Rare Ritual Performances of Keralam
Bangalore International Centre, 7, 4th Main Road, Domlur II Stage, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560071, India
About
This illustrated lecture explores the ritual performances of northern Keralam. Beyond Theyyam, more than a hundred such performances are still practised, largely unknown outside their regions. Art, martial practices and shared worship have long held communities together and this talk presents a visual record of the rare traditions that preserve Keralam’s cultural identity.
Balan Nambiar returns to BIC, where he last spoke on the Bhutas of Tulunadu, with his lens focused on a different region. He presents photographs of traditions that developed alongside, and often independently of, Brahmanical Hinduism. He looks at Ati, a ritual of bare-handed combat at Mavilayi influenced by Kalaripayattu, and at shrines where Muslim Theyyams enjoy patronage and privileges. He captures offerings of toddy, fish, and meat as expressions of local belief, and introduces lesser-known forms such as Uccerikuttu, Malayankettu, and Kalampattu, now seldom performed. He makes the case that preservation of these practices is essential to safeguarding the region’s cultural heritage.
This talk is part of a series marking twenty years of BIC.
Venue: Auditorium
Twenty Years On: Revisiting Voices from BIC’s Founding Years
RSVP here (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeyAanKIq54AZKlJ4uFE6wc1wp32ZyNp4oofVLYwM98k-H7BA/viewform?usp=pp_url)
*Speaker*: Balan Nambiar
*Event Categories*: Culture, Faith, Heritage, Mythology, Performing Arts, Society, Visual Arts