Opinion | Understanding Theyyam: The Psychology Of Man Becoming God
Through the intricate and sacred dance of Theyyam, a folk ritual from northern Kerala, the performer becomes a vessel of divine energy, capable of guiding individuals through life's struggles
Theyyam, a captivating folk ritual from northern Kerala, is nothing short of spellbinding. It blurs the lines between the mortal and the divine, turning an ordinary human into a living god.
This extraordinary transformation lays bare the duality of existence and is a poignant reminder of human frailty and divine strength. For a brief, breathtaking moment, someone who may wrestle with the same uncertainties and struggles as the rest of us becomes an embodiment of a deity commanding awe and reverence in equal measure.
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This deity is not only revered for their divine strength but also for their ability to provide solace and guidance to those in need. Through the intricate and sacred dance of Theyyam, the performer becomes a vessel of divine energy, capable of offering a shoulder to cry on and guiding individuals through life’s struggles.
Traditionally, the performer belonged to lower-caste communities. The primary communities that perform Theyyam include Vannan, Malayan, Velan, and Mavilan.
Witnessing this transformation is an awe-inspiring experience, serving as a testament to the incredible spiritual and cultural heritage of Kerala. The act of a human transcending their earthly limitations to embody a deity symbolises hope, resilience, and the deep spiritual connection that binds the community together.
The Theyyam performer, once a mere mortal, takes on the mantle of the divine, offering blessings and wisdom to those who come to witness this sacred ritual. However, the space for the ritual used to be temples or ancestral homes of the dominant castes, such as the Nambuthiri or Nair communities.
These spaces are considered sacred and play a crucial role in the authenticity and spiritual significance of the performance. The performer acts as a vessel during this ritual, allowing the deity to use their body to manifest and interact with the audience.
This divine interaction through the performer creates a profound connection with the audience, making the ritual a deeply spiritual experience. The deity of Theyyam is linked to the myths and folktales surrounding the tradition.
These myths and folktales add depth and meaning to Theyyam performances. It is hard to believe that the performer can fully transform and forget their own identity.
This transformation is so profound that the performer completely immerses themselves in the role of the deity. In many performances, the performer’s identity, including gender, caste, and creed, is symbolically burned away as they run through or jump into fires. They become the embodiment of the deity, overcoming the flames with a smile.
This act of running through or jumping into fires symbolises the performer’s complete surrender to the deity, showcasing the unifying process with God. They may sometimes bruise themselves intensely, bleeding for hours, yet their face shows no sign of pain. This exemplifies their profound spiritual connection and unification.
Though it can be the result of years of practice and learning, the transition phase remains mysterious, as performers completely forget themselves and become someone they have never been or experienced before. The religious concepts and traditions of lower and higher caste people vary significantly.
In Theyyam, the lower caste becomes the deity for the higher caste. How they experience and enact the concept of God without being part of traditional religious systems is curious. There can also be conflicting beliefs or practices regarding the deity they worship.
Overcoming these significant differences to unify with God, whoever or whatever that may be, is truly spiritual. The experience of God varies greatly from person to person. However, in Theyyam, it is more of a collective experience than an individual one.
The experience of God is not just about the deity or the scriptures but also about the myths, folklore, and community experience. It’s this blend of personal and collective spirituality that gives Theyyam its unique and powerful appeal.
The embodiment of the deity and its manifestation makes the ritual even more intriguing. Throughout this transformation, the performer channels the essence of the deity, seeking to transcend those who come out of devotion.
The act of embodying the deity allows the performer to convey the divine message and blessings to the audience, creating a profound spiritual connection. The community witnesses not just a performance but a sacred act that blurs the lines between the human and the divine, leaving a lasting impact on all who participate.
Anyone can participate in Theyyam and receive the blessings if they wish, making it an inclusive and spiritually enriching experience. At the end of the performance, the Theyyam performer equates himself with the deity and can provide blessings or support to those who depend on him.
The deity leaves the vessel after the performance, and the performer becomes human again, with their own sufferings and pain, without any trace of memories from their phase of being the deity. This return to humanity highlights the profound contrast between their divine embodiment and their human existence.
Once a performer is back in the real world, all aspects of their identity, such as caste and creed, return to them. Along with the shades of identity, their own personal experiences and traumas return to existence.
During the transition, the performer may experience healing or a cathartic release of collective trauma or victimhood through the ritual. This unifying process blurs the line between human and deity, thus, the performer may get a chance to envision the trauma through the lens of creator and oppressor.
It can be a process of (collectively) experiencing and overcoming the pain for a Theyyam performer. Furthermore, this ritual offers a unique perspective on the interplay between the individual and the collective, as the personal transformation of the performer becomes a communal experience.
Thus, the power of Theyyam lies in its ability to transcend the ordinary, inviting participants to explore the depths of their spirituality and connect with something greater than themselves.
(Dr Soumya Thankam Varghese is an Assistant Professor at Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences (JIBS), OP Jindal Global University. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views)
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