Busy days ahead for Babu Anjoottan of Nileshwaram as Theyyam season grips North Malabar

Nileshwaram: The Theyyam season under the Allada Swaroopam (dynasty), which continues until Edavam, traditionally begins on Thulam 11 with Kaliyattam at Veerarkaavu in Nileshwaram Theru Anjootambalam. However, Kaliyattam will not be staged at Veerarkaavu this year due to a recent fireworks accident. In recent years, some temples have begun staging Theyyam performances even on Pathamudayam.

For Babu Anjoottan of Nileshwaram, the onset of Thulam brings days without rest. In earlier times, Aniyalangal (makeup and accoutrements for Theyyam) were crafted by fixing metal plates and other elements using wax on Indian coral tree bark. Today, with many components commercially available, the workload has eased slightly, he says.

Babu Anjoottan dons the Theyyakkolam, the elaborate costume and makeup, of major goddesses at most Kaliyattam and Perumkaliyattam performances across Northern Malabar. This sacred tradition was handed down to him by his father, Krishnan Anjoottan, when he was just 12. Now at 63, he continues to uphold its ritualistic tradition with unwavering devotion. He reflects that preparing the body and mind for Theyyakkolam is akin to an act of complete surrender.

Every Theyyam performer’s life is like a string of beads woven by tradition. At the end of that string now stands Babu Anjoottan’s son, Adityan. He was ritualistically ordained as Payyanur Munnoottan in April this year. Babu Anjoottan himself was installed as Payyanur Munnoottan in 1991 and later ordained as Anjoottan by the Nileshwaram Thampuram in 1995.

Adityan is now walking the same path as his father. The father-son duo is currently busy preparing Aniyalangal for upcoming Theyyam performances.