KANNUR: It’s that time of the year in northern Malabar. As the sacred groves, known as kavus, bustle with activity in preparation for festivities, numerous WhatsApp groups are busy coordinating the theyyam calendar for the season.
One such group, ‘Theyyam Calendar’, has been providing timely updates on schedules at various kavus for the past ten years. With over 3,500 members, the group has become an essential resource for tourists visiting the region to experience the theyyam ritual.
“We are celebrating a decade in the service of theyyam enthusiasts. The group was started in 2014 with just a few members. Today, we have around 3,500 members. Many similar WhatsApp groups are operating under different names. Some groups function exactly like ours. Over the past few years, our group has become the go-to guide for many who wish to visit theyyam,” said Prabakaran, founder of the Theyyam Calendar group.
“From Sineka, a native of Poland, who inspired me to start the group, to Sergei, a Russian who visits Malabar every year to experience theyyam, both foreigners and locals have found the Theyyam Calendar WhatsApp group incredibly helpful. It’s worth mentioning that under the auspices of our group, we’ve been able to provide medical assistance when needed and honour Narayana Peruvannan, who received the Padma Sri, in a grand manner.”
Recalling the early days, he said, “When the group began, it was challenging to get information about theyyam festivals. Members would collect posters from notice boards at Kavus and even visit bus stands to hear announcements. We took photos of the notices and shared them in the group. This year, to mark our 10th anniversary, we are issuing an online calendar on a limited scale, along with a digital weekly edition called ‘Chayilyam’.”
DTPC invites contributions from public for calendar
In tandem with these efforts, the Kannur District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) is collaborating with theyyam enthusiasts in northern Malabar to create an enhanced performance calendar. The DTPC has invited public contributions to compile a more detailed calendar that will include dates, locations, and maps.
Rather than preparing a separate calendar each year, the DTPC is gathering information that can be updated annually. The calendar will be organised by taluk for easy access. In the next phase, the goal is to expand the calendar further by incorporating photo of kavus, as well as images and videos of theyyam performances.