devakooth – Santiago the Shepherd

With the onset of the Theyyam season-usually by the last week of October-the rhythm of everyday life in northernmost Kerala begins to transform. Nights grow sleepless, with one Theyyam or another unfolding in the immediate neighbourhood or a nearby village. The steady drumbeats, ritual chants, bursts of firecrackers, stalls selling toys and balloons, and makeshift sweet vendors all come together in a spectacle that is loud, blindingly colourful, vibrant, and impossible to ignore.

For those of us born and raised in the Kannur and Kasaragod districts of North Kerala, Theyyam is not merely a performance; it is a feeling-an inseparable part of childhood memory and collective identity. I was no different.

Looking back, more than a decade ago, I chose to step away from a comfortable career in the IT industry and return to my home village. What brought me back, I believe, was the strong pull of Theyyam and the deep human and cultural connections rooted in this land.

Even today, Theyyam never ceases to surprise me-with its hundreds of distinct forms and stories, its diverse natural settings, and the multitude of unique rituals that accompany each manifestation. During the Theyyam season (from October to May), thousands of events take place across the region. Numerous gods and goddesses are invoked-many of them female divinities who once raised their voices against male-dominated and upper-caste social structures. Yet, with the exception of a single Theyyam performed during one specific event, all other Theyyams are traditionally enacted by men.

After years of waiting for the right opportunity, I finally had the chance to experience this rare and powerful ritual-Devakooth, the only Theyyam performed by women-last week. There was something profoundly distinctive about the drumming, the music, the rhythm of the steps, the movement of the performer, and the overall ambience of the space. It is not something that can be fully described; it must be experienced.