The stage-practices of Theyyam and its ritualistic observations make it one of the fascinating theatrical arts of India.
[edit] Sree Muthappan Theyyam
While other theyyams are seasonal (the season lasting October to May), but Muthappan theyyam is performed year round.
[edit] See also
[edit] Bibliography
Killius, Rolf. 2006 Ritual Music and Hindu Rituals of Kerala. New Delhi: BR Rhythms. ISBN: 81-88827-07-X
Theyyam – A Ritual Dance of Kerala by Dr. KKN Kurup.
Published by Director of Public Relations, Government of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram in March 1986 Refer more about theyyam in www.vengara.8k.com or www.vengara.com (The Land of theyyam) and www.theyyam.8m.com (All about theyyam)
[edit] External links
http://www.vengara.8k.com/index.html]
http://www.theyyam.8m.com/index.html]
- http://www.webindia123.com/kerala/Arts/ritualart.htm
- http://www.payyanur.com/Theyyam.htm
- http://expage.com/theyyam
- http://www.kannurtourism.org/theyyam.htm
- http://www.spiderkerala.com/kerala/culture/Theyyam.aspx
- http://www.malayalamresourcecentre.org/Mrc/culture/artforms/theyyam/theyyam.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsmxvTYZExc
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State of Kerala Kerala Topics | History | Economy | Geography | Flora and Fauna | Culture | Arts | Tourism |
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| Capital | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Districts | Alappuzha • Ernakulam • Idukki • Kannur • Kasaragod • Kollam • Kottayam • Kozhikode • Malappuram • Palakkad • Pathanamthitta • Thiruvananthapuram • Thrissur • Wayanad |
| Major cities | Kochi • Kollam • Kozhikode • Thiruvananthapuram • Thrissur |
