Theeyattu

Theeyattu is a solo dance-drama performed in front of the Kalam or Dhooli Chitram which is the ritual drawing with coloured powders. It is enacted in some Bhagavathy temples of Thiruvalla, Kottayam, Thripunithura and neighbouring areas. The ritual starts with the invocation of Lord Ganapathy, Lord Siva and Goddess Saraswathy, after which the performer dons a crown smaller but similar to the one used in Mudiyettu. The most popular story narrated through a Theeyattu performance is that of the duel between goddess Kaali and the demon Daarikan. The dance form is usually performed by a small group of temple bound communities called the Unni. Theeyattu is still a ritual offering made every Friday at the Pallippurathu Kaavu temple near Kottayam town. It is a ritual art performed for the well being of devotees and considered to be the best to pacify the goddess Bhadrakali. Thrikkariyoor in Ernakulam district is the birth place of this art. This ritual is usually performed by a group of people called  theeyattunnikal in every month on the thiruvathira day. Earlier the ritual was known as deepattom means dance with light and it later became theeyattom or the fire dance. Two types of theeyattu is performed which are -Ayyappan and Bhadrakali. In central Travancore the Theeyattunnikal are also known as Nambis.

Related Topics
Folk Art Forms   Theyyam   Kalampattu   Kunhi Theyyam   Kaliyoottu   Kavadiyattam   Kummattikali   Kuthiyottam   Sarpapattu   Thidampunrittam   Mayilnrittam   Padayani   Pulikali   Margamkali   Cherumarkali   Mudiyettu   Arjuna Nritham   Kannyarkali   Paana   Tholpavakoothu