When ritualistic drumbeats awaken a nostalgic past

A nostalgic journey into the heart of Kerala’s Karkidakam rituals, where myth, memory, and monsoon skies converge in the hypnotic rhythm of the theyyam

Aadi Vedan theyyam being welcomed into a home in Kannur, Kerala. Photo courtesy: Arun Karunakaran

Dressed in an eye-catching costume of red silk and cotton, adorned with elaborate and seemingly oversized ornaments, a vividly-painted face and a spectacular headdress featuring serpent motifs to complete the look, the Aadi Vedan theyyam is a splendidly quaint sight to behold.

Seen in Kerala's Malabar only during the Malayalam month of Karkidakam (usually July–August), the theyyam announces its arrival with a ritualistic drum beat that has an intriguingly hypnotic effect on listeners.

I still have nostalgic memories of seeing the Aadi Vedan theyyam visiting our taravad when I was a young boy growing up in Kuthuparamba in Kerala. The sight of Vedan, with the ritualistically done face makeup, was mesmerising and awe-inspiring, and I remember standing respectfully and watching his actions closely. (For a 10-year-old like me at the time, the sight of a little boy dressed in this ritualistic attire was a tad unsettling too.)

My aunt, who, upon hearing the rhythmic drumbeats from afar announcing the Vedan’s arrival, would quickly light a nilavilakku and place it along with a vessel full of raw rice at the entrance of the house - a gesture signifying the household welcoming  Aadi Vedan.

According to popular belief, when Aadi Vedan dances to the ritualistic beats accompanied by the chanting of mythological verses, the goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity, replaces her sister Chetta, the spirit of misfortune.

Vedan (Hunter), representing Lord Shiva, is the first to visit households, starting from the 7th day of Karkidakam, explains Murali Mohan, my good friend and an authority on theyyams. Aadi, symbolizing Goddess Parvati, joins Vedan only from the 17th day onwards. When both appear together, they symbolize the divine union or the Ardhanareshwara form.

The custom of welcoming these figures into homes during the month of Karkidakam, considered a time of scarcity, disease, and misfortune, is rooted in beliefs about warding off illnesses and ushering in prosperity as the monsoon season peaks and prepares its transition into the more abundant month of Chingam.

After a short dance, Vedan performs two rituals - a black guruthi, where charcoal and water is flung to the south of the house to ward off evil, and a red guruthi with turmeric and quicklime (items considered to have purifying properties), which is sprinkled in front of the house.

These acts are intended to purify the area, chase away negative energies, and protect the household and the shrine, the latter a regular feature in every Hindu taravad in North Kerala. The ritual also symbolizes the transition from misfortune and negativity to prosperity and purity.

Offering the vedan items such as rice, coconut, and vegetables is believed to bring prosperity and alleviate poverty.

The legend of the Aadivedan is linked to the Pandavas’ time in exile. During their forest exile, Arjuna began a penance to please Lord Shiva and obtain the divine Pashupatastra (a celestial weapon). To test his devotee’s resolve, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati disguised themselves as tribal hunters and entered the forest. While Arjuna was meditating, a wild boar appeared from nowhere and began rushing towards him. Arjuna immediately shot an arrow at it. At the same time, the disguised Shiva also shot at the boar. When it fell dead, a dispute arose between Arjuna and the hunter over who had the rightful claim to the kill. This led to a fierce battle.

However, Arjuna, the mighty archer, was struck down by the hunter and lost consciousness. Upon regaining his senses, Arjuna was ashamed when he realised that he had been defeated by an ordinary tribal man. To regain strength, he crafted a Shiva Linga and began worshipping it with flowers. However, he found that the flowers he was offering were ending up at the hunter's feet. Realising then that the hunter was none other than Lord Shiva in disguise, Arjuna fell at the feet of Shiva and Parvati and sought their blessings. Pleased with his devotion, the divine couple, in their Ardhanareeshwara form, blessed Arjuna with the Pashupatastra and returned to Mount Kailasa.

It is this form of Shiva that is believed to visit homes as the dancing Aadi Vedan.

In earlier times, both Aadi (representing Parvati) and Vedan (representing Shiva) used to visit homes together, reflecting the idea of divine union.

The tradition of having children (rather than adults) dress as Vedan and Aadi is rooted in symbolic associations of innocence and ritual purity, and has been preserved by community practice.

Recently, when Murali shared a picture of Vedan visiting his house in Kerala, I was pleasantly surprised - and happy - for many reasons.

To me, the Aadi Vedan theyyam is more than just a performance; it is memory, myth, and belief dancing together to the sounds of the monsoon beating down on the soil of Malabar. It’s a reminder that culture is not something to be preserved in museums or coffee-table books alone, but to be lived, celebrated, and kept alive: in the beat of a drum, the chant of spiritual verses, the rhythm of a ritual, and the innocence of a child who becomes god, if only for a while.

And in that moment, something divine passes through.