A ritualistic dance form to appease the gods

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital will witness the staging of Ayyappan thiyyattu, a rare ritual art form that combines Kerala’s tradition of fine arts, music and theatre. The ritual will be performed at the Vivekananda Centenary Memorial Institute (old Hassan Marikar Hall) adjacent to the Kerala University campus at Palayam. Mulankunnathukavu Thiyyadi Raman  Nambiar, a veteran artist, will be the chief performer.

VCMI president V R Prabodhachandran Nayar said the rituals that are a prelude to the performance will start at 10 am on the day. The elaborate kalam will be drawn in about six hours.
“The performance will be complete with kalam drawing, oracle dance, wiping out of the kalam and breaking of coconuts. Visitors are requested to bring a coconut to join the ritual,” he said. Ayyappan thiyyattu is one of the three similar ritualistic art forms performed by different temple communities, others being Bhadrakali paattu and vettakkaran paattu.

Ayyappan thiyyattu, peculiar to the Central and North Kerala regions, is performed by the Thiyyadi Nambiar community that has ritualistic links with temples dedicated to Lord Sastha in Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram. If earlier, the staging was confined to temples and houses of Brahmin families, nowadays it is staged as a ritualistic art form.

Elaborate kalam, koothu, a performing art form, and komaram thullal, oracle dance, are the highlights of Ayyappan thiyyattu. A Thiyyadi Nambiar should be proficient in all these arts.
The art form is presented by members of eight Thiyyadi Nambiar families in Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram districts. These families live at Mulankunnathukavu, Elamkulam, Cheruppulasseri, Mundamuka, Thayamkavu, Irinjalakuda, Malamakkavu and Perumpilavu.

The Performer
Mulankunnathukavu Thiyyadi Raman Nambiar, Saturday’s performer, has been extensively trained in thiyyattu. He is better known for the staging of the marathon ‘udayasthamana koothu’ an elaborate kind of Ayyappan thiyyattu that lasts for over 12 hours.

Raman Nambiar is a retired deputy manager of BPCL and an A-Grade artist of All India Radio, Thrissur.  Nambiar is a trainer of the new generation.

Ayyappan thiyyattu is one of the three similar ritualistic art forms performed by different temple communities, others being Bhadrakali paattu and vettakkaran paattu