Theyyam in Kannur

Theyyam is performed in the shrines and sacred groves of north Malabar between roughly December and March, and it is not a representation: the performer, from communities traditionally placed low in the caste order, undergoes preparation and make-up over hours, puts on a costume that can include headdresses several metres high and skirts of coconut leaf, and is then regarded as the deity itself, dancing to drums, speaking as the god and giving blessings to villagers including those from castes above his own. Some forms involve fire, with performers rolling in or leaping through embers. Hundreds of distinct theyyams exist.

What you actually see

• The transformation - hours of make-up and preparation before the deity arrives.
• The costumes - headdresses metres high and coconut leaf skirts.
• The fire theyyams - forms involving embers and burning structures.
• The blessings - villagers receiving words from the performer as deity.

When to go

December to March, when the season runs; performances happen at particular shrines on set dates in the local calendar and are not scheduled for visitors. Most run through the night into dawn.

Honest expectations

These are religious rituals in village shrines, not performances, and visitors are guests. Photography is often restricted and permission should be asked. Finding one requires local information; homestays in Kannur usually help.

Nearby

Kannur lies on the coast; Bekal is north.