Theyyam

 Theyyam  is a popular ritual form of North Malabar in Kerala,predominant in the Kolathunadu area (including present Kannur, Kasargod districts, Mananthavady Taluk of Wayanad and Vatakaraanad Koyilandy Taluks of Kozhikod of Kerala ) also in south canara and kodagu of karnataka as a living cult with several thousand year old traditions , rituals and customs.

 The performers of theyyam belongs to lower caste community and have an important position in theyyam.  It is one of the main income source of that community its self . Some of such  cast include  Malaya, Vannan , etc. People of these districts consider Theyyam itself as a God and they seek blessing from this Theyyam.
       There is a lots of Theyyams.  They are performed by different peoples belongs to there cast basis.There where a lots of theyyams some of themes are discussed are as follows.

Vishnu Murthy


   The history of Vishnu Murthy is associated with Chekan, a valiant Palli Punna Kannan. Kannan was the servant of Kuru Kuruppu's house at Neeleshwaram. Kannan came from the hand of the manga kuppu from the kannan who was eating the mango from a single parrot. Kannan landed in Mangalapuram after landing. Karumanayil compliance with 

virutanatayullearu Kannan was many things to many karumam        

kuruvatanumayittannalilitapatuntayi from the iPad stowed in the north and
western parts of the Torah mentions that visnumurttiyute.   

ottakolam

vishnu murthy

Kannan got shelter in a Thayatharavat in Mangalore. Vishnu Moorthy was the patriarch of that house. Kannan became a devotee of the Hindu Goddess Lamps in the Palliyara. Twelve years passed, one day in the dream and in the form of the pearl, he took him with his wallet and asked him to return home. The watch was seen shaking and scratched. He traveled with the wallet and the mother of that house gave him a tile. Kannan who returned to Neeleshwar had reached the house of his calamitous husband Kanaatadan Maniyanathu, and the Kallavadan hacked the Kannan to kill him after taking his food. Kurup returned to his home and saw all the troubles. In the process, they began to take care of theMother of that house gave him a tile. Kannan who returned to Neeleshwar had reached the house of his calamitous husband Kanaatadan Maniyanathu ,and Kallavadan hacked the Kannan to kill him after taking the food. The watch was seen shaking and scratched. He traveled with the wallet and the urup returned to his home and saw all the troubles. In the process, they began to take care of the gods and goddesses. The watch was seen shaking and scratched. He traveled with the wallet and the mother of that house gave him a tile. Kannan who returned to Neeleshwar had reached the house of his calamitous husband Kanaatadan Maniyanathu, and the Kallavadan hacked the Kannan to kill him after taking the food. Kurup returned to his home and saw all the troubles. In the process, they began to take care of the gods and goddesses.

Prapoyil sri vayanattu kulavan temple

Vishnu Murti is the one of Narasimha devotees of Lord Vishnu. This is the root cause of the theyyam is the koilkadipadi in Jeep, Mangalapuram. The Vaikunta Temple is another major attraction of the Neeleswaran

Sri Muthappan

Muthappan is believed to be the personification of two divine figures — Thiruvappana and Vellatom. The dual divine figures Thiruvappana and Vellatom are similar to those of the Theyyamkaliyattem of the northern Malabar region. Though Sri Muthappan is worshiped as a single deity, it actually represents an integrated or unified form of two gods: Vishnu (with a fish-shaped crown) and Shiva (with a crescent-shaped crown).

muthappan vellattam

Sree Muthappan's Theyyams are performed year-round whereas other Theyyams are seasonal (lasting October to May).

Parasinikkadavu sri muthappan temple 

Vayanatt Kulavan
Vayanatt kulavan can be considered as one of the most furious and acrobatic theyyams which are performed. The ferocious state is expressed in a comical way. Theyyam is usually performed with a bit of holy alcohol called Toddy. Vayanatt Kulavan is believed to be originated when Lord Shiva and Parvathi took the form of Hunters. The tale of origin is associated with Lord Shiva and Parvathy.

wayanattu kulavan

Once they were traveling through forest called madhuvanam. Madhu means Toddy(Alcohol) and Vanam means Forest. Lord Shiva used to intake the toddy that used to drip from the trees(During those days, toddy used to drip from the bottom of the trees). Parvathy disliked this habit. One day when Shiva went for the intake, he found that the toddy which used to drip from the bottom had gone upwards. This agitated him. Shiva became furious. This trick was infact done by Parvathy Devi. In order to fetch the toddy, Shiva created a divine person, by tapping on his thigh. This devine person is considered as the son of Shiva, Son was assigned the taks of fetching toddy from top of the tree. He got on top of the tree and started having the toddy himselves. Lord Shiva warned him not to have toddy from madhuvanam. The son ignored the warning and continued the consumption. Lord Shiva became angry with this and cursed the son to go blind. Later he was provided with "False Eyes" and sent to earth to protect the people. It was in wayanad where he first descended on the way to earth. He was thus called Wayanad Kulavan OR wayanatt kulavan. Wayanatt kulavan who was destined to fetch toddy for Lord Shiva had a lot of followers and theeya caste seems to be originated in this fashion. Wayanatt kulavan theyyam is usually performed during the night time with the aid of light generated by lighting the dry coconut leaves torch(Chootta or Choott) During the first journey of Wayanatt Kulavan theyyam, the torch gets lit off and theyyam threw the torch as well as the silver eye(False eye). The place where the torch and the silver eye fell is now a holy place and Wayanatt kulavan theyyam is usually performed yearly at this place. Hunting is an inevitable act in Wayanatt Kulavan theyyam performance.

Pottan Theyyam

The myth behind the ‘Pottan Theyyam’ is traced to Sree Sankaracharya. While the latter was preparing to climb the `Sarwanjha Peedam’, considered to be the throne of knowledge, Lord Siva appeared disguised as a Dalit, with the intention to test his knowledge and sincerity. Lord Siva came as ‘Pulapottan’, accompanied by ‘Pulachamundi’, Parvathy Devi in disguise and ‘Pulamaruthan’, his minister Nadikesan. The Sankaracharya asked to go away as he did not want to be polluted by members of the lower caste. ‘Pottan’, who was Lord Siva in disguise, engaged Sankaracharya in a series of arguments in which the former exposes the insignificance of the caste system which divides the humanity and civilization into ridiculous fragments. These arguments are the major chants eulogized in `Thottam’ and contains  great social messages.

thee pottan (fire pottan)

As a kind of question –answer teaching, Lord Shiva disguised as Pulaya Pottan asks the Sankaracharya, “If there is a cut on the body, the blood will come out and the blood of mine and yours will have the same color. So, what is the difference between us?”  The Sankaracharya then  realizes that it is Lord Shiva who is examining his knowledge and kindness towards the humanity. “It is blood that flows through our veins and we all are human beings; as we have to live in unity.” This teaching was the main message that Shiva offered to Sankaracharya.
Even now during the Pottan theyyam performance, the performer chants all these teachings aloud to spread the message of humanity. There are a few other myths too in the emergence and performance of Pottan theyyam.

Karinjamundi

The myth behind 'karinjamundi theyyam ' is traced  top parvathi . This theyyam is roles like god Parvathy. This is a lady character based god . The karinjamundi amma (mother) is mainly came at early morning in the light of choottu ( a special type of light which is created by the leaf of coconut tree)