The art of theyyam face painting My first theyyam took place at Panachikkavu, a remote rural temple some 20km inland from the harbour city of Kannur. I arrived early and found artists using the ...

Devakkoothu, which has its roots in theyyam performance ... And this time, there was a new face - Ambujakshi of Kattuparambu family of Madayi - donning the role of the devatha as K P Lakshmi ...

Some theyyams do not require face painting but use only masks. KK Gopalakrishnan Theyyam’s animistic roots shine through in its reverence for nature and its creatures. This crawling crocodile ...

Chayilyam is the red substance used to paint the face of Theyyam. In the film, it assumes various levels of meaning ranging from the menstrual blood to resistance movements and to the deep-seated ...

“Banning Ottakolams is not an option. It’s true that many theyyam artists face risks during and after performances, but it is the artists themselves and the temple committees who need to ...