When Caste Haunts the Gods and Goddesses: Unveiling Caste Discrimination Amidst the Divine
In the Malabar region of Kerala, from the Malayalam month of Thulam (October) to the middle of Edavam month (late May and June), mortals transform into demigods. Adorned in red garments, intricate face paint, headgear, anklets, and a weapon symbolising the deity they embody, they exude a divine presence.
From left, A theyyam artist with an intricate face painting dressing up in green room, A tall headgear made of coconut leaves and bamboo pole, A theyyam artist with intricate face painting before performing bhagavati theyyam, Theyyam artist with the help of assistants getting ready at Neeliyar Kottam (a sacred grove in Kannur), A theyyam artist getting dressed for his upcoming performance outside green room.
Theyyam is a ritualistic performance predominantly practised by communities from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. This traditional performance occurs in the northern regions of Kerala, including Kannur, Kasargod, some parts of Kozhikode, and certain areas of Karnataka. These performances usually take place in kaavus (sacred groves) and tharavadus (ancestral homes). A male performer uses beats of chenda (drums) to enter a trance-like state and begins to dance, seemingly possessed. This dance is believed to transform the performer into a deity and is regarded as an act of faith and worship.
From left, A theyyam artist getting dressed up in a temporarily made green room, A theyyam artist performing Kuttichathan theyyam running through embers after entering a state of trance at Thachankandi Kaavu, Baluserry, Kozhikode.
The Theyyam performers spoke to me on the condition of anonymity. They believe that their experiences and views can cause them difficulty finding performances and difficulty in the places where they perform.
While talking to a Theyyam artist about the caste discrimination they faced, he was hesitant to share his experience with casteism, but he started talking about the discrimination against a theyyam artist from the Mavilan caste a few years ago when the performer was asked to enter the temple premises. He further said, "Aren't we the ones who bring these gods to life? How are we being discriminated against?". He stated that caste discrimination occurs in their daily lives. He mentioned an incident in Kunhimangalam village, Kannur district, where a well-known Theyyam performer was humiliated during a public ceremony. The artist received the Folklore Academy award, but the ceremony to honour him took place in a town about 30 kilometres away from Kannur. The Brahmin priest, who was supposed to present the honorary shawl and cover him with it, refused and instead handed it to him without touching the artist, which is a precise instance of caste-based discrimination.
From left, A theyyam performance at a kaavu in Koyilandi, Kozhikode, A theyyam artist with fire torches performing Nayattu Gulikan theyyam at Thachankandi Kaavu, Baluserry, Kozhikode.
When asked about how they are affected by casteism while they perform, they said that at times when they perform at Kaavu (sacred groves), there isn't discrimination, and they haven't heard of any such cases and they said this is probably because these kaavus are usually maintained by people from the lowered castes. Meanwhile, when they perform at the tharavadus (ancestral homes) of people from the uppered castes, discrimination clearly exists. They went on to say that the famous and well-known instance of this is when the theyyam performance takes place at Alampadi Illam (a Brahmin tharavadu) in Kanhangad, where the Kundora Chamundi theyyam of the Nalkathaya community, which sets out from a nearby sacred grove to the Alampadi Illam but cannot enter the Illam, the theyyam stands on the other side of the boundary wall and looks inside.
The performers and the assistants went on to say it is similar when it comes to temples. When they perform theyyam at temples, the swords of deities and anklets are not handed over to them directly; instead, it is taken from the temple and then kept on the floor upon a plantain leaf, and the same is to be followed while returning these swords and anklets, it is not taken inside the temple until it is purified. They went on to say the theyyams at temples, unlike at kaavus are not performed infront of the deity or within the same space but outside the temple as the practice of theyyam does not follow the Vedic style of practice, it involves the consumption of meat and toddy, and this can make the temple impure.
While speaking to a Brahmin priest about these practices and the caste-based discrimination, he went on to say that people from the lowered castes are nowadays allowed to enter the temple for worship; hence, what happens with theyyam artists is not a practice of discrimination but a part of the tradition, it is the rituals, that we follow, he also stated that meat and toddy is not acceptable inside the temple premises. When asked about the discriminatory practices at the tharavadus, the elders of the family responded similarly by saying these are a part of the tradition and not any discriminatory practice.
From left, A theyyam artist, after performing Nayattu Gulikan theyyam drinks the blood of a rooster, and then takes its heart out and cooks it on fire before consuming it and drinking toddy at Thachankandi Kaavu, Bauserry, Kozhikode
The practice of Theyyam is known for its secular nature, but it is still plagued by casteism and caste practices. Recently, a Muslim woman clad in a burqa while taking blessings from a theyyam, the artist said, “Nee vere onnumalla” (You are not different); this video went viral and was celebrated widely for its secular values. Additionally, theyyam is also known to question casteism. While examining the thottam pattu (Ballard song) of pottan theyyam, we can see the lines "Vazhi thetty vazhy thetty po pulapotta, enthina chovvare vazhi thettunnathu? Ningale kothiyaalum chora onnalle" which translated to 'an uppered caste man asking a lowered caste to move away from his way and a lowered caste man questioning him why he must move away from his way?. Isn’t it blood that oozes out when you are injured? Isn’t it blood that oozes out when I am injured?' This anti caste theme is not limited to pottan theyyam; Vishnumoorthi Theyyam narrates the story of a boy from the Thiyya community which is categorised as part of the Other Backward Classes, killed by upper-caste landlords for falling in love with a girl in their family. Thottankara Bhagavathi is the story of a childless Thiyya woman who was murdered by the higher castes for reading religious texts. Manakkott Amma narrates the story of a woman born in a Nair family. She opposed the caste system that existed at that time. When she broke a caste rule, she was killed by the head of the family. While some of these stories depict how the members of the lowered castes have broken the norms set by members of the uppered caste and been punished for the same, some depict the stories of people from the uppered caste trying to transgress the set caste norms.
From left, A theyyam artist performs Gurudevan Vellattu at Thachankandi Kaavu, Baluserry, Kozhikode, A theyyam artist lends his ears to listen to his devotees' problems
The theyyam deities listen to people's problems with care and empathy. They console them and provide solutions. Irrespective of their caste or religion, all those who seek advice, theyyam call them their "paithal" (children). These experiences and stories do make us question who will listen to the problems with care and empathy, console and provide solutions to these mere mortals who turn to demigods but yet face caste-based discrimination on a daily basis.
