Theyyam | 07 Mar 2022

Why in News?

Recently, Kerala Tourism department have started live streaming of an annual temple festival called Theyyam performances, to promote cultural tourism.

What is Theyyam?

• Theyyam is a popular ritual form of dance worship in Kerala and Karnataka, India.
• It consisted of thousand-year-old traditions, rituals and customs.
• The people consider Theyyam itself as a channel to a god and they thus seek blessings from Theyyam.
• Each Theyyam is a man or a woman who attained divine status by performing heroic deeds or by leading a virtuous life
• Most Theyyams are believed to be the incarnations of Shiva or Shakti (the consort of Shiva). Or they have strong associations with these principal deities of Hinduism.
• There are over 400 theyyams. Some of these are very important.

What are the major types of Theyyam?

• Vishnumoorthi:
  
  • There are only two Vaishnava Theyyams – Daivatar and Vishnumoorthi.
  • These Theyyams are believed to be the incarnations of Lord Vishnu.
  • This Theyyam narrates the story of Palanthai Kannan who was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu.
• Gulikan
  
  • Gulikan is believed to be an incarnation of Yama, the Hindu god of death and justice.
  • According to Indian mythology, Gulikan was one of the most important warriors of Lord Shiva.
• Kuttichathan:
  
  • It is the theyyam of Bhrahmin caste.
  • Kuttichathan theyyam is considered to have originated for Lord Shiva in Vishnu Maaya.

Major Dances in India

Source: TH