Next: about 1 Nov to 29 Apr 2027
The Theyyam season of north Kerala
From autumn to late spring, men in towering costumes become gods in village shrines and bless the people who kneel before them.
About The Theyyam season of north Kerala
In the Kannur and Kasaragod districts of Kerala, the Theyyam season begins after the monsoon and runs until about May. Performers from specific communities paint their faces, put on huge headdresses and skirts of palm leaf and, after hours of ritual, are believed to become the deity, who then speaks to devotees, hears their problems, gives blessings and sometimes predicts. The gods include forms of Kali, ancestors, heroes and spirits of the dead, and a performance in a household's own shrine is often a way of settling family trouble. Performers belong to castes ranked low in society, yet the god they embody is bowed to by all, a reversal that scholars regard as central to the form. Ritual authority is held within families, with training lasting many years.
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Written by the EveryJaadu desk with AI assistance. Background: "Theyyam" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family, and are described as belief and practice. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.