Arts of Kerala

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 62. Chapters: Theyyam, Mappila Songs, Kathakali, Kalarippayattu, Idakka, Koodiyattam, Thidambu Nritham, Sarpam Thullal, Theeyaattam, Varma ati, Kanyarkali, Pulluvan Paattu, Chavittu Nadakam, Northern kalaripayattu, Chakyar koothu, Mohiniyattam, Sopana Sangeetham, Ottamthullal, Unnayi Variyar, Ramanattam, Kerala mural painting, Koothambalam, Kummattikali, Oppana, Thirra, Thiriyuzhichil, Poorakkali, Kalampattu, Villu Paatu, Kadhaprasangam, Mudiyett, Margam Kali, Garudan Hanging, Mayilpeeli Thookkam, Padayani, Kuthu Ratheeb, Nambiar, Aravana, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Shilparatna, Krishnanattam, Kombu Pattu, Nangiar Kuthu, Kolkali, Elathalam, Mammiyur Krishnan Kutty Nair, Darika, Malayikuthu, Kerala Lalita Kala Akademi, Duffmuttu, Thacholikali, Thottam Pattu, Kothammuriyattam, Kolam Thullal, Vattakkali, Marathukali, Mangalamkali, Charadupinnikkali. Excerpt: Theyyam (Malayalam: ) or Theyyattam or Thira is a popular Hindu ritual form of worship of North Malabar in Kerala state, India, predominant in the Kolathunadu area (consisting of present-day Kasargod, Kannur Districts, Mananthavady Taluk of Wayanad and Vadakara & Koyilandy Taluks of Kozhikode of Kerala state. 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 lower class community, and have an important position in Theyyam. This is unique, since only in Kerala, do both the upper-caste Brahmins and lower-caste tribals share an important position in a major form of worship. 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. A similar custom is followed in the Tulu Nadu region of neighbouring Karnataka known as Bhuta Kola According to the legendary Keralolpathi, Parasurama sanctioned festivals like Kaliyattam, Puravela and Daivattam or Theyyattam to the people of the North Malabar region. He also assigned the responsibility of performing the Theyyam dance to the indigenous tribal communities like Malayar, Panan, Vannan and Velan. "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" and, indeed, Theyyam is representative of a form of Hinduism (albeit non-Brahminical) having been practised by tribal communities since time immemorial. This form of worship, often involving liquor and meat as offerings to Bhagawathi, Shiva, Vishnu, co-existed with the Sattvic rituals practised by Nambudiri Brahmins in temples.