Kaṉṉeru pāṭṭu, a musical performance, is a curing ceremony to ward off the evil eye. Malayars believe they were created by Siva after he saw his face in a mirror and felt pride. His eye cast an evil eye on his reflection, so he became ill. To cure himself, he created the Malayar community whose duty is to sing Kanneru Pāṭṭu to cast away the prideful "evil" eye. This is a staged representation of part of a Malayar ādivāsī curing exorcism ritual. Three men and 3 women seated in the performance area beside microphones. The woman on the left is the patient. One man holds a neem leaves to coax the evil eye away. Performed by P. K. Sridevi and party.
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.
An aṅkakkāran (fighter) character, seen from the side, dances in front of a table with a nilavilakku (lamp). There are small flames on the ground. 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.
An aṅkakkāran (fighter) character, seen from the side, dances behind a table with a nilavilakku (lamp). There are small flames on the ground. 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 dancing aṅkakkāran (fighter) character, recorded by a man in the left foreground (Nazir Ali Jairazbhoy?). 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.
Pillai Theeni Theyyam: On the raised earthen platform, the demon dances in front of the pregnant woman while holding aloft a flapping white chicken in his right hand. He dances while seated on the floor, his skirt of split palm leaves askew, with flames burning in his split palm leaf headdress. He is unrestrained by ritualists from attacking the "pregnant" woman, as he has accepted their offering of a white chicken, instead of the unborn child’s fetus. He The woman sits cowering behind a bunch of areca blossoms held in front of her abdomen. A Pulluvan ritualist brings a lighted torch, perhaps to protect her from the demon. Ceṇḍa (chenda) and smaller viku ceṇḍa drummers and cymbal players play standing to her right on the raised earthen platform. The demon is played by the Malayan dancer and teacher P.K. Panicker (Pallipurattu House, Kizhara PO, Cannanore. Malayan and Panan communities).
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.
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.
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 mother Thamma character wears an old woman mask and a white cloth headdress. Performed by V. P. Paul and party.
Thottam (invocation): Singers, percussion musicians with ceṇḍa (chenda) and smaller viku ceṇḍa and cymbal players perform the thottam introduction for the Malayan dancer and teacher P.K. Panicker (Pallipurattu House, Kizhara PO, Cannanore. Malayan and communities).
