Predating Hinduisim, theyyam is an ancient and mysterious folk ritual, and one of South India's most mesmerising experiences. I could hear the staccato drumming rising to a crescendo through the ...

Mime. Theatre. Worship. Trance. Dance. Art. Music. Story. Now imagine a spectacle comprising all these further augmented by esoteric chanting and extravagantly colourful makeup and attire.

Spirit of Theyyam. Theyyam, an ancient ritualistic performance art, is unique to north Kerala. A dramatic and intense visual spectacle, it fuses dance, theatre, and worship into a mesmerising display.

Take the case of Theyyam, for instance. The popular ritual art of North Malabar is a centuries-old tradition, a living cult of performance and worship in the region. Kavus (sacred groves ...

Yet one of the most ancient and mesmerising is theyyam, which takes place in the southern state of Kerala and parts of neighbouring Karnataka. Meaning "God" or the "incarnation of God", theyyam is ...