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Regional Deities · Kerala Ritual Deities / Theyyam Tradition

Theyyam Deities

तेय्यम्
Also known as: Theyyam, Kaliyattam, Kerala Ritual Dance Deities

About

A collective term for the deities represented in the Theyyam ritual art form of North Kerala. Over 400 Theyyam deities exist, including Raktha Chamundi, Vishnumoorthi, Muchilot Bhagavati, and others. These are ancestral, folk, and Puranic deities invoked through elaborate rituals and trance performances.

Attributes

Ritual deitiesTrance possessionFolk traditionAncestral worshipKerala

Symbols

Elaborate headgearFace paintCoconut frondsSwordBell

Associated Mantras

Theyyam Mantras (oral tradition)

Festivals

Theyyam seasons (October to May)KaliyattamAnnual temple rituals

Scriptures

Oral traditionsTheyyam legends

Regions Worshipped

North Kerala (Kannur, Kasaragod)Malabar region

Iconography

Elaborate costumes with towering headgear (mudi), intricate face painting (mukhathezhuthu), coconut fronds, and ritual accessories. Performers embody the deity through trance and dance.