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The Kerala Tourism website issues a Theyyam calendar each year, which lists locations of the temples, dates of the performances and details of the interaction persons. Tour companies, mostly led by radical from the bluish Malabar region, offer a bouquet of curated Theyyam experiences for travellers.
Ritualistic performances successful Kerala are aplenty, specified arsenic thira and mudiyettu, and among these Theyyam has a greater ocular callback for outsiders. For a agelong clip now, stories of the theyyams person transcended geographical boundaries, attracting radical from faraway lands. But northbound Malabar pushes backmost against contented creators disrupting centuries-old rituals.
Theyyam performances are a regular occurrence from mid-October to aboriginal June successful Northern Kerala. However, they don’t travel a fixed schedules. Click present to read more
Chennai-based Ramya Sriram’s Theyyam photograph, changeable astatine a temple successful Kannur, wins an award. The photograph was portion of National Geographic ‘Capture successful Motion’ campaign.
Photo: THULASI KAKKAT
Theyyam is performed lone by men who morph into gods, adorning headdresses with colourful feathers and faces painted successful vivid hues.
Photo: THULASI KAKKAT
They creation astir shrines to the large beats of the Chenda and the sounds of the cymbals and bless devotees.
Photo: THULASI KAKKAT
The ineffable ritual besides includes walking connected the fire.
Photo: MOHAN SK
Theyyam performances are an yearly ritual. Performers successful elaborate crimson cogwheel blend movements of Kalaripayattu and melodramatic rituals.
Photo: THULASI KAKKAT
Theyyam being a ritualistic creation form, travellers are expected to respect section customs and traditions, which present see restrictions connected photography.
Photo: THULASI KAKKAT
Each of these Theyyam performances involves rites that observe section lore. Though the creation signifier is rooted successful the caste system, it brings successful a impermanent reversal of hierarchies, with performers from historically marginalised communities.
Photo: THULASI KAKKAT
The creation signifier ties unneurotic the carnal and metaphysical, uniting antheral and God, played retired successful an overwhelming multi-sensory experience.
