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Theyyam make up and headgear demand long hours of preparation. Here the performer impersonates Sasthappan.
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For as long as the performer is wearing the make up mask and dress he is believed to be the god he is representing and revered as such
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Theyyam artists are mostly dalits (untouchables) but during the performance they are revered as gods
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At the end of Sasthappan dance devotees line up patiently to touch the god-dancer and ask for blessings and advice
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Theyyam face painting requires long hours of meticulous work and a painstaking attention to detail
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For Theyyam face painting, only natural dyes like turmeric, quicklime, saffron or rice powder are used in combination with coconut oil
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Vellattam of Gulikan ritual whereby the mortal human being is transformed into the divine self
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Kannangat Bhagavathy boxy waist dress is made of bamboo slices and covered with red cloth
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The Theyyam not only play the deities (Kannangat Bhagavathy here) but impersonates them to the extent that they receive magical power
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Looking at his reflection in the mirror is a crucial part of the artist's transformation into revered goddess Kannangat Bhagavathy
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Puliyoor Kali the tigress goddess ands its tiger paw painting stretching up to the cheeks of the Theyyam
