Context:
Recently, Kerala Tourism department have started live streaming of an annual temple festival called Theyyam performances, to promote cultural tourism.
Relevance:
GS I- Art and Culture
What is Theyyam?
- Theyyam is a popular ritual form of dance worship in Kerala and Karnataka, India.
- It is also performed during the ‘Kaliyattam festival’.
- It is a popular tradition of thousands of years old based on dance prayer performed in temples of South India, especially Kerala and Karnataka.
- Most Theyyams are believed to be the incarnations of Shiva or Shakti (the consort of Shiva). Or they have strong associations with these principal deities of Hinduism.
- Theyyam is performed by males, except the Devakoothu theyyam; the Devakoothu is the only Theyyam ritual performed by women.
- Theyyam incorporates aspects of tribal and primitive religion through the worship of deities, warriors, tribal gods and Muslim characters based on ancient fables.
- During the performance artists do a lot of adornment and wear royal clothes and jewellery.
- It is performed only in the Thekkumbad Kulom temple.
-Source: The Hindu
