For Keralalites art is
nothing but life. Is is believed that art is their life’s gratification; so
that is very difficult to single out the folk art from their routine life. Kannur or Cannanore in North Kerala ( Malabar)
is proud of being one of the leading place which gives fore-most importanceto
folk arts and for preserving traditional ad ancient cultures. Theyyam or
Theyyatam is one of the best beautiful, traditional
ritualistic form of North Kerala (Malabar). This is the product of a synthesis
of ritual, vocal and instrumental music, dance, painting, sculpture and also
literature. It is another form of God
and Goddess and it keeps the divine voice to devotees. Since the interest in it
is there in the blood of the people, the Theyyams survives the onslaught and
science and politics over the ages.
Theyyam, a colourful ritual dance of Kerala that attributes great importance to the worship of heroes and ancestral spirit, it is a socio-religious ceremony. The Theyyam festival usual held in from October to May every year. The colourful pageantry, the enthusiastic crown and the religious favour are all worth witnessing. Every village in North kerala was bound to perform in the connection with the local shrine(Kavu). Theyyams are performed before the shrines. The sacred dance is believed to bring about wellbeing for the society and the family. Theyyam also called Kaliyattom present s divine forms as well as heroes from history and myth. The indigenous Theyyam cult under the influence of the great classical Indian tradition in corporate with new ideals and legends. It’s an unique combination of dance music and also reflects the main features of a tribal culture. Theyyam performance has an Aura of divine splendour as it is accompanied by rituals and other devotions hymns. Certain dangerous feats performed by the Theyyams are again attributed to the divine power vibrating in them during the performance like Thaiparadevatha Theyyam, Thee Chamundi Theyyam and Puthiya Bhagavathy Theyyam etc.
