The goddess Kali with a sword in her right hand during a part of the performance that took place among members of the audience. Pazhur Damodara Marar and party. Musicians: Kuruppanmar Marar. Pazhur Damodara Marar and party. Musicians: Kuruppanmar Marar.
Rakteswari Theyyam: Naga Kali. The goddess Rakteswari (Rakteshwari, Rikteswari) is transformed into triumphant cobra, having eaten the raw eggs. Front view of ritual dancer in an altered state of consciousness, with an enormous twenty (?) foot cobra figure made of slats of palm wood attached to his back. The central bamboo “spine” of the cobra extends about 15 feet above the dancer’s head. Three drawings of small cobras are attached to the giant upright cobra, as if they are swimming upwards. The figure’s similarity to a penis and scrotum with travelling sperm-like cobras evokes the ritual’s objective of increasing fertility. Spectators watch.
Performance of a Sarpam pāṭṭu (song in honor of the snake god) thuḻḻal (dance that imitates the movement of a snake), a mystical ceremony to appease snake deities and bring prosperity to families, by appeasing the snake gods. The ritual ceremony takes place on and around a kolam (a floor painting of a five-headed snake created from colored powders, also called a nagakalam), conducted by members of the Pulluvan community including a priest, four performers (a young man, two girl kanyas and a young woman), and four musicians. The musicians, who sing, include two men playing vīṇā kunju, one man playing kuḍam, and one woman playing jālra. There is loudspeaker announcement near the end which is not included in the video of this Event. (34:15). Performed by V. P. Bahuleyan and party from Kāvayettu Vidu, Chāvara, P.O. Quilon.
The demon Darika, enemy of the goddess Kali. A helper holds a torch above his head. A musician plays a ceṇḍa (chenda). The explosion of light at the top of the image was created by the practice of thelli eriyal--throwing pine resin on a lit torch. Pazhur Damodara Marar and party. Musicians: Kuruppanmar Marar.
Kuli (Kooli), a comic or clown character, in a grass skirt with split green-and-black face, carries a mango tree branch through the audience. Pazhur Damodara Marar and party. Musicians: Kuruppanmar Marar.
An aṅkakkāran (fighter) character, seen in profile, dances. Thirayāṭṭam, "colorful dance," is a divine ritual dance-drama of the South Malabar district in Kerala state that blends dance, drama, songs, instrumental music, masking, and facial and bodily makeup.
Pillai Theeni Theyyam: The demon has transformed into pustule infested skin, wearing a split palm leaf skirt, with flames in his split palm leaf headdress. He is being restrained by ritualists from attacking the "pregnant" woman, as he reaches toward flames in diya oil lamp, while holding white chicken in his mouth which he thinks is the unborn child’s spirit. The woman is hiding behind a bunch of areca blossoms and being held up by a woman near singers, ceṇḍa and smaller viku ceṇḍa (chenda) drummers and cymbal players. The demon is played by the Malayan dancer and teacher P.K. Panicker (Pallipurattu House, Kizhara PO, Cannanore. Malayan and Panan communities).
Rakteswari Theyyam: Naga Kali. The goddess Rakteswari (Rakteshwari, Rikteswari), with a cobra image on crown, rises to her knees after devouring ten raw eggs, her face smeared with egg. Ceṇḍa (chenda) drummers drum behind her.
Thirayāṭṭam, "colorful dance," is a divine ritual dance-drama of the South Malabar district in Kerala state that blends dance, drama, songs, instrumental music, masking, and facial and bodily makeup. 1. Vellāttu of Thira. A kombu (kob) curving trumpet begins the prelude to the theyyam ritual dance/drama of Thira, the Goddess Kaliin the video but not heard in the audio recording) 2. Thottam/Stotram. Two men chant the introductory story, alternating with kombu blasts, two pounding ceṇḍas (chenda), and jālra clashes. A man marches in brandishing a sword with which he touches the altar. A procession of drummers begins offstage. 5. Aṅkakkāran (fighter) Thira. Two fighters enter the stage screaming. They represent youth. A flaming torch dance chutugettiyāṭṭu (?) is performed by the two fighters. Rhythm is provided by three ceṇḍas, two tudis, one jālra, and a kombu single note trumpet. Two fighters, representing mature adulthood, engage in battle with short sticks and round shields. A singer beats a drum in 7 beat cycles and sings.
A dancing aṅkakkāran (fighter) character, recorded by a man in the left foreground (Nazir Ali Jairazbhoy?). Thirayāṭṭam, "colorful dance," is a divine ritual dance-drama of the South Malabar district in Kerala state that blends dance, drama, songs, instrumental music, masking, and facial and bodily makeup.
