Recently, a ‘Muthappan Theyyam’ was organised in Kerala’s Kasaragod. ‘Theyyam’ also known as ‘Vellattam’, is a ritualistic art and dance form where performers from opressed castes and communities appear as gods, warriors and local deities. In this ‘Vellattam’, the god in question was Sree Muthappan, a personification of two Hindu gods Thiruvappana and Vellatom, Vishnu and Shiva respectively. But what set this particular performance apart from others was that a Muslim woman clad in a burqa was comforted and offered words of hope by the Muthappan.

MT Ramlath, the woman in the burqa, was standing in the crowd watching the performance. She wanted to make an offering of Rs 20 to the deity but was hesitating. Her husband, Abdul Kareem had lost his job as a cook in a restaurant in Mumbai two years ago and she has been struggling to make ends meet since then. The couple has a son and two daughters studying in school.

Noticing the hesitant Ramlath, the Muthappan –  performed by Sani Peruvannan, a member of the Vannan Scheduled Caste community – asked her to come near him. The interaction was caught on video by a bystander and has since gone viral, striking a chord in people of all faiths.

In the video, Muthappan – wearing an intricately crafted head ornament and with his face painted in captivating red, white and yellow – can be seen holding Ramlath’s hands and saying, “Come here, you aren’t different.  Do you feel that way? Do you think you are different because of your karma (deeds), religion or caste? However you feel in your life, don’t say so in front of me. Have you seen Muthappan? Are you happy? What do you have to tell Muthappan? Do you have any difficulty in your life?” After this, Ramlath is seen confiding her problems to him.

Muthappan replies, “You have so many troubles… God knows, isn’t it? God knows a believer’s prayer. Don’t shed tears.”

“You have come before me wondering why, when you pray five times a day and follow Islamic rituals that you are not getting long-lasting happiness in this world,” he adds, and says that she is probably wondering why God does not look out for her. He urges her not to cry.

“The mosque (palliyum), temple (palliyara) and Muthappan’s shrine (madappura) are the same for Muthappan,” he adds. He asks her to hold tight to her faith. “I am giving you my word that you will be given peace and happiness equal to the tears filled in your eyes,” Muthappan says, holding Ramlath’s hands and pacifying her.

This particular Muthappan Theyyam was organised by Balakrishnan PV in his house in Padna Kadappuram in Valiyaparamba panchayat of Kasaragod, as part of a commitment he made to the deity, and MT Ramlath is his neighbour. At a time when young girls are being targeted for wearing the hijab, this instance where a Muslim woman in a burqa is being comforted and offered words of hope by a man portraying a Hindu God, Muthappan, is a hopeful sign.

Theyyam means ‘dance of God’, and etymologically speaking, it may come from the words ‘dheivam’ (God), and ‘attam‘ (dance). Theyyam is considered central to the socio-cultural ethos of Kerala in its treatment of caste. The performers are from oppressed castes and communities such as the Malayan, Velan, Vannan and Peruvannan. Performing Theyyam is seen more as a right, than an opportunity, by the artistes, who momentarily take on the role of a God or Goddess. There are nearly 400 forms of Theyyam, one among which is ‘Muthappan Theyyam’ for Sree Muthappan.

Sree Muthappan is a clan deity commonly worshiped in Kannur, Kasaragod, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Coorg. He is considered as a deity who does not discriminate against people on the basis of caste, religion, or nationality and all people are permitted to enter his temple and take part in worship. Muthappan is a hunter god who is said to like fish, boiled gram and toddy, in contrast to the Brahmanical offerings in other temples. He also sports a hunter’s attire and carries a bow and arrows with him, and his companions are dogs, who wander freely in his temple. The puja rituals and rites for Muthappan are performed by the Thiyya community. While Muthappan's Theyyams are performed year-round, other Theyyams are seasonal.

According to a The New Indian Express report, the video was shot and shared by KV Shaju, a relative of Balakrishnan, and neither Ramlath nor Sani was aware that their interaction was being captured. Shaju had said that he decided to share the video because it showed ‘the syncretic culture of his village’. Sani had been teaching drawing in Chinmaya Vidyalaya in Nileshwar before he followed in his father’s footsteps to become a full-time Theyyam artiste. He is reported to have said that this was the first time a video of his performance was shot and that his phone has not stopped ringing since the video has gone viral.

It is also to be noted that a part of the Sree Padna Mundya Temple’s compound wall in this very same village was razed so that Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, a Muslim organisation, could host its district convention, and Muslims in the village spearhead temple festivals. 

A Muthappan theyyam artist's comforting words to a Muslim woman, wiping away her tears, is the kind of act we all needed to see right now at a time when there's so much strife and tension. pic.twitter.com/6GMAY5W3Ua

— Vishnu Varma (@VishKVarma) February 23, 2022