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Theyyam

Watch an animistic festival in all its glory

In the North Malabar stretch of Kerala, the folk ritual of Theyyam – a cult-worshipping tradition, can be traced back thousands of years to the Neolithic period. During the few days of the part-dance part-extreme ritual festival, the Theyyam performers are elevated to the status of Gods. The terrifying, awe-inspiring performance includes over 400 different styles of dance, invocations, rites and walking or leaping onto mounds of hot coals by priests wearing elaborate costumes, bright face paint and carrying cult weapons. Theyyams worship ancestors, heros, spirits, trees, animals, serpents, among others, and the animistic rituals have been overlaid by more mainstream religious iconography and practices.

Not for the faint-hearted, the Theyyam tradition is a rare, fascinating insight into the cultural diversity of India and happens in numerous shrines across the state of Kerala in the month of February.

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