Kannur

When the monsoon recedes, when the blue skies are clear and skies are clear of dark clouds, and the days hard work is done, drums resound from the villages, far and near. This is the season of Theyyam

Theyyam is the old ritual dance North Kerala and Kannur can be named as the birth place of Theyyam. It's a religion based ritual dance. Men get into colorful exotic dresses, paint themselves as Gods, Goddesses, devils, evil sprits and even diseases, and dance to drums and music throughout the night. There are about four hundred different kinds of Theyyams. Theyyam offers a fascinating and novel experience for your eyes. The Theyyam performance has an aura of divine splendor as its accompanied by rituals & other devotional hymns.

Theyyam or Theyattam is an ancient and still popular ritual dance of Malabar viz North Kerala. It’s a unique combination of dance, music and also reflects the main features of a tribal culture. It’s a religion based ritual dance. The Theyyam performance has an aura of divine splendour as its accompanied by rituals & other devotional hymns. Its indeed an unprecedented experience to watch this dance symbolising the ultimate power. Theyyam is generally performed in front of the village shrines. Performance of a particular deity according to its significance and hierarchy in the shrine continues for 12 to 24 hours in the intervals. There are a large number of temples in Kannur where Theyyam is performed.

The Theyyam perfromance can be observed from Oct to March at various Kavu (small temples) spread over the district.