Our Story....

Sri. M.Karunakaran Nambiar,Advocate.​ 

 

A few generations ago the ancestors of the “Makkunis” migrated from the hills of Wynad to the plains at Chovva in Malabar. They settled down there as agriculturists and prospered. As they came down from the hills, they brought with them their family deities, the Chief of them being Wynadukulavan - Master of Wynad .They lived a peaceful life at Chovva, when the invasion of Tippu Sultan shook their traditions and customs, they migrated to the interior village of Azhikode, where they constructed their family house – known as tharwad. Their tharwad was known as “Makkuni” – the word derived from the fact that at Chovva they acquired a small kuni (a raised land in the middle of agricultural field) – where there were several Mango trees. The collection of Mango trees in a kuni gave them the name “Makkuni – people settled in a mango grove on a raised land surrounded by agricultural fields. This name stuck even after their flight from Chovva to Azhikode.

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Our Theyyams:

The word “Theyyam” is derived from the word “Daiwam” (which means God). A Theyyam is considered to be a representative of family deity, or a great ancestor, or some great warrior associated with the family. ‘Theyyams’ were performed annually from the Tharwad house to propitiate the Gods, the karanavars and the warriors. The Theyyams performed at night extends throughout the night to the early hours of the morning. The annual event, eagerly awaited is also an occasion for family reunion and festivity when all the family members meet in their ancestral house. Spirituality is combined with relaxation and celebration with a sumptuous dinner for everybody present.. The purpose of these Theyyams is to portray the deities and propitiate them for the general welfare of the members of the tharwad.

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Various characters involved in the Theyyams

 

The performances of the Theyyam, who portray the deities, are drawn from the Vannan and Malayan Communities, members of the scheduled caste. They were original tribal dancers who accomplished great liquidity of movements with an expertise to dance in measured steps, to the beat of the drums and music. Their resplendent customs and gorgeous colors distinguish the Theyyam. Solemn chanting of invocatory songs first propitiates every Theyyam. These songs are meant to “possess” the ‘impersonators’ with the potency of the deity. Once ‘possessed’ they perform a vigorous elliptical dance in the courtyard of the tharwad house. They dance, with frenzy and quick measured movements, to the deafening beat of the drums and exciting music. The whole atmosphere is overawed and surcharged with gracious splendor and creates a feeling that the members of the tharwad are revitalized, reunited and reminded of the grandeur of their past glory.

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1. Dharma Daiwam​

2. Paradewatha

3. Kandanar Kelan

4. Wynatt Kulavan

5. Gulikan

 

Their Vellattam first precedes all Theyyams. A Vellattam is really an invocatory dance performed by the stimulator of the Theyyam. He gives a message of the Theyyam and is accompanied by a ‘Komaram’ (an attendant) who raises the tempo reciting in great speed the history of the valuable historic accumulations and are the close preserves of the Komarams. After the Vellattam, the theyyam comes. The propitiations of the family deities have a great spiritual background. These deities are individualist concepts of the infinite. The limitation of the finite human mind will find it difficult to comprehend the grandeur of the infinite. It requires spiritual discipline to reach the higher levels of spirituality. The technology of individualization of deities, their propitiation and rituals and customs, are steps to set our minds to the one supreme power that alone exists. “EKAM SAD VIPRA BAHUDHA VADANTI”“One alone exists, sages call it by various names”.

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1. Dharma Deivam:

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This Theyyam ‘impersonates’ an ancient karanavan of the family. Like Mahabali of old, he comes to the tharwad to see all his nephews and nieces and their progeny to wish them well and bless them. When the Theyyam comes, he is received by the head of the tharwad, the ruling karanavan or his deputy, by showering rice over his head and washing his feet with water, poured from a kindi (a bell metal vessel with a pipe like adjunct). After the welcome he receives from the males of the family their offerings, the Theyyam moves where the ladies of the tharwad have congregated. There also he is welcomed with lighted lamps and showering of rice. Thereafter he performs the dance. All Theyyams have headgears. For some the headgears are incredulously long and immensely weighty. For others, it may be of medium size and even slightly moderate. The Vellattams have no headgear but have a sort of a helmet. The headgear (or Mudi) of the Dharma Deivam is big. He dances with meticulous precision and in measured steps and the vigor, grace, elegance and style of the dance is captivating.

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2. The Paradevatha:

There it is the ‘Goddess’. Her arrival is a moment of suspense and expectation eagerly watched by the lady folk. ‘She’ represents fertility and the very expression of the face of this goddess radiates a feeling of sustained security, the warm glow of the cascading love of a mother to her children. In Hindu philosophy, the cosmic energy is represented as a female. Supreme consciousness is Brahmin. It is the polarization of energy and consciousness that cause the projection of the manifested universe. She has a headgear of medium size and of a type different from that of the ‘male gods.’ The Vellattam of Paradevata is known as Elamkolam.

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3. Kandanar Kelan:

his theyyam represents an ancient warrior who had sacrificed his life for one of our ancestors. . The story goes that in the attempt in the fight to save the life of one of our ancestors he was engulfed by fire from all four sides and eventually was consumed by the flames. The ‘impersonator’ of Kandanar Kelan also jumps into fire when he performs the dance. The Theyyam jumps into the Meleri (fire kept burning by dry wood and cadjan leaves) and recklessly dances in the fire with gay abandon. When this awe inspiring ritual takes place, all those assembled are engrossed in prayers. Despite the fact Kandanar Kelan hails from a different community all the members of the aristocratic Nayar tharwad were prepared to treat him as deity.

​4. Wynattu Kulavan:

This Theyyam represents the family deity of our tharwad. When our ancestors left their wealth and home in the hills and dales of Wynad, for pastures new, they took with them their family deity. This family deity has a permanent place in the sanctum sanctorum of the family house. This room where this deity has been installed along with their ancestors is the southern most room in the tharwad house. It is known as “Kottila Akam”. Members of the tharwad offer their silent prayers from this room and receive blessing of their family deity.
This God is blind and the portrayer of the deity puts a silver cup enclosing the eyes to show that he is blind. This God is addicted to alcoholic drinks. He is an aspect of Lord Shiva and the story goes that he had disobeyed a mandate of Lord Shiva that he should not visit his palm groves where there was a distillery. Wynadukulavan was overjoyed when he found this palm grove where toddy was available in plenty. He got himself drunk, inebriated and he drowned himself in drinks and lost his eyesight. Thus blind ,he turned to Lord Shiva who gave him a position in the Pantheon of Gods. He is our family deity and by his inner light leads us from darkness to light.

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5.Gulikan:

Lastly we have a lesser God. He is supposed to have the evil of Satan and when, not properly propitiated could be a source of endless worry. Fearing the evil and mischief that his is capable of generating, Gulikan has been raised to the pedestal of a Theyyam.

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Duration of the event

The date of the Theyyam is fixed after consulting the astrologer. The event starts usually by performance of a Ganapathy Homam to Lord Vigneswara or Ganapathy to remove any hindrance, friction, frustration or obstacles for the smooth conduct of the Theyyam. The obstacles that come in the way, which may lead to the postponement of the Theyyam, are birth or death in the family. It really requires the grace of God to steer clear of all obstacles. The invocating prayers start from the Kottam, a small mini temple, near the tharwad house, at about 3 P.M. The Kottam is a place where our ancestors installed the principle deity of the family. That is a place where the female members of the tharwad light the lamps every day at dusk.
After the invocatory prayers, the Vellattam of the Theyyam start from the Kottam and proceed to the courtyard of the tharwad house. Then follow the Theyyams. The whole event goes throughout the night till the early hours of the morning.
The Theyyams end up their performance by the removal of their headgear which marks the termination of the Theyyam festival.

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Then the Gurusi:

In a flat vessel (Uruli), manjal (turmeric) and lime paste or powder are mixed with water. The water turns red. Ixora (chekki) flowers and bits of banana leaves are put in it. Then the karanavan or his deputy does worship with signs of the hands (mudra) and repeats slokas (usually from Vishnu Sahasranamam). Then there is the’ tarpanam’ (offering of the water in the vessel). The vessel is upturned. That marks the end .

After the termination of the Theyyam and the performance of the Gurusi the Wynattu Kulavan, goes to all the thavazhi houses to bless all the members of the tharwad individuals. After this he returns back to the Kottam and all the festivals are concluded.

 

The members who had gathered the previous day in the tharwad house return to their perspective house. The river of lives flows uninterruptedly and all wait for the next year when the Theyyam is to start usually between last week of April and mid-May.