Introduction: Who is Pottan and why is he relevant?
Theyyams are one of the most unique cultural features of Northern Malabar. Red-clad and expressive, they represent the spiritual, social, and political inter-wovenness of a society shaped by its own histories. However, amongst the hundreds of Theyyams performing every year in Kerala, only a handful are as talked about as the Pottan Theyyam. While many Theyyams carry social commentaries within their stories, Pottan is the manifestation of a revered deity whose story is a powerful and enduring protest against social injustice told through satire and a startling trial by fire.
Origins and Variations
Theyyam performances are rooted in ancient socio-religious ceremonies in Kerala, and the festival is often referred to by its older name, Kaliyattam. Over centuries, it evolved into the complex ritual it is today. Historically, the right to perform Theyyam has been the traditional prerogative of male members from the communities that were considered the lower-castes, like the Malayan, Pulayan, Vannan, and Velan tribes. It was these artists who, through their devotion, were entrusted with bringing the Gods to earth. Pottan Theyyam is primarily performed by artists from the Pulayar and Malayar communities, although other groups such as the Mavilan, Munnoottan, and Panan also have their own versions.
However, what ties all these different traditions together is the legend behind the Pottan’s descent. It centers on a confrontation between divine wisdom and human arrogance. The story recounts how the great 8th-century scholar and philosopher Adi Sankaracharya, filled with pride about his wisdom, was traveling through Malanad to attain the epitome of knowledge, the Sarvajna Peetam. On his path, he encountered a Pulaya youth accompanied by his wife and their child (there are regional variations to the details).
The Ballad and the Performance
Motifs and Attire
The costume of Pottan Theyyam deliberately employs humble materials as a symbolic rejection of the rigid, hierarchical structure of his society.
The performer’s body is simply coated in a white-colored rice powder paste. This stark simplicity contrasts sharply with the intricate, multi-colored face painting (mukhathezhuttu) of other Theyyams, symbolizing a rejection of ornate aesthetics. Instead, the Pottan Theyyam wears pre-prepared face masks. In a psychological sense, while an ordinary man might wear a mask (persona) to hide certain aspects of their identity, the Pottan Theyyam (like the Gulikan) wears this material mask to allow the performer to openly express powerful truths and criticisms before the public in the form of satire, truths that might otherwise be dangerous to speak aloud.
The primary costume consists of a skirt and braided hair crafted from the tender, pale strands of coconut leaves, as they are the materials accessible to all. The tender coconut leaf is also utilized for the headgear, a feature shared by most Fire Theyyams. This simplicity also takes over the accessories of the Pottan. Unlike warrior Theyyams that carry swords, shields, or bows, Pottan Theyyam only implements a small stick and a knife. This signifies his status as a commoner, not a king or warrior, reinforcing the myth’s core message of divinity in the ordinary.
Agnipravesam: The Fire Entry
The climax of the performance is the Agnipravesham, or trial by fire. The Theyyam dances, sits, and lies down upon a large heap of burning embers known as a “meleri.” In a breathtaking sequence, temple attendants lead the performer to the smoldering pyre, where he lies down on the coals, then suddenly jumps up, only to repeat the action in all four cardinal directions. This fiery act is also a moment of powerful social satire. While lying on the hot embers, the performer humorously shouts “Enikku Kulirunne“ (“I’m shivering with coldness”), a defiant declaration of transcendence. However, while the performance symbolizes mastery over pain, the instances of performers suffering serious burns are not unknown, highlighting the immense physical danger inherent in the ritual.
Conclusion
Pottan Theyyam’s greatest significance lies in its function as a powerful spiritual satire and an act of social protest. The ritual creates a space for what anthropologists term symbolic inversion. For the duration of the performance, the artist from a lower-caste community enters a state of ritual liminality and becomes a divine authority. Before this living God, all must bow regardless of their social standing, seek blessings, and ask for solutions to their problems, completely upending the established social order. The very same families who traditionally enforced the rigid social hierarchy also act as patrons, arranging for performances in their ancestral homes (illams or Tharavadu) and shrines (kavus). This now acts as yet another appendage of the complex and historical interdependence between various communities in Kerala. Pottan Theyyam thus endures not merely as a relic of the past, but as a living, breathing testament to the power of ritual to confront social injustice, embodying a seamless synthesis of profound spiritual devotion and an unyielding social conscience.
References
- Vijisha P. Impact of folk science and accepted science on the super-humanness of ritual performances – a study based on the performance of Potten/Pottan Theyyam. PhD Thesis, School of Folklore Studies, University of Calicut, 2016.
- Rose, Johna. “Pottan Theyyam: Gods Dancing on Earth.” Literary Herald: An International Refereed English e-Journal, ISSN 2454-3365.
- “Theyyam and Social Protest” (IJARIIE, Vol. 10 Issue 4, 2024).
- Pottan Theyyam: A story of Social Satire, Tyndis
- “Pottan Theyyam,” keralatheyyam.com
- Pottan Theyyam: Indian Art and Cultural Documentation, IIP mount
Well written 👏🏻