The Story Behind: Vishnumurthy Thottam

I have countless posts on Theyyams here, but none on the ‘Thottam Pattu’…

Each Theyyam performance is preceded by it’s Thottam, where the theyyam artist, with minimal make up, recites the story of theyyam.

Vishnumurthy theyyam is one of the most important and common theyyam performed as it’s based on lord Vishnu’s fourth avatar (incarnation), Narasimha.

The performance is so intense that, we get the true intensity of violence as the story unfolds.

The story is enacted on the following day without any recitation but with the rhythmic drum beats manipulating each step of the theyyam …

The story behind: Theyyam Makeup

Welcome to the ‘Mystic North Kerala’…

We are in the middle of yet another Theyyam season, vibrant days and nights… filled to the brim with drum beats and saturated colors.

Sleepless nights are well compensated by the divine dance of the Theyyams …

Theyyam make up is always interesting as it’s very much part of the transformation process, in which meager mortals become immortals, though, for a few hours.

Let me share a few images which I captured last week, while organizing a festival tour for our wonderful guests from Germany, Hans and Lilo.

 

Wordless Wednesday: Devotion