Pillai Theeni Theyyam: A "pregnant" woman hiding behind a bunch of areca blossoms near singers, ceṇḍa and smaller viku ceṇḍa (chenda) drummers and cymbal players.
Padayāni are a “row of soldiers” sent by Lord Siva at Lord Subrahmanya’s request to cool Goddess Kali’s anger, aroused the previous night during the Mudiyeṭṭu Theyyam when she fought and killed the demon Darika. The “soldiers” imitate the Goddess’ wrath, which causes her to laugh and forget her anger. In this image, a pakṣi bird with a short dhoti, a bare chest, and a birdlike mask with green beak, arms has “wings” of bamboo spines with palm leaves. Performed by Guru P. K. Madhavan (Pillai) and party.
Padayāni are a “row of soldiers” sent by Lord Siva at Lord Subrahmanya’s request to cool Goddess Kali’s anger, aroused the previous night during the Mudiyeṭṭu Theyyam when she fought and killed the demon Darika. The “soldiers” imitate the Goddess’ wrath, which causes her to laugh and forget her anger. In this image, Bhairavi: representing the hideous goddess Bhadrakali. A painted kolam mask, enormous crown, breastplate with jutting breasts and triangular waist piece, all made of areca tree laths. Performed by Guru P. K. Madhavan (Pillai) and party.
Padayāni are a “row of soldiers” sent by Lord Siva at Lord Subrahmanya’s request to cool Goddess Kali’s anger, aroused the previous night during the Mudiyeṭṭu Theyyam when she fought and killed the demon Darika. The “soldiers” imitate the Goddess’ wrath, which causes her to laugh and forget her anger. In this image, two Yakṣi female demons in green masks, tall painted crowns, and split bamboo skirts. Performed by Guru P. K. Madhavan (Pillai) and party.
Shiva Narada episode. The start of the performance, the moment before Lord Siva emerges above the curtain. A musician plays a ceṇḍa (vertical drum). Instruments not seen include: vik ceṇḍa (chenda), jālra, kuzhal (double-reed aerophone with straight tube), (generator noise). Pazhur Damodara Marar and party. Musicians: Kuruppanmar Marar.
Sarpam pāṭṭu (song in honor of the snake god) / thullal (dance that imitates the movement of a snake), a serpent trance healing ritual enactment with a kalam ritual floor drawing. A kalam drawing of a five-headed naga serpent, drawn with colored powders on the pounded earth floor. A pujari sits below drawing of snakes’ heads. Ritual objects including diya oil lamps, coconuts, flowers and supari blossoms adorn the kalam. The leader is V. P. Bahuleyan.
Kummāṭṭī (Kummattikali) is a mask dance of Kerala. Image of a Kummāṭṭī Thumbi pāṭṭu “Dragonfly Song” performance of a “play song” usually performed in door-to-door processions during Onam. Nayar male teens play on villu kottu striking their bows. Three singing, masked dancers are covered in kummatti leaves. Two of them beat a masked old woman walking with a stick, the mother Thamma, because she is “licentious” and is too friendly with the audience. The actor on the left wears a black mask and crown-like headdress; the mother Thamma character wears an old woman mask and a white cloth headdress; the actor on the right wears a painted headdress of 2 orbs stacked stop a base. Performed by V. P. Paul and party.
Pillai Theeni Theyyam: a demon, is being restrained from attacking a "pregnant" woman, who is hiding near singers, ceṇḍa (chenda) and smaller viku ceṇḍa drummers and cymbal players. The demon is played by the Malayan dancer and teacher P.K. Panicker (Pallipurattu House, Kizhara PO, Cannanore. Malayan and Panan communities).
Sarpam pāṭṭu (song in honor of the snake god) / thullal (dance that imitates the movement of a snake), a serpent trance healing ritual enactment with a kalam ritual floor drawing. A Kalliasseri Festival Pulluvan ritualist stands near center of the kalam ritual drawing of a five-headed naga serpent and covers his face with areca blossoms. The Leader is V. P. Bahuleyan.
Padayāni are a “row of soldiers” sent by Lord Siva at Lord Subrahmanya’s request to cool Goddess Kali’s anger, aroused the previous night during the Mudiyeṭṭu Theyyam when she fought and killed the demon Darika. The “soldiers” imitate the Goddess’ wrath, which causes her to laugh and forget her anger. In this image is Kālāri, Enemy of Death (Kala: god of death; ari: enemy), epithet of Lord Shiva, with five faces (panchamukha) including the ritualist’s painted green face, and long hair. He brandishes a Siva trident in his right hand. He has leaves on his waist and on the staff in his left hand. Performed by Guru P. K. Madhavan (Pillai) and party.
Poraṭṭu Nāṭakam of the Panan community (Palakkad District, Kerala). Man in a white mundu, hitched up to show aggressiveness, approaches the center of the stage, glaring at the musicians. Two musicians stand behind him, playing jālra bronze cymbals and responding. Two musicians sit on a table further behind them, playing harmonium drone, mṛdaṅgam or ḍholak, and ceṇḍa (chenda). (Performers: K. Viswam and Party. Chembagaseri, Tattamangalam P.O., Palakkad District, Kerala).
This ceremony is a puja to introduce the velikkala, a ritual to help a woman conceive. The image shows a moment during a Velikkala exorcism; a kalam figure is doing a theyyam dance, as Gandharva, wearing a wide red skirt, and huge headdress of palm fronds. (Performed by Panayi Kumaran and party of the Pulayar community. Panan Kandy, Kokkalur P.O. Calicut District, Kerala).
Introduction to Mari Theyyam, a healing exorcism ritual of the Pulayars community. The song on the origin of the instrument tudi is performed by percussion musicians in a procession to the stage, including a musician playing a chengila bronze gong, and a musician playing a tudi variable tension hourglass drum, using a curving stick. Dark and out of focus image. Performed by N. Kanhan Pujari and party.
Padayāni are a “row of soldiers” sent by Lord Siva at Lord Subrahmanya’s request to cool Goddess Kali’s anger, aroused the previous night during the Mudiyeṭṭu Theyyam when she fought and killed the demon Darika. The “soldiers” imitate the Goddess’ wrath, which causes her to laugh and forget her anger. In this image, a pakṣi bird with a short dhoti, a bare chest, and a birdlike mask with green beak, arms has “wings” of bamboo spines with palm leaves. Performed by Guru P. K. Madhavan (Pillai) and party.
Rakteswari Theyyam: The demon transforms into Rakteswari (Rakteshwari, Rikteswari). The Mother Goddess: Because the Bhagavati has been satisfied by the offering of a chicken symbolizing the human child fetus, she appears here in a form with a large headdress and grass (split palm frond) skirt, dancing joyfully to bless the audience. Profile view of Goddess screaming fearfully. Four lighted tapers protrude from Rakteswari’s waist. The maddaḷam and ceṇḍa (chenda) drummers (left) play the rhythms for Rikteswari’s fierce performance. The "pregnant" woman stands holding areca nut blossoms to hide her head.
Siva Narada episode. Lord Siva has emerged above the curtain, riding Nandi (his bull). Narada (in front of the curtain, his arms in front as if holding a scroll) complains to Siva about Darika and Danavendra, because they are demons (asuras) trying to destroy the gods (devas). A musician plays a ceṇḍa (chenda) (vertical drum). Instruments not seen include: vik ceṇḍa, jālra, kuzhal (double-reed aerophone with straight tube), (generator noise). Pazhur Damodara Marar and party. Musicians: Kuruppanmar Marar.
Rakteswari Theyyam: The demon transforms into Rakteswari (Rakteshwari, Rikteswari). The Mother Goddess: “Because the Bhagavati has been satisfied by the offering of a chicken symbolizing the human child fetus, she appears here in a form with a large headdress and grass (split palm frond) skirt, dancing joyfully to bless the audience. Front view of Goddess glaring fearfully. Four lighted tapers protrude from Rikteswari’s waist. The maddaḷam and ceṇḍa (chenda) drummers (left) play the rhythms for Rakteswari’s fierce performance.
A Poraṭṭu Nāṭakam of the Panan community (Palakkad District, Kerala). A Chettichi woman in peach-colored sari (played by male actor) stands in center stage, having left her husband in the story. A clown character in a woman’s blouse, shorts, and tights listens and reacts to her story. Two musicians stand behind them, playing jālra bronze cymbals and responding. Two musicians sit on a table further behind them, playing mṛdaṅgam or ḍholak and ceṇḍa (chenda) (not seen).
Two aṅkakkāran (fighter) characters dance, facing each other, with a man dancing in the left foreground, possibly holding a torch. Thirayāṭṭam, "colorful dance," is a divine ritual dance-drama of the South Malabar district in Kerala state that blends dance, drama, songs, instrumental music, masking, and facial and bodily makeup.
Rakteswari Theyyam: The demon transforms into Rakteswari (Rakteshwari, Rikteswari). The Mother Goddess: Because the Bhagavati has been satisfied by the offering of a chicken symbolizing the human child fetus, she appears here in a form with a large headdress and grass (split palm frond) skirt, dancing joyfully to bless the audience. Front view of the Goddess screaming fearfully. Four lighted tapers protrude from Rakteswari’s waist.
Two aṅkakkāran (fighter) characters with bamboo sticks perform. A man holding a torch, and a table with a nilavilakku (lamp) are in the foreground. Musicians with membranophones are in the background. Thirayāṭṭam, "colorful dance," is a divine ritual dance-drama of the South Malabar district in Kerala state that blends dance, drama, songs, instrumental music, masking, and facial and bodily makeup.
Rakteswari Theyyam: Naga Kali. The goddess transformed into Rakteswari (Rakteshwari, Rikteswari), with a cobra image on her crown and areca blossoms in her hands, after she killed the demon Mahishasura and drank his blood. Men restrain the Goddess’ wrists to reduce her destructive fury. Malayan keṭṭu is connected to Velikkala Pattu: to help a lady conceive, to remove a curse. The lady holding the areca leaves is the patient.
Kummāṭṭī (Kummattikali) is a mask dance of Kerala. Image of a Kummāṭṭī Thumbi pāṭṭu “Dragonfly Song” performance of a “play song” usually performed in door-to-door processions during Onam. Nayar male teens play on villu kottu striking their bows. Three singing, masked dancers are covered in kummatti leaves. Two of them beat a masked old woman walking with a stick, the mother Thamma, because she is “licentious” and is too friendly with the audience. The actor on the left wears a black mask and crown-like headdress; the mother Thamma character wears an old woman mask and a white cloth headdress; the actor on the right wears a painted headdress of 2 orbs stacked stop a base. Performed by V. P. Paul and party.
Rakteswari Theyyam: Naga Kali. The goddess Rakteswari (Rakteshwari, Rikteswari) is transformed into triumphant cobra, having eaten the raw eggs. Front view of ritual dancer in an altered state of consciousness, with an enormous twenty (?) foot cobra figure made of slats of palm wood attached to his back. The central bamboo “spine” of the cobra extends about 15 feet above the dancer’s head. Three drawings of small cobras are attached to the giant upright cobra, as if they are swimming upwards. The figure’s similarity to a penis and scrotum with travelling sperm-like cobras evokes the ritual’s objective of increasing fertility. Spectators watch.
The demon Darika, enemy of the goddess Kali. A helper holds a torch above his head. A musician plays a ceṇḍa (chenda). The explosion of light at the top of the image was created by the practice of thelli eriyal--throwing pine resin on a lit torch. Pazhur Damodara Marar and party. Musicians: Kuruppanmar Marar.
Kuli (Kooli), a comic or clown character, in a grass skirt with split green-and-black face, carries a mango tree branch through the audience. Pazhur Damodara Marar and party. Musicians: Kuruppanmar Marar.
Poraṭṭu Nāṭakam of the Panan community (Palakkad District, Kerala). Man in a white mundu, hitched up to show aggressiveness, turns away from the musicians, revealing a 2-meter stick jutting out from his mundu. Two musicians stand behind him, playing jālra bronze cymbals and responding. Two musicians sit on a table further behind them, playing harmonium drone, mṛdaṅgam or ḍholak, and ceṇḍa (chenda). (Performers: K. Viswam and Party. Chembagaseri, Tattamangalam P.O., Palakkad District, Kerala).
Two men beside a table with a nilavilakku (lamp), with two kolam characters in elaborate costumes behind them. Others are in the background. Thirayāṭṭam, "colorful dance," is a divine ritual dance-drama of the South Malabar district in Kerala state that blends dance, drama, songs, instrumental music, masking, and facial and bodily makeup.
Sarpam pāṭṭu (song in honor of the snake god) / thullal (dance that imitates the movement of a snake), a serpent trance healing ritual enactment, with a kalam ritual floor drawing. Pulluvan (men) and Pulluvati (women) musicians sing Pena Pattu “Woman’s Song” (left). A kalam ritual drawing made of colored powders has been prepared on the raised earth platform. The Pulluvan ritualist sits at the base of the kalam (center). Pulluvan and Pulluvati stand at the upper margin of the kalam. The leader is V. P. Bahuleyan.
Three musicians, two with membranophones, stand behind a dancing kolam character holding a bamboo stick. Others are visible in the background. A man (Nazir Ali Jairazbhoy?) recording the performance, is on the left foreground. Thirayāṭṭam, "colorful dance," is a divine ritual dance-drama of the South Malabar district in Kerala state that blends dance, drama, songs, instrumental music, masking, and facial and bodily makeup.
Rakteswari Theyyam: Naga Kali. The goddess Rakteswari (Rakteshwari, Rikteswari) is transformed into a triumphant cobra, having eaten ten raw eggs. Front view of the ritual dancer with enormous twenty (?) foot cobra figure, made of slats of palm wood, attached to his back. The central bamboo “spine” of the cobra extends about 15 feet upwards from the dancer’s head. Three images of small cobras are attached to the giant upright cobra headdress, as if they are swimming upwards toward the cobra’s head. The figure’s similarity to a penis with travelling sperm evokes the ritual’s objective of increasing fertility. Spectators watch.
The goddess Kali surrounded by ceṇḍa (chenda) player during a part of the performance that took place among members of the audience. The explosion of fire was created by the practice of thelli eriyal--throwing pine resin on a lit torch. Pazhur Damodara Marar and party. Musicians: Kuruppanmar Marar. Pazhur Damodara Marar and party. Musicians: Kuruppanmar Marar.
A lone aṅkakkāran (fighter) character, seen from the side, stands with a torch on the ground behind him. Thirayāṭṭam, "colorful dance," is a divine ritual dance-drama of the South Malabar district in Kerala state that blends dance, drama, songs, instrumental music, masking, and facial and bodily makeup.
This ceremony is a puja to introduce the velikkala, a ritual to help a woman conceive. The image shows a moment during a Velikkala exorcism; a kalam figure with its face painted black in the background on the right, with a sword and wearing a crown and a short white circle skirt; the 6th item of the performance. An offering tree of banana leaves and areca blossoms is in the center of the performance area. (Performed by Panayi Kumaran and party of the Pulayar community. Panan Kandy, Kokkalur P.O. Calicut District, Kerala).
A kaḷameḻuttȧ (ritual drawing of designs on floor with colored powder) of Goddess Kali with 8 arms angrily slaying a demon using a thin lance, depicted using colored powders on a concrete floor. The two-dimensional image of the Goddess contains three-dimensional breasts rising like mountains from the floor. The demon’s forehead is marked with the trident of Siva.(Performed by Panayi Kumaran and party of the Pulayar community. Panan Kandy, Kokkalur P.O. Calicut District, Kerala).
Characters: (center) Marikkalivan, with a crown, headdress and face paint; (left) Marikkalichi, his wife; (right) and Marikkuliyan (or "Maripottan"), an incarnation of fierce form of Lord Shiva, with a wooden mask and staff. Round spots painted on the skin of Marikkalichi probably represent the diseases of the rainy season which the ritual seeks to eradicate and sweep to the ocean. The "haystack" costumes are made from kuruthola (coconut palm leaves). Maritheyyam is a ritual mask dance drama and kind of theyyam performed by the Pulaya community. "Theyyam" could come from the word "daivam" which in Malayalam means god, and "attam" meaning "dance." This genre of theyyam comes from Madayi area of Kannur District in Kerala. Performed by N. Kanjan Pujari and party.
An aṅkakkāran (fighter) character, seen in profile, dances. Thirayāṭṭam, "colorful dance," is a divine ritual dance-drama of the South Malabar district in Kerala state that blends dance, drama, songs, instrumental music, masking, and facial and bodily makeup.
A kolam (deity) character dances, facing a man holding two torches. Thirayāṭṭam, "colorful dance," is a divine ritual dance-drama of the South Malabar district in Kerala state that blends dance, drama, songs, instrumental music, masking, and facial and bodily makeup. Thirayāṭṭam, "colorful dance," is a divine ritual dance-drama of the South Malabar district in Kerala state that blends dance, drama, songs, instrumental music, masking, and facial and bodily makeup.
Padayāni are a “row of soldiers” sent by Lord Siva at Lord Subrahmanya’s request to cool Goddess Kali’s anger, aroused the previous night during the Mudiyeṭṭu Theyyam when she fought and killed the demon Darika. The “soldiers” imitate the Goddess’ wrath, which causes her to laugh and forget her anger. In this image is Māṭan with a painted mask. He holds a Siva trident in his right hand, and a staff in his left hand. There are leaves on the staff and on his waist. Performed by Guru P. K. Madhavan (Pillai) and party.
Rakteswari Theyyam: Naga Kali. The goddess Rakteswari (Rakteshwari, Rikteswari) with a cobra image on crown and areca blossoms in her hands, lies prone and devours raw eggs from a banana leaf. Ceṇḍa (chenda) drummers play behind her.
This ceremony is a puja to introduce the velikkala, a ritual to help a woman conceive. The image shows a moment during a Velikkala exorcism; a kalam figure puts his arms around the head and neck of two young schoolgirls standing beside him; the 5th item of the performance. (Performed by Panayi Kumaran and party of the Pulayar community. Panan Kandy, Kokkalur P.O. Calicut District, Kerala).
A man in a yellow garment stands behind a nilavilakku (lamp) on a table covered with a red cloth, and with two men behind him. On the left are two musicians in blue and white garments, with a curved horn and a membranophone. Two microphones are on the right. Thirayāṭṭam, "colorful dance," is a divine ritual dance-drama of the South Malabar district in Kerala state that blends dance, drama, songs, instrumental music, masking, and facial and bodily makeup.
