Theyyam
The night the gods return | ritual folk art in Kerala
Cotton threads
twisted into wicks,
dipped in oil —
flames flicker from hanging brass lamps.
The inner sanctum glows
in soft amber light.
The idol, garlanded in blossoms
Men in white mundu
guard each threshold.
The chenda begins —
a hypnotic thunder.
So loud my eardrum trembles,
my pulse stumbles to keep up.
I stand in the courtyard,
breathing coconut oil
curling thick through the air.
Painted dancers whirl past —
eyes widened,
faces blazing vermilion and black —
already elsewhere.
In trance.
Deities hover in the humid night,
a feast of spirit and flesh.
Tonight they will live again
in temple courtyards,
pounding bare feet into earth,
metal anklets clashing,
headdresses swaying,
skirts aflame with movement.
Legends stepping into skin.
Gods dancing before us.
Theyyam is a ritual performance tradition from North Kerala, particularly in Kannur and Kasaragod. The word comes from daivam, meaning “god.”
During the Theyyam season (November to May), men from specific hereditary communities transform into deities through strict ritual preparation, elaborate face painting, towering headdresses, layered skirts, fire rituals, and hours of drumming.
For the duration of the ritual, the performer is not seen as an actor — he is believed to embody the deity itself. Devotees approach him for blessings, counsel, healing, and justice.
For one night, myth breathes.
And the gods walk barefoot on red earth.
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