Description:

      Theyyam, also known as Teyyam, Theyam, or Theyyattam, is a revered ritual dance form practiced in northern Kerala and southern Karnataka, India. This ancient tradition encompasses rich customs, rituals, and traditions that have been followed for thousands of years. The local communities perceive Theyyam as a direct connection to the divine, seeking blessings through its performances. With around 456 distinct types, Theyyam is primarily performed by male artists, except for the Devakoothu Theyyam, a ritual exclusively performed by women. This unique Theyyam variant takes place solely at the Thekkumbad Kulom temple.

         In Kerala, Theyyam holds a prominent place in the North Malabar region, comprising Kasargod, Kannur Districts, Mananthavady Taluk of Wayanad, and Vadakara and Koyilandy Taluks of Kozhikode. A similar practice called Bhuta Kola is observed in the neighboring Karnataka, specifically in the Mangalore region.

          During the annual Theyyam festival in Kerala, male performers wear a breast and torso plate as part of their elaborate attire. Alongside ornate headgear, masks, ankle and arm ornaments, and body paint, the breastplate adds to their transformation into the revered deities Bhagwati or Bhadrakali, the Mother Goddesses (Devi) worshipped in Kerala. Bhadrakali is considered an auspicious and fortunate form of Kali and is generally regarded as the consort of Shiva in his Rudra manifestation.

       The traditional breastplate, crafted from bronze and brass, features intricate details such as sculpted cobras. Snakes, symbolizing Shiva, are also associated with fertility. By embodying the divine form, Theyyam performers become vessels through which the voice and spirit of divinity manifest

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