Mobile Menu Toggle

  • Kerala Travel Ideas
    • Adventure
    • Family
    • Friends & Group
    • Heritage
  • Resorts & Staycations
    • Mountain
    • Nature
    • Seaside & Beach
    • Budget
  • Tourist Places In kerala
    • Alappuzha
    • Ernakulam
    • Idukki
    • Kozhikode
  • About kerala
  • Travel Blogs
    • Travel
    • Food & Drinks
    • Kerala

 

 

 

Forgot password?
  • Kerala Travel Ideas
    • Adventure
    • Family
    • Friends & Group
    • Heritage
  • Resorts & Staycations
    • Mountain
    • Nature
    • Seaside & Beach
    • Budget
  • Tourist Places In kerala
    • Alappuzha
    • Ernakulam
    • Idukki
    • Kozhikode
  • About kerala
  • Travel Blogs
    • Travel
    • Food & Drinks
    • Kerala

  • Art & Culture
  • Boatrace
  • Books & Literature
  • Districts in Kerala
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Festivels
  • Keral Food & Cuisine
  • Handicrafts
  • How to Reach Kerala
  • kerala Tourism
  • Language
  • Medias In Kerala
  • Shopping
  • Spices In Kerala
  • Kerala Tradition
  • Transportation
  • Weather in Kerala

Find distance between

Find Now

Theeyattu

The land of Kerala has given birth to quite a lot of cults and cultures. To untwine these cults from the culture, religion, land and people of this state would be an unattainable task for such is the synthesis obtained by all these entities. Theeyattam or Theeyattu is such an ancient and multihued cult the genesis of which is untraceable in the pages of history.

A traditional ritual in dance form theeyattam is performed by the members of Theeyaattunni or Thiyaadi Nambiar community in Kerala. Bhadrakali Theeyattu and Ayyappan Theeyattu are the two types of theeyattam.

Bhadrakali Theeyattu is a ritualistic dance usually performed in Bhadrakali temples and in the households of namboothiri and theeyattunni communities. The ritual starts with the ceremony of kalamezhuthu, ritualistic drawings in colourful powder. An elaborate picture (kalam) of Goddess Bhadrakali is drawn on the floor using natural colours strictly following guidelines on pattern, details and dimensions. The materials used are rice for white, charcoal of husk for black, turmeric for yellow, mixture of lime and turmeric for red and green leaves for green colour. When lighted oil lamps are placed there emanates an awe inspiring image of goddess Bhadrakali.

Following this is a three-hour long song praising Bhadrakali. The dance parts usually commence at night which is performed by a male theeyattunni. He enters the stage with elaborate dressing and a huge headgear is placed on his head which ascribes him the status of goddess Bhadrakali. ‘She’ narrates the story of the battle with Darika to Lord Shiva who is her progenitor. Lord Shiva is symbolized by a huge lighted lamp.

The performance, which progress through chants, dance and gestures, reports the incidents leading to the killing of Darika. The performance concludes with the enacting of the assassination of Darikasura, representing the destruction of evil.

Bhadrakali theeyattu is performed mostly in the south and central districts of Kerala including Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam.

Travel destinations

Meenvallom Waterfalls, Palakkad
Sree Chithra Enclave, Thiruvananthapuram
The State Museum, Thrissur, Tourist Places Near by Thrissur Museum
30 Best Tourist Places to Visit in Kochi
Best Places to Visit Near Marine drive Kochi

Best Tourist Places in Kerala

  • Munnar
  • Nelliampathi
  • Thenmala
  • Vagamon
  • Ambukuthi Mala
  • Vembanad Lake
  • Kumbalangi
  • Kozhikode Beach
  • Kumbalangi
  • Mattancherry

Kerala Information

  • kerala Districts
  • Travel Posts
  • Kerala Arts
  • Blog Posts
  • kerala Festivals
  • Kerala Cuisines
  • Handicrafts
  • Kerala Tourism
  • Contact Us
  • Policies

Trending Locations

  • Pookode Lake
  • Silent Valley
  • Vythiri
  • Vazhachal
  • Kanthalloor
  • Wayanad
  • Athirapally
  • Poovar Beach
  • Kozhikode Beach
  • Malampuzha

Are you a Travel partner or want to list your property on our website? It is free!

REGISTER NOW