The Return of Theeyattu: Pallipurathu Kavu Rekindles an Ancient Fire

Once a rare spectacle, this sacred performance now lights up the town in Kottayam dist almost every day

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Gone up substantially. While ‘Nadel Theeyattu’ is performed on almost all days, an average of 60 ‘Valiya Theeyattu’ performances are held at the temple a year.

Sharma, who has been consistently performing the ritualistic art at Pallipurathu Kavu since 2022, now stages an impressive 200 plays a year, a testament to the art form’s renewed popularity.

“Bhadrakali Theeyattu is performed exclusively by a particular community—Theeyattunnis. Presently only four or five families are performing the art. This highlights the critical importance of temples like Pallipurathu Kavu in sustaining the artistic lineage,” he adds.

“Now, on most days, offerings are being done at Pallipurathu Kavu,” observes writer Manoj Kuroor, also the head of the Malayalam Department at NSS College and a scholar deeply connected to Kerala’s performing arts.

“People too have become much more religious, which drives the demand for these offerings.”