Theyyam, one of the most captivating and famous Indian dance forms, is an ancient ritualistic performance art native to northern Kerala. Performed in temples, festivals, and religious ceremonies, Theyyam dance rituals are dedicated to specific deities, revered ancestors, and mythological characters. Read on to see the various types of Theyyam in Kerala!
What is Theyyam?
Theyyam is a popular ceremonial dance form that originated in northern Kerala and is deeply rooted in its cultural and religious traditions dating back centuries.
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Theyyam has its roots in the beliefs of Kerala’s ancient tribes. There are 456 Theyyams and each type of Theyyam has a different meaning and is performed to worship or invoke a particular hero, ancestor, or deity.
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It is typically performed in temple courtyards before devotees seeking the blessings of that particular hero or deity being invoked.
Depending on the type of Theyyam, each dance is accompanied by skillful choreography, storytelling, mime, flamboyant costumes (Theyyakolam) and ornaments, vibrant make-up, and music played by traditional instruments like Chenda, Veeku Chenda, Elathalam, and Kurumkuzhal.
Best time to see the types of Theyyam in Kerala
October to May is the right time to visit northern Kerala to view several types of Theyyam performances in temples and ritualistic ceremonies.
November and December are the peak times to see Theyyam in Kerala, in addition to exploring the state’s top attractions and outdoor activities!
Theyyam is mostly performed in the northern Malabar region of Kerala, including Kasargod, Kannur, Wayanad’s Mananthavady Taluk, Kozhikode’s Vadakara and Koyilandy Taluks, and the Mahe districts.
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Classification of Theyyam
There are over 400 types of Theyyam born out of a blend of folklore, mythology, and community beliefs. Each can be broadly classified into the following categories depending on its theme, purpose, and origin.
- Deity Theyyam: To worship Hindu gods, goddesses, or invoke divine spirits to see blessings (like Vishnumoorthi Theyyam and Muthappan Theyyam)
- Hero Theyyam: To honor the legacy and bravery of local heroes or martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the community (like Pottan Theyyam and Kathivanoor Veeran Theyyam)
- Ancestral Theyyam: To invoke revered ancestors and spirits associated with one’s family or clan to seek blessings or resolve family disputes (like Gulikan Theyyam and Kandakarnan Theyyam)
- Animal/Bird Theyyam: To pay respect to the harmony between humans and nature by embodying an animal or bird, using linked to mythology or folklore (like Pulikali Theyyam and Pakshi Theyyam)
- Spirit Theyyam: To drive away evil spirits or supernatural entities, often linked to folklore (like Karinthandan Theyyam and Thondachan Theyyam)
- Protective Theyyam: To safeguard livelihoods, health, prosperity, and agriculture and protect entire villages and communities from disasters or evil forces (like Muchilottu Bhagavathi Theyyam and Padikutti Amma Theyyam)
Fun fact: Deva Kuthu Theyyam is the only Theyyam performed by female dancers! It is performed in the Thekkumbad Koolom Temple in Cherukunnu, Kannur, northern Kerala.
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Types of Theyyam: 12 most popular Theyyam in Kerala
There are over 456 Theyyam types and each has its own music, dance style, makeup, costume, and choreography.
Out of these, 12 are considered the most important and revered. We have compiled a list of all the major types of Theyyam in Kerala, India.
Practiced in different parts of God’s Own Country, these prominent Theyyam performances will let you experience the enchanting beauty of this cultural dance form up close!
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1. Vishnumoorthy Theyyam
A powerful art form involving complicated rituals and reverberating drum beats, Vishnumoorthy Theyyam is a representation of Lord Vishnu’s Narasimha avatar.
Performers skillfully narrate the tale of Palanthayi Kannan, Vishnu’s devoted follower who was wrongfully killed and avenged by the incarnation of Lord Vishnu! It is performed in temples and sacred groves before a large crowd.
The performers wear radiant costumes and makeup and present energetic and perfectly choreographed movements accompanied by traditional percussion music. It also involves daring fire rituals and rhythmic chants to symbolize the victory of good over evil.
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2. Sree Muthappan Theyyam
This unique type of Theyyam is performed to worship Lord Muthappan, a blend of Lord Shiva and Vishnu embodying the social values of unity and justice, and divine protection surpassing caste and religion.
Performers don elaborate costumes, paint their faces in bright colors, and showcase fierce choreography narrating Lord Muthappan’s divine interventions. Then devotees offer toddy, fish, cooked grains, coconuts, and roasted meat to the unorthodox deity and seek his blessings.
It is mostly performed in temples like Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple in Kannur district. Unlike other types of Theyyam, Sree Muthappan is performed year-round and not just during the Theyyam festival season!
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3. Gulikan Theyyam
This revered Theyyam form represents the deity Gulikan, who is believed to be an incarnation of Yama, the god of death and justice, and a manifestation of Lord Shiva as a protector and enforcer of justice.
This performance too involves flamboyant costumes, striking makeup, and fierce body movements. This choreography symbolizes power and authority and invokes Gulikan to drive away evil spirits.
Gulikan Theyyam, like other types of Theyyam, is accompanied by energetic dance rituals where performers enact mythical tales to the beats of traditional percussion music in temples and spiritual groves.
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4. Padikutti Amma Theyyam
Padikutti Amma is a sacred Theyyam in Kerala embodying divine feminine energy. Padikutti Amma is a revered nurturing deity associated with fertility, motherhood, and familial well-being.
With elaborately designed costumes, face art, and graceful moves, dancers enact her benevolent and motherly nature while devotees offer rice and flowers to seek her eternal blessing.
Performed primarily in the Palaprath Temple in Kadalur, Padikutti Amma Theyyam is a reenactment of her divine intervention to save worshippers and a rich display of Kerala’s heritage.
5. Muthappan Anthithira Theyyam
This powerful variant of Sree Muthappan Theyyam showcases the fierce and compassionate side of Lord Muthappan, portraying him as the protector of the weak and oppressed.
It stands out for its unique dual-sided costume featuring the powerful warrior Vettakorumakan in the front and Muthappan in the back, symbolizing the bond between power and compassion. Performers also wear an intricately designed crown adorned with coconut leaves and metallic embellishments.
It’s one of the most unique types of Theyyam where the fiery red attire and bold facial makeup evoke divine authority and the powerful performance with a bow and arrow represents justice and protection.
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6. Puthiya Bhagavathy Theyyam
This Theyyam in Kerala is a revered symbolic performance of goddess Bhagavathy, the goddess of fertility and protection. It’s one of those rare types of Theyyam that involve animal sacrifice to invoke this deity’s blessings and protection.
Performers of this Theyyam wear huge, ornate crowns and glittering costumes before capturing the attention of onlookers with fierce and energetic movements and soulful percussion music!
They enact the tale of how goddess Bhagavathy climbed out of a “homa kunda”, or sacrificial pyre, to cure Lord Shiva’s Smallpox. This Theyyam is performed in several shrines across Kannur, including Thalikkavu Bhagavathy Temple.
7. Perum Kaliyattam Theyyam
Dedicated to goddess Kali, this Theyyam is typically held after dusk and usually lasts till the early hours of the morning.
Invoking her strength and raw power, this Theyyam marks a rite of passage for performers who wear bold red and black costumes and perform fiery movements to rhythmic drumming, chants, and offerings.
Most commonly performed in Sree Bhagavathy Temple, Perum Kaliyattam is usually witnessed by a large crowd, sometimes reaching 10,000 in number, unlike most other types of Theyyam.
8. Agni Kandakarnan Theyyam
This is among the most captivating types of Theyyam where a lot of fireplay is involved! Performed at Kannuveedu Kadappuram Swami Madam in Kasargod and Pattara Sree Paradevatha Temple in Kozhikode at the same time, this Theyyam is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
The brave performers wear burning torches around their waist and on their towering headdresses, walk on burning charcoal, breathe fire, and display acrobatic stunts to the music of percussion instruments to honor the divine entity of Agni Kandakarnan and invoke purification by fire.
Held early in the morning during the Kaliyattam festival, this dance ritual is believed to bring peace and prosperity to the community and ward off evil spirits.
9. Padamadakki Bhagavathy Theyyam
Performed to honor the powerful goddess warrior Padamadakki Bhagavathi, this Theyyam is organized in the Koroth Temple in Kasargod district.
Legend has it that the Nileshwaram king had prayed to the goddess to seek help against an invading army and she answered his plea, rendering the attacking army unconscious.
So, a Theyyam dedicated to Padamadakki Bhagavathi is performed every year with vivid costumes and makeup, graceful moves, percussion music, and tons of offerings to thank the goddess and seek her divine blessings.
10. Manakkott Amma Theyyam
This is among the most interesting types of Theyyam revolving around the story of Manakkott Amma, a brave woman from the powerful Nair family in Nileshwar who once defied the caste system by drinking water from the same pot as an outcast.
It is believed she turned into a goddess after she was killed for this act. This Theyyam is dedicated to honoring her with ritualistic offerings and a vibrant Theyyam performance involving detailed costumes and headgear, elaborate facial expressions, fluid body movements, acrobatics, and traditional music.
It is performed in the Vairajathan Temple of Malappacherry in Nileshwar every April.
11. Kuttichathan Theyyam
This is the revered Theyyam of the Brahmin caste performed across Kerala. This prominent ritualistic Theyyam in Kerala embodies Kuttichathan, a mischievous god who is both a protector and trickster and is believed to grant the wishes of his devotees.
Performers wear striking costumes with ornate headdresses, plumage resembling peacock feathers on the back, and makeup dominated by red, black, and white colors to pay tribute to Kuttichathan’s dual nature of granting wishes and creating mischief!
The performances involve dynamic moves, fluid facial expressions, and storytelling reflecting Kerala’s cultural richness and traditions.
12. Kathivanoor Veeran Theyyam
This Theyyam is performed to worship Kathivanoor Veeran, a powerful deity, primarily in Kerala’s North Malabar region. Based on folklore, Kathivanoor Veeran is the manifestation of Mandappan Chekavar, a warrior of the Thiyya community.
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It’s performed in various temples across Kannur and Kasaragod where female worshippers make offerings to this deity to get a healthy husband! The skillful and experienced performers bewitch visitors with their flexible body movements and dynamic facial expressions to the tunes of traditional percussion music.
Usually performed early in the morning, Kathivanoor Veeran Theyyam is one of the most popular types of Theyyam in Kerala.
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There are 444 more types of Theyyam performed in Kerala, but these are the most revered and popular rituals. We urge you to plan your trip to Kerala in a way that you can see these dynamic and vivid performances that are bound to give you an incredible experience and bless you with good health and prosperity!
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