Kanthakarnan Theyyam in North Kerala

A Theyyam festival is held every year at Koodali Thazhathu Veedu at Koodali (Kannur Dt.- 670 592, Kerala, India) during 13th t0 15th of Malayalam month of Makaram (end January). On 12th Makaram a Pooja ( a ritual of worship) is conducted in the Kalari (a traditional martial training place).

Kalari

Top portion of Kalari

Face of Kimpurusha

There are three Kottams (temples) attached to the Kalari. The layout is as follows. Kottam 1 on the north side of Kalari : Here Vettakorumakan, Thekkan Kariyaththan and Kanni Kariyaththan are installed. Immediately on the south side of Kalari is Asthi Thara. Further, on the south side of Asthi thara is Kottam of Kanthakarnan (kottam 2). Further to the south side of Kanthakarnan Kottam (Kottam 2) is kottam of Chamundi (Kottam 3). Note that Kanthakarnan Kottam is located towards the north side of Chamundi's Kottam. On the front side of the roof of the Kalari, a terrible face with swollen chin and protruding tongue is carved in wood. This is the face of Kimpurusha.

There are three events in the Theyyam Festival related to Kanthakarnan: Thottam, Vellattam and Theyyam.

1. Kanthakarnan Thottam: ( 14th Makaram, Night )
Standing in front of the Kanthakarnan Temple, an oracle wears red clothes and wears a silver band on his forehead and meditates. A person stands by his side carrying a cock. Meanwhile, the Thottam with painted face and closed eyes lies on the steps of the temple.

There is a stone lamp on the ground in front of the temple on one side. Near the lamp, a square pattern is made using sheaves cut from the trunk of plantains. Nine torches are fixed on this pattern. In front of the square, an earthern pot and glass are kept, covered with plantain leaves. Water is kept in a vessel with wide mouth.

Chamundi Kottam

Kanthakarnan Temple (Kottam)

Kanthakarnan Thottam

After meditation, the oracle takes a sword and lights a wick from the temple. The thottam lying on the steps gets up and takes the cock. The oracle, thottam and a person carrying a torch of dry coconut leaves circle the temple three times . Then they circle the altar on the ground near the stone lamp, thrice. While circling the thottam plucks feathers of the cock and offers to the altar. Then he makes a wound on the cock's neck using the oracle's sword and puts a mark of blood on his and others foreheads. As blood drips down in the water kept in the vessel on the ground, he cuts off the cocks head and offers it to the altar. Throwing away the headless body of the cock he sits down and splashes the bloody water with his hands on to the altar. He gets up, goes to the Kalari and pays respects to the gods and ancestors. Standing in front of the Kalari, he recites Kanthakarnan thottam.

2. Kanthakarnan Vellattam: ( 15th Makaram, Night ).
Besides painting his face like thottam, vellattam has a colourful costume hanging down from his neck. Vellattam repeats all the tasks performed by thottam in the previous night (worship in the temple, circling, cutting a cock's head and reciting thottam).

3. Kanthakarnan Theyyam: ( 15th Makaram, Night -16th Makaram, early morning )
People shout hara haro hara, standing in front of Kanthakarnan temple. The person performing the theyyam wears the costumes one by one, standing a little away. A skirt of tender coconut leaves is fixed on his waist. On top of it, on a horizontal plane, 16 torches are fixed. People around him recite the thottam. A 15 feet tall head gear decorated with tender coconut leaves all along on both sides with 28 half moons made of silver arranged one above the other on the background of a red cloth, a spear drawn at the centre of two concentric black circles below is fixed on his head. The torches on his waist are now lit.

Kanthakarnan Theyyam

Theyyam - Closeup

Theyyam - in full view

This is the last hour of the dark and cold night.

Bathing in the light of the torches, wearing his majestic head gear, accompanied by the shouts of hara haro hara, Kanthakarnan walks to the Kalari. (Then O King, thousands of torches banished the darkness, the night appeared like a day - Harivamsa ) Kanthakarnan dances gracefully in front of the Kalari. Tall Kalasams accompany Kanthakarnan. He acknowledges them and concludes his dance.

Kanthakarnan welcomes the red sun rising from the horizon announcing the arrival of a new day.

Theyyam festival at Koodali

Theyyams performed during the night of 14th Makaram

The theyyam festival of Koodali Thazhathu Veedu starts with the performance of Sasthappan. This theyyam is also called as Kuttichhathan.

Sasthappan / Kuttichhathan
Kuttichhathan is connected with many miracles performed by Lord Krishna during his childhood.

Bhairavan
Bhairavan represents Lord Siva as seeker of alms. The basket of dry coconut leaves in Bhairava's hands indicates seeking of alms. Bhairavan's head gear is marvellous.

Karuval Bhagavathi
Karuval Bhagavathi is one of the five deities.

Uccitta
Uccitta who jumps and sits in the fire represents Sati who immolated herself during Daksha Yaga. She is also called as the "Mother in the North Room". Pregnant women pray to Uchitta for comfortable child-birth.

Raktachamundi
Raktachamundi is the family deity of Koodali Thazhathu Veedu. The deity preserves the prosperity of the family. This theyyam is performed for obtaining favours.

Kutticcattan Thottam

Kutticcattan Theyyam

Bhairavan Theyyam

Bairavan Theyyam - Closeup

Karuval Bhagavathi

Uccitta

Raktacamundi

Camundi

Tekkan Kariyattan Vellattam

Kuttichhathan

Kannikariyathan
This theyyam is performed in the memory of a brave knight of old times.

Vettakkoru Makan
This theyyam is considered to represent the son born to Lord Siva when he had gone to forest for hunting. This theyyam is performed in all Nair Tharavads (Families).

Thekkan kariyathan and the kid
This theyyam represents a hunter and his prey. The hunter runs after the kid showing various skills with his bow.

Soolan, Dhandan and Vasoorimala
These bhootas were created by Lord Siva for performing good deeds. They later on worried Lord Siva by creating troubles. Vasoorimala created diseases. Later Lord Siva created Kanthakarnan to control these bhootas.

Kanthakarnan
This theyyam is known as Kanthakarnan since it originated from the throat of Lord Siva and came out through his ear. This theyyam holds sixteen torches and a tall, magnificient head gear. Kanthakarnan was able to control Soolan, Dhandan and Vasoorimala. Kanthakarnan is worshipped specially for protection from fire.

With the performance of Kanthakarnan, the theyyam festival concludes on the early morning of 16th Makaram.

Some historical facts related to the Kalari
Koodali Thazhathu Veedu was a house gifted to a lady Kunhathaya of Koodathil Kunnoth family by her husband. Kottayam Raja conferred the title of Gurukkal Achan on Kunhathaya's son Raman. This was some time around ME 850 (AD 1675). According to folk songs, Raman Gurukkal Achan invited dieties to his place in Koodali. The Kalari was built by Kelu Gurukkal Achan (expired in ME 899 (AD 1724)), nephew of Raman Gurukkal Achan and son of his sister Patti. These are mentioned in a geneological tree submitted to Tellicherry Jilla court in ME 994 (AD 1819) by Kunhamman Nambiar in connection with papur suit No. 1108 of ME 989 (AD 1814).
Thus the Kalari is about 300 years old.