Theyyam is a corruption of the word “daivam,”
which means “god” in Malayalam. An incredibly vibrant tradition that has been
in practice for the last 1,500 years, Theyyam is a folk religion with deep
roots in Malabar, the northern region of Kerala. In Theyyam, the practitioner,
or oracle, enters a state of exalted trance in which he becomes the physical
manifestation of a deity. He is believed to be possessed with divine powers to
heal, foretell the future, and confer blessings on de
is a writer and a photographer based in Kolkata. His work has appeared in Al Jazeera, the Globe and Mail and National Geographic Traveller among others.
