THE deities are getting ready with their colourful costumes and emblematic headgear. Kozhikode Nanmanda Venu with nearly twenty artists from north Malabar is all set to perform the sacred ritual dance in the traditional way. At the Tripunithura Adampilly Kavu Bhagavathy temple they will present a colourful and divine night with the staging of thirayaattom aka Bhagavathy theyyam on 15th August, Saturday.
Theyyam or thirayaattom is the wide version of mudiyettu, a unique ethnic theatre performance practised in central Kerala, especially in Ernakulam district. What makes theyyam different from mudiyettu is the convergence of colours in the costume and the special make up of the actors.
Thirayaattom, rich with the rustic theatrical elements, is rooted in the mother goddess concept. From time immemorial this art form has remained the mode of worship among the rural people of Malabar.
People residing in Kozhikode, Payyannoor and other remote villages in Kannur district use this purely ethnic theatre form as their medium to communicate with the Almighty.
The theyyam performance at Adampilly Bhagavathy temple will unravel the story of Ghandakarnan, a puranic character believed to be born after the thandava dance of lord Shiva. Prior to the formal staging of thirayattom, the theyyam artists will create a rhythmic conglomeration using ethnic drums which they consider the curtain raiser for the nightlong mega show of thirayattom.
After deeparadhana, the formal beginning of this ritualistic drama will begin by 7 pm with the traditional theyyam purappadu that will be followed by the staging of Bhagavathy theyyam. The artist who assumes the role of goddess will present a ritualistic dance form which is closer to the marital art forms of northern Kerala. Then the real Gandhakarna theyyam will start narrating the story of the birth of Ghandakarnan in a dramatic way.
The characters appearing in this traditional theatre art form evoke a devout mood coinciding with the humour created by some comic characters like Kariyaathan, Bhairavan, Gulikan and Kuttichathan.
The entry of the main Bhagavathy theyyam will be accompanied by the ritualistic rhythm presented by specially trained percussionists who know even the minutest movement of the characters. The comic characters like Kariathan will frequently interact with the viewers whereas the Bhagavathy theyyam will shower blessings on devotees at the end of the show.
The most attractive element in this ethnic theatrical art form is the spectacular colour combination adopted for divine characters. The artists observe some strict conventional customs before donning the divine characters. Specially designed headgear and skillfully woven tender palm leaves add to the beauty of each character.
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