Witnessing Theyyam with Manish

"Fear is like fire. If you can control it, it can cook your food and warm your home. If you cannot, it will burn everything around you and destroy you. Fear can be both your friend and your worst enemy." - Manish Lakhani

Theyyam, an ancient tradition of human connection to deity, is practiced in Kerala and Karnataka India. It is a ceremony spanning eight to ten hours, involving elaborate movement, stunning costumes, and mantras which bridge humanity to the divine. It is, as Manish puts it, a night where “the gods choose to walk among us.”

Manish Lakhani, a world traveler and storyteller, had the privilege of documenting Theyyam and its symbolic power. In his series, Theyyam, Face-to-Face, he writes beautifully about the significance of fire, connection to source, and profound importance of this tradition to the people of Kerala.

Theyyam begins with Vellattam, the quiet invitation. “Vellattam is the breath before the roar. The knock on the door before the god enters. Quiet, raw, and deeply sacred, this is how the divine is first welcomed home.” The dancer appears simply clothed, barefaced and unadorned, creating space for what is to come.

Then continues Chenda, the rhythmic history. “With every beat, the performer chants old stories: tales of village gods, warriors, protectors, and spirits. These are stories passed mouth to mouth, drum to drum, to the next generation, not written anywhere. As he sings, he doesn’t just tell the story; he slowly becomes it.”

As the ceremony progresses, so does the visual spectical. The drums beat louder, costumes evolve in their artistry, movements are quickened in complexity. According to tradition, the gods reveal themselves slowly, climatically, and arrive in full, fiery power. All who witness this, both life-long participants and first-time observers, walk away changed.

"In these nights, the gods are not distant. They argue, bless, scold, and heal. They remember injustices, protect the forgotten, and demand truth from those who stand before them." Within the Hindi traditions of Kerala, this night is necessary.

We highly recommend you check out his series.