Thirayattam- Mother of Ethnic dances

 

Thirayattam is an  Ethnic Performance held in Sacred groves and ancestral families    of south Malabar region  in Kerala,which is  colourful and faster. Thirayattam is a unic Ritual Performance.It is an admixture of of Artistic  performance ,Dance,  drama, songs, musical Performance  along with Facial Make-up, bodeli  bodeli make-up  martial art &  Rituals.   Thirayattam  is the Reflection  of antique life with speactcular Performance , customs & Rituals. It is  believedto have the tradition of One Millennia   season of  this anual fisitival in between  december to may.

           Kaavu (sacred groves) is an insulated   vegetation  for Divine purpose  . such Kaavu’s and ancestral  familys  set the  stage for Thirayattam. Thirayattam is a Powerfull  Environmental theatre  . That suggest  the belief system , customary  activities, pleasure ,Pains And survival mechanism  of The ethnic  community.

 Origin

 
Thirayattam is a performing art form which originated many centuries ago among the Tribal people (Adivasis) who lived in the interiors of Kerala's dense forests. As they used to worship, trees, serpents (Nagas), local heros and above all the Nature at large, the tribes, had and still have, deities with different attitude/mental makeup/characteristics in various sacred groves and village shrines. Though there are 23 different mainstream characters in Thirayattam, the characters (vesham) dancing will vary according to the deity of the shrine and not all will be present in any single performance. Mother Nature being the most worshiped Goddess, Bhagavathi  based on the story of "Goddess "Kali" killing the demon by name "Darika" is the most commonly performed one in Thirayattam.

About 400 years back, these tribal people started mingling with main stream population and getting out of the forest. The tribal population were considered as Rakshasas meaning to say they were eligible to be outside only during the night. When the caste system was most prevalent, considered as fifth vedas or even below the Shudras, they were not allowed to study. Hence the illiterate community, passed on their traditional knowledge and expertise on various subjects and arts orally. Only now, the efforts are being put forth to have records of all these. 

 "Thirayattam" Mother of Ethnic Dance.

A combination of Dance, Music , Theatre, Satire, Facial & body Painting, Masking, Martial art & Ritualistic Function, Thirayattam is more popular as a Ritual Performing Ethnic Art Form in the South Malabar region of Kerala, India. Fast and furious steps by men (only men perform this art form) to the beats of Chenda, Ila thalam, Kombu, Thudi, Panchayudham, Kuzhal (musical instruments of Kerala) etc., this dance form can be broadly classified into two as Thirayattam which is performed in the night and Vellattam performed during the day. Though Perumannan/Mannan caste  was the one that started performing Thirayattam and for many centuries only they used to perform, other tribes like Panar and Cherumar also started performing in the later years.

Many other art forms like, Ramanattam,Krishnanattam, Kathakali, Chakyarkootthu, Nangyaarkootthu etc, has its origin from Thirayattam. Apart from this, Padayani of erstwhile Travancore region, Mudiyettu of Central Kerala and Kola of Northern Malabar region has some resemblance to Thirayattam.

 Current Scenario

During the festival season, this Annual Vibrant art form is still enacted in Courtyards of "Kaavukal"(sacred groves ) & village Shrines across Kozhikode & Malappuram Districts, Kerala. Clubs are formed across the Southern Malabar region by people who are interested to sustain this art form. Kettiyaattakkar(One who dresses up and dances), Chamayakkar (makeup artists) Vadyakkar (Musical instrument performers) Komarangal, Anushtana Vidwanmar (Those who are well versed with the traditions)  Helpers etc., form the clubs commonly known as Samithi.

 Social Significance

From time immemorial, any person following any religion or cast was welcome to the village shrines or sacred groves. Even during the days when the caste system was prominent in India and Kerala, Thirayattam performances kept the unity and creativity glowing in the mindsets of the lower castes.