Kerala Folklore Akademi: To know Theyyams better

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Kerala as a state has been quite fortunate for having a heritage which has been rich with culture & folklore. The part of Kerala called Malabar is a hotspot for some of the most unique folklore & legends. The most famous among them is the temple dance form called Theyyam which is more of depiction of God in the form of the local beliefs & rituals. The deviation of the ideas from the usual stories is only in the colourful depiction, the stories more or less remain the same. But there are also some stories which have been passed on generations by only word of mouth & no authentic document is available. Though many north Kerala temples showcase the different types of Theyyams, one place you can learn more about them is at the Kerala Folklore Akademi at Kannur.

The akademi functions within the Chirakkal palace which was the royal house of the Chirakkal kings. The chirakkal chira which is the largest artificial pond in Kerala in front of the palace is also a beautiful sight. The Akademi was initiated in 1995 and is taken care of by the Kerala department of culture, it is also an autonomous institution working towards promoting traditional artforms in Kerala. Inside the museum the different rooms house various types of theyyams displayed in its life size replica adorned with all its ornaments in the most beautiful way. The museum also highlights the artists who have portrayed the Theyyams & a small bio of theirs is also available for all to read. The most beautiful room is the large hall which displays multiple theyyams of Kerala like the Vellattam, thiruvappana, mudiyettu etc. The room also showcases different face paintings which are painted on the artists for each performance. The museum also has an upper tier which showcases face masks, bronze items & also the padiyeni forms which are another type of theyyams but usually found in south Kerala temples. It is important for all to spend some time reading & understanding each theyyam well. The terracotta items displayed are also worth a mention for their sheer beauty of craftsmanship.

The entrance of the Akademi front hall has the life size display of Muchilottu Bhagavathy which according to legends is an important artefact & story to know. In today’s world women are given the same authority as a man but things were not so in the old society of Kerala. At a time when the intellect of a woman was not considered to be valuable, a young woman lived in a village near Taliparamba. The knowledge of this young girl was at par with those of learned men & she decided to test her intellect by participating in a social competition conducted by the king called “Naduvazhi ''. In this large gathering Brahmin scholars would debate & discuss about different topics & it was indeed mesmerising. The head of this congregation was called Mootha Gurukal & the group of Brahmins were surprised to find a young woman being invited to debate with them. They were envious of her & decided to belittle her by asking her two questions which according to them a young virgin girl would be unable to answer. It is important to know these two questions for all even today as they are still debatable. The question put to the girl was, “What is the most excruciating pain & most ecstatic pleasure according to her?”. The answer she gave surprised the group, her answer to the questions were; the most painful is the moment of labour for a woman & the most pleasurable moment is that of love making. Her candid answer in front of a large patriarchy group stunned all as she was a young unmarried girl who could never have experienced these two moments. The thought of the group was that she somehow had sinned & could have experienced the moment questioning her character. The young girl was called names & finally the village excommunicated her which left her deeply saddened. She thought to herself that intellect & knowledge is gained not only by experience but also by observations & information so the village judging her was totally wrong. The young girl dejected took asylum with the Payyanur Bhagavathi temple weeping in sorrow and a heavy heart. The girl, unable to accept the situation, decided to immolate herself to prove her piousness to all who questioned her. It is said that a man by the name Muchilot Padanayar who was from the Vaniya Nair community passed by the pyre. The man was carrying a pot of oil & the lady asked the man to pour the oil over her as she lit the pyre. The man in a moment of trance is said to have followed her instructions & as she immolated herself he poured the oil. This incident was witnessed by the whole village where the lady was seen burning & her soul departed to Lord Shiva. Muchilottu Nayar who had been part of this unique ritual returned to his house & placed the empty pot in his puja room. It is believed that Muchilottu nayar at night had a vision where the lady’s soul returned & abided within the puja room. The man immediately got up & ran to the puja room to find the same empty pot full to the brim with oil. This event made all believe that the girl took the form of Bhagwathi as per the instruction of Lord Shiva. The girl from the day was considered as an incarnation of the goddess & called Muchilot Bhagwathy as she was present inside the household of the Nayar. The transformation of the lady to Goddess may be a myth or legend but this folklore makes one realise that women irrespective of their age should be celebrated for their intellect. Even today the theyyam of Muchilottu Bhagavathy is the most celebrated in north Malabar.

To all who want to celebrate folklore of Kerala & find happiness in learning about artforms, a visit here is a must. The place also along the banks of the pond is a nice place to spend the evenings gazing at the vast expanse of water & pink water lilies. The descendants of the Chirakkal family still live around the palace & everyone should find time to visit this one of a kind place in Kerala.


Location: Chirakkal, Kerala, India

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