Thirra or Theyyam thira is a ritual dance performed in "Kaavu"(grove)& temples of the

Malabar Malabar may refer to the following: People * Malabars, people originating from the Malabar region of India * Malbars or Malabars, people of Tamil origin in Réunion Places * Malabar Coast, or Malabar, a region of the southwestern shoreline o ...

region in Kerala State,

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territ ...

. This art form is performed by the artists of ''malaya'' (the artist who recognised for performing the art form called as a "perumalayan") community. This art is performed during ''Utsavam'' (annual temple festival). Clan deities such as

Bhagavathi Bhagavatī (Devanagari: भगवती, IAST: Bhagavatī), is a Hindu epithet of Sanskrit origin, used as an honorific title for female deities in Hinduism. It is primarily used to address one of the Tridevi: Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati. ...

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

are worshipped in these forms.Theyyam thira is main sub division of Theyyam. It is similar to the

Theyyam Theyyam (/ t̪eːjjəm/; romanised: ''teyyam'') are Hindu ritualistic dance forms practiced in northern Kerala and some parts of Karnataka. Theyyam is also known as Kaḷiyāṭṭaṁ or Tiṟa. Theyyam consists of traditions, rituals and c ...

dance performed in the same region, except that in Theyyam the performer is considered as the god he is representing, while in Thira the performer is considered as to be possessed by god. Thira brings the gods to life. Performers dress up with ceremonial facial paint and loud clothing and dance in front of the deity, the bhagavathi. The objective clearly is to bring a sense of awe to the proceedings. Each performer represents a particular deity and is sponsored by devotees as a prayer offering. These dancers are viewed as being possessed by the gods when they are in their act, with devotees queuing up to meet them to share woes and wishes. Toddy plays a very significant role in the proceedings, it is an offering to the gods and almost all the performers dance under the influence. This helps in creating the feeling of being "possessed". The performers belong to the "Peruvannan" caste of , who are given prime importance in Thira . Therefore in Kerala, both upper caste Brahmins, and lower caste tribals have an important place in worship.

Different types of Thiras

* Bhagavathi Thira * Bhairavan Thira * Chanthu Thira * Gulikan Thira * Kuttichathan Thira *

Hanuman Hanuman (; sa, हनुमान, ), also called Anjaneya (), is a Hindu god and a divine '' vanara'' companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is an ardent devotee of Rama and on ...

Thira * Pottan Thira * Kandakarnan Thira * Chamundi Thira *

Vasoorimala Vasoorimala is a female deity worshiped in many parts of Kerala and Kodagu region of Karnataka. She is worshipped as an ''Upa Devata'' (sub-deity) in Bhadrakali or Shiva temples. Vasoorimala is believed to be a deity that prevents contagious dise ...

Thira * NagaKali Thira * Dharikavadham Thira * Karinkali Thira * Bhadrakaali Thira * Raktheshwari Amma * Ittikurumbha * Odakkali

References

External links

* https://archive.today/20130704045059/http://www.malayalamresourcecentre.org/Mrc/culture/artforms/thirayaattam/main.html {{Kerala Dances of Kerala Ritual dances