Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India

encyclopedia

PERCEPTIONS

RITUALS : DEITY AND THE DEVOTEE

Teyyam

and

Bhuta —

Ritual

performance

During the harvest season in north

Kerala and South Canara or Dakshina Kan-

nada (the coastal district of Karnataka) vil-

lagers gather at shrines and forest groves to

celebrate festivals in honour of gods and

goddesses. The majority of these are not

celestial deities but deities of the earth who

protect the rural community and make it

prosper. Among these divinities are ances-

tral spirits who protect the families by

whom they are worshipped.

The rituals performed in honour of

these deities are known as

Teyyam

in Ker-

ala and

Bhuta

in South Canara. Even though

the

Bhuta

rituals are conducted in the Tulu

language in South Canara and the

Teyyam

rituals in Malayalam the beliefs and con-

cepts surrounding them, the costumes as

also the various stages in the enactment of

the ritual form, are the same in both regions.

Over 450 names of

Bhutas

are known in

Tulunadu. An almost equal number of

Teyyams

is known in northern Kerala.

Among the names of the celebrated Bhutas

of Tulunadu are Angarbhuta, Mayasandaya,

Koti-Cennaya, Junadi, Piliccandi, Ullalthi.

Some of the

Teyyams

and

Bhutas

common

to Tulunadu as well as Kerala and having

the same name are Kshetrapalan, Pottan,

Bhairavi, Chamundi, Kuttichattan, Mari-

yamma, Muttapan, Alibhuta, Babhiriyan,

Panenruli.

The portrayal of the power of divinity

through magical patterns or objects, sounds

or movements of the body, often form the

basic element of ritual. These are then util-

ised as a medium of communication be-

tween the deity and the devotee. Different

forms of ritual are performed at various

stages of one’s life : at

birth, with the onset of pu-

berty, marriage, pregnancy

and death.

The usual form of

Hindu worship - idol wor-

ship — goes hand in hand

with various ablutions and

offertories. The offertories

could

symbolised

through swords, fragrant

flowers, incense or utensils

with coloured liquids, burn-

ing oil lamps or through a

diagram or some form of

pictorial representation of a

deity or spirit.

The flower of the arecanut palm is in-

variably used in these rituals as the intoxi-

cating smell of the flower helps induce a

trance-like state in the participants. Craft

objects made of fine clay-pots or figures

also form part of ritualistic requirements of

worship. It is important to note that any

votive item, however beautifully made is

used only for a particular ritual; it is dis-

carded or destroyed after the ritual is over.

Sometimes the offerings consist of

wooden figures carved out of solid wood

blocks. These wooden carvings, often large

sized human and animal figures, are used by

the village priests who, with the aid of cer-

tain

yantras

mantras,

invoke and “trap”

the spirits and conduct them into the figu-

rines. The spirits, now drawn into the figu-

rines, are imprisoned by driving nails

through them.

Probably owing to the drabness that

surrounds a society stricken by poverty,

very bright and rich colours often derived

from minerals and vegetables are used to

express the various moods of joy and

adoration of the rural folk. Colours have not

only a hypnotic effect but a mystical

meaning too, as can be seen in rituals. The

mystical powers in the human body are

suggested through symbolic decoration of

the whole body or parts of it. The

decorations consist of various symbols

made with sacred ash, sandalwood paste,

certain special preparations of powdered

rice, turmeric powder or paste. The different

designs and patterns in different colours

applied to the human body and face, or the

wearing of decorative masks, signify a

transformation which helps the performer to

assume the role of the superhuman. It is

interesting to note that people of different

regions show preferences for different

colours.

Shrines : Worship Centres

Approximately four thousand shrines

are said to exist in Cannanore district.

Teyyams

are conducted at each of these

worshipping centres. Most of the

Teyyams

mantra-murthies

have three stages in

the performance; in some cases the per-

formance lasts over twelve hours, while in

others it is finished in less than fifteen min-

utes.

Many shrines are owned by joint fami-

lies. The annual festivals provide the occa-

sion for all the relatives to come together.

Part of the income from land properties is

specially kept at art for celebrating the fes-

tival. Certain shrines own a good deal of

gold ornaments, including

Bhuta

masks

which are unique works of art. Swords and

shields, oil-lamps and other ritualistic ob-

jects made of silver with intricate designs

are also plentiful in some shrines.

Another interesting factor is the archi-

tectural aspect of the village shrines where

the ritual dances are performed. The shrine

could be represented by just a simple stone,

or a symbolically placed sword and shield,

or even a lighted lamp to denote the altar for

worship. Elaborately carved wooden struc-

tures and masonry constructions too are

used in the shrines, depending probably on

the economic status of the owners. Each

community and sub-caste has its own

shrine as well as its particular deity. How-

ever, on festival occasions, festivities are

shared by all the people.

Harmonious Links

Just before the beginning of their an-

nual festival, some shrines receive offer-

ings from shrines belonging to other com-

munities. For example, on a festival day,

drumming at a particular shrine can be

started only after receiving a lighted lamp or

offerings from another shrine, maybe be-

longing to another caste.

Teyyam

and

Bhuta

performances, more often than not,

serve as harmonious links between various

communities including the Muslims.

Some of the ingredients in ritual func-

tions are the same in many places. Tulsi

leaves and areca flowers are used in every

ritual performance where devotees get into

trances (areca flowers are an essential of-

fering in similar ritual functions in Sri Lanka

and Bali Island).

(B N)

Closeup of facial makeup of Tondacean Teyyam