Theyyam is a vibrant and hugely popular Hindu ritual form of worship, rich in customs that date several thousand years and is mostly prevalent in the northern district of Malabar. Its rituals and stage craft also make it one of the most fascinating theatrical arts of India.
It is estimated that are 450 Theyyam forms, where a male performer dons the guise of a deity and propitiates the gods through possessed dancing. Theyyam rituals are vibrant expressions of the ‘Bhagvati’ or ‘Mother Goddess’ cult of worship and contain elements of spirit-worship, the worship of ancestors, animism and dendrolatry, serpent-worship and the worship of village deities.
Performances are a combination of folk musical instruments, vocal recitations, dance, symbolic facial make up and vibrant costumes. This primordial ritualistic art demands long hours of preparation before the actual performance. The staging area of Theyyam is usually amidst a temple grove known as ‘kaavu’. Theyyam is also performed in homes and in paddy fields by erecting a temporary staging area.
Typically a dancer accompanied by drummers and other folk instruments as a prelude to a performance will recite the lyrics of a ritual song narrating myths and legends of the deity of the shrine or the folk deity to be propitiated. The dancer will then don his colorful facial make up and costumes and return to the performing area.
The performance begins with the dancer holding a mock sword and shield in his hands, circumambulating the shrine and then running into the courtyard and dance to the accompaniment of folk instruments. There are different patterns of face-painting, mostly composed of intricate symbols in primary and secondary colours to emphasize stylization in the dances.
The hood, headdress, breastplate, bracelets, garlands and fabric of attire of each Theyyam character are distinctive and meticulously crafted. Colorful costumes made out of cutting and painting coconut sheaths in black, white and red patterns, fresh coconut fronds to form skirts, fashioning breasts for female characters out of dry coconut shells and a sash of red cloth around the waist completes the ensemble.
Theyyam artistes are exclusively male. It is not a profession or calling that can be adopted. Specific social castes hold the exclusive right to perform the role of certain deities. An artist's shrine rights are always inherited from the mother's family and when he marries, he also acquires the shrine rights of his wife's family.
All artistes share a common training and tradition in which the process of becoming the deity is achieved after intense mental, physical and spiritual preparation. They are required to intimately study the rituals and character of every deity, know how make the headdresses and costumes of all the deities, learn all the symbols that constitute facial and body makeup and techniques of application, sing, play the drums, and know the stories. Every deity's physical appearance conforms to an image envisaged centuries ago in the dream or vision of a respected guru and handed down.
It is estimated that are 450 Theyyam forms, where a male performer dons the guise of a deity and propitiates the gods through possessed dancing. Theyyam rituals are vibrant expressions of the ‘Bhagvati’ or ‘Mother Goddess’ cult of worship and contain elements of spirit-worship, the worship of ancestors, animism and dendrolatry, serpent-worship and the worship of village deities.
Performances are a combination of folk musical instruments, vocal recitations, dance, symbolic facial make up and vibrant costumes. This primordial ritualistic art demands long hours of preparation before the actual performance. The staging area of Theyyam is usually amidst a temple grove known as ‘kaavu’. Theyyam is also performed in homes and in paddy fields by erecting a temporary staging area.
Typically a dancer accompanied by drummers and other folk instruments as a prelude to a performance will recite the lyrics of a ritual song narrating myths and legends of the deity of the shrine or the folk deity to be propitiated. The dancer will then don his colorful facial make up and costumes and return to the performing area.
The hood, headdress, breastplate, bracelets, garlands and fabric of attire of each Theyyam character are distinctive and meticulously crafted. Colorful costumes made out of cutting and painting coconut sheaths in black, white and red patterns, fresh coconut fronds to form skirts, fashioning breasts for female characters out of dry coconut shells and a sash of red cloth around the waist completes the ensemble.
Theyyam artistes are exclusively male. It is not a profession or calling that can be adopted. Specific social castes hold the exclusive right to perform the role of certain deities. An artist's shrine rights are always inherited from the mother's family and when he marries, he also acquires the shrine rights of his wife's family.
All artistes share a common training and tradition in which the process of becoming the deity is achieved after intense mental, physical and spiritual preparation. They are required to intimately study the rituals and character of every deity, know how make the headdresses and costumes of all the deities, learn all the symbols that constitute facial and body makeup and techniques of application, sing, play the drums, and know the stories. Every deity's physical appearance conforms to an image envisaged centuries ago in the dream or vision of a respected guru and handed down.
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