Come Karkkidakam, the Adi Galinjan or the Karkkidaka theyyams are out, on their journey to usher in prosperity and ward off evil forces during a period that is widely regarded as lean for the traditional agrarian community of north Kerala.
The theyyams are on their grama sancharam (journey through villages) to shield the northern Tulunadu region from epidemics that hold sway during the peak monsoon period. The theyyams, enacted by boys in the age group of five to 12, are known as Galinjan in northern belts of the region while the performance is known as Aadivedan in the southern areas.
The performers move along rural and semi-urban areas to the accompaniment of chenda music, visiting households where they are greeted by lighted traditional lamps. The family members pay obeisance to the performers as they dance to the tune of traditional instruments and tottam pattu .
The off-season theyyams are enacted by those hailing from the backward Koppalan, Malaya or Vannan communities. The performers are given paddy, vegetables and cash, reminiscent of a past agrarian-oriented economy.
The Hindu mythology has it that the theyyams are the incarnations of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati who visit the households to usher in prosperity by warding off evil forces, while another tale correlates to that of Arjuna, portrayed in the Mahabharata .
