Kannur: Channeling Gods, and choosing to stay and relax on the beach

Wow, Theyyum rituals!

In my travel guide this was the one thing i really wanted to see outside of Karunai Illam. Theyyum is local to this northern area in Kerala; It has pre-Hindu origins, and is thought to have come from the tribes people in the hills to the west. The gods are either local ones, or local aspects of the Hindu Gods such as Vishnu.

Specific families can only do certain Gods at certain temples - so it is a caste based lineage. The people who perform are of the lower castes, it was their way of connecting to the deities when not really being allowed to join in with higher caste temple functions. THe drummers are also from a caste lineage. Training begins young from father to son.

A village will organise a Theyyum; at about 5-7 at night the man who becomes the God will be mentally preparing for the transformation, applying makeup and costume, possibly with help. By the end of this he is shown himself in a mirror and the transformation is complete, a totally different persona, not quite haughty, but extremely composed and confident. The drums have been getting more and more exciting, and now he (or now she if it is a female God) will usually begin by walking around and around three times the temple at the centre of throngs of people (including a few gangly serious faced gawking foreigners).

Then the dancing! The God leads/conducts the drummers with His steps, in an elaborate dance specific to each God where they will bless the temple Gods and people. after this was finished, that God would hold question-answer blessing session for the villagers, and another Theyyum would begin.

Then we would go back to the hotel, and if any f the old people there were up fpr it i would share a taxi back at about 4am to see the grand finale. At about this time the gods would take on their Mature aspect, and would be in Amazing elaborate and occasionally huge costumes. They would do things like fall into hot coals over and over again, with wilder dancing. A marathon effort I have to say.

More soon!

xoxo