12-05-2025
Theyyam artists demand safer rituals as calls grow to reform dangerous traditions in Malabar
KANNUR: The theyyam community in northern Malabar is calling for a major shift in age-old customs that expose performers to serious physical risks. Amid growing concerns, theyyam artists and folklorists are urging immediate intervention from the government and judiciary to address the welfare of performers who suffer life-altering injuries during traditional rituals.
Malabar is witnessing deepening divisions over the safety of its artists, with demands intensifying for the ban on certain dangerous performances. A recent gathering of theyyam artists and folklorists called for an outright ban on Ottakolams — ritual performances believed to pose grave threats to the lives and well-being of the artists involved.
Gireesh Pookoth, a folklore researcher from Kannur, has appealed for an end to particularly hazardous rituals such as Theechamundi, Kandanarkelan, Puthiyabhagavathi, and Agnikanda Karnan. He warns that these performances subject artists to extreme physical danger.
'I've met numerous individuals who perform and assist in the preparation of theyyam kolams and have documented alarming testimonies. Some have had to undergo leg amputations, while others are battling severe, life-altering illnesses,' he said.
Kidney-related ailments are especially common among veteran theyyam performers. 'During performances, artists are required to tie tight knots as part of their elaborate costumes. They often remain dehydrated for nearly two days, unable to change attire or even relieve themselves. These harsh conditions have led to chronic kidney diseases, the symptoms of which often emerge only after the artists retire, leaving them to endure a miserable old age,' Gireesh added.
