Theyyam or Theyyattam or Kaliyattam, is a popular Hindu ritual of worship in North Kerala state, predominant in the Kolathunadu area (consisting of present-day Kannur and Kasargod districts).
Theyyam incorporates dance, mime and music and enshrines the rudiments of ancient tribal cultures which attached great importance to the worship of heroes and the spirits of ancestors.
Of the over 400 Theyyams performed, the most spectacular ones are those of Raktha Chamundi, Kari Chamundi, Muchilottu Bhagavathi, Wayanadu Kulaveni, Gulikan and Pottan.
The headgear and other ornamental decorations are spectacular in sheer size and appearance.
Theyyams are performed annually from December to April in Malabar and north Kerala.
