Latest news with #Theeyattu
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Sparks of defiance
By: Ganesh Neelakandan By training his daughter to become the first woman in Ayyappan Theeyattu , master practioner Thiyyadi Raman Nambiar quietly defied tradition to secure the art's future As she gave dakshina (offering) and touched the feet of her father and guru Thiyyadi Raman Nambiar, Aryadevi T R was not seeking just a ceremonial blessing to learn everything he had mastered over six decades, but some true courage to go ahead. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now She believed she needed that as well to become the first woman to step into Ayyappan Theeyattu, which has been a male bastion for centuries. The 39-year-old performed koothu on Sankaramohanam, the last of the 12 phases of Amrutha Madhanam tale, which narrates the life of Lord Ayyappa, on a school premises in Tripunithura, dedicating it to master practitioner Nambiar on his 70th birthday on July 26. Ayyappan Theeyattu is an offering made to Lord Ayyappa through kalam (drawing on floor), thottam (singing), koothu and a dance by a komaram (oracle). Ayyappa is portrayed in the kalam as sitting on horseback, with wife Prabha and son Sathyaka, unlike the usual Sabarimala depiction. 'Having seen the Theeyattu from close proximity right from childhood, I knew the intricacies, both as a ritual and as an art form but performing it was different altogether,' Aryadevi said. Her Kathakali knowledge --- she is a graduate from RLV College of Music and Fine Arts in Tripunithura -- came in handy while performing koothu. The training she had received in drawing has been helpful while putting finishing touches to kalams. In hindsight, Nambiar equipped his daughter with the skills to take up Ayyappan Theeyattu, performed traditionally by men from eight families belonging to the Thiyyadi community based in central Kerala, thinking that a day would arrive when she could be fielded, breaking barriers. 'It was rather easy to teach Arya the finer points of Ayyappan Theeyattu. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Convincing some of the members of my family and community was the most arduous task. They all feared the deity's curse. One warned Arya of mental illness,' said Nambiar. 'I understand their concern, and I was not being arrogant. For me, every single person counts in taking Ayyappan Theeyattu forward,' Nambiar said. His son Vasudevan T R, who too had learned Kathakali from RLV College, regularly joins him for the Theeyattu. He has high hopes about his nephews T K Sreevalsan and T V Vishnu Narayanan, while another Gulf-based nephew, Malamakkavu Vasudevan is brushing up his knowledge at Nambiar's quiet home in Tripunithura. Nambiar also taught a woman and a boy --- Niranjana Varma and Rakesh Kurup --- from outside his community which was unimaginable at one time. 'We took the ritual outside the premises of temples and illams in the 1990s, knowing fully well that, as with many other traditional art forms, Ayyappan Theeyattu too must exist here as an art form but without losing its ritualistic values. Outside venues offer it a chance for grandeur. For example, a small temple cannot afford the ritual of breaking 12,000 coconuts considering the money involved,' said Nambiar. But for a true lover or student of traditional arts, the verticals of dance, music and percussion run deep in Ayyappan Theeyattu. 'Come and join us,' says Nambiar, who is fully into the art form after retiring as deputy manager at BPCL and has authored two books.
New Indian Express
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
The return of Theeyattu: Pallipurathu Kavu rekindles an ancient fire
KOCHI: Amid the bustle of modern life, an ancient ritual art form is not just surviving but finding new life in a quiet pocket of Kottayam town. Theeyattu, a vibrant dance-drama traditionally performed within the hallowed confines of Bhadrakali temples, is witnessing a remarkable revival. Once a rare spectacle, this sacred performance now lights up the Pallipurathu Kavu in Kottayam almost every day, offering a vivid glimpse into Kerala's rich spiritual and artistic heritage. Theeyattu, which intricately narrates the ferocious battle between Goddess Bhadrakali and the demon Darikasura, culminating in the goddess' triumphant victory, is primarily known for its two forms: Bhadrakali Theeyattu and Ayyappan Theeyaattu. The Bhadrakali form, the focus of the revival, remains largely confined to a small geographical pocket stretching from Kottayam to Vaikom and is performed exclusively by the Theeyattunni community. The Ayyappan Theeyattu, which depicts the story of Lord Ayyappa, though has been much popular in the northern parts throughout. Sasidharan Sharma, a 70-year-old artist from the Theeyattunni community, corroborates this surge, stating, 'Earlier, there were only a few offerings at the temple, but now the Theeyattu offerings have gone up substantially. While 'Nadel Theeyattu' is performed on almost all days, an average of 60 'Valiya Theeyattu' performances are held at the temple a year.' Sharma, who has been consistently performing the ritualistic art at Pallipurathu Kavu since 2022, now stages an impressive 200 plays a year, a testament to the art form's renewed popularity. 'Bhadrakali Theeyattu is performed exclusively by a particular community — Theeyattunnis. Presently only four or five families are performing the art. This highlights the critical importance of temples like Pallipurathu Kavu in sustaining the artistic lineage,' he adds. 'Now on most days, offerings are being done at Pallipurathu Kavu,' observes writer Manoj Kuroor, also the head of the Malayalam Department at NSS College and a scholar deeply connected to Kerala's performing arts. 'People too have become much more religious, which drives the demand for these offerings.'
