Article by Priyanandana A N
Folktales, folk arts and songs can be engaging, entertaining, escapist and absurd. While the tales you grew up with can seem fantastical and performances might seem vibrant and spectacular; there is more to folk arts and lores than that meets the eye. It not only serves as a medium of entertainment and artistic expression, but also as a lens to understand the history and nuances of the area it is performed in. Each story and retelling, weaves out the lives of its performer along with the seemingly fictional world it talks about. The performance of these narratives which are deeply rooted in politics and realities of the land often becomes a documentation of the lives of shunned to the corners of our society.
Folk Arts and the Lives of the Repressed
Throughout times good, bad and ugly, humans have always strived to make their voices heard. We have always navigated the challenges that come our way to let the world know that we exist, by finding new artistic outlets to channel our hopes and anxieties. While the elite segments of the society (the upper caste and upper class members) gave value to strictly codified temple arts marked by gatekeeping and inaccessibility, folk arts rose to prominence as a medium which amplified the lives and struggles of the often overlooked repressed population of our society.
Borrowing from the conventions and themes associated with temple arts, they crafted art forms and narratives which challenges, subverts and overthrows casteist assumptions of purity and superiority. Let us look at some subversive folk arts from Kerala which are in resolute resistance against social injustices to understand how folkarts use its flexibility to create powerful alternative narratives intertwining reality and myth to fuel social change.
‘Originating from the Sanskrit word ‘Daivam’ meaning God, the origin of theyyam can be traced to the myth that Kerala was created when Parashurama threw his axe enveloped in blood into the sea.’
Theyyam: The Dance of the Gods
Warming the cold nights from October to November, the fire of resistance fills the sacred groves of Northern Kerala. While the rest of the world sleeps, the cosmos of the Kaavu (sacred groove) is fully alive, crowded with people from different parts of the district and beyond, to witness the spectacle: the dance of the gods- Theyyam. Originating from the Sanskrit word ‘Daivam’ meaning God, the origin of theyyam can be traced to the myth that Kerala was created when Parashurama threw his axe enveloped in blood into the sea. A landmass was formed starting from Kanyakumari to the point where the axe fell. This land of groves and snakes were to be protected by local deities and sacred spirits. Theyyam is one of the many rituals granted to protect the land and its locals.
A Subversive Divine
Theyyam features the performer (usually male), many a times hailing from a lower caste in varying, complex costumes and elaborate face makeup- often in red and orange based limestone, conveying passion and anger. Long hair and headgear called mudi made of straw, feathers and other natural materials; bearing heavy jewellery is worn by the dancer, dancing in a state of trance. He treads on the path which was once denied to him by the prejudiced societal norms. As now, he is the embodiment of God. A divine status achieved by a period of strict, ritualistic preparation which culminates in a trance that turns him into a God.
These Gods of the common man who listens to the woes of their children and consoles them without differentiating their religion or caste is one of the many art forms which subverts and resists caste based discrimination. The tales of these nights are a blend of popular mythology and alternative narratives which acts as a resounding protest against a system, prevailing on the lives of those who were cornered based on the caste they were born into. There are about 456 varieties of Theyyam (some of which are based on real victims of caste discrimination) all with different myths and stories associated with them, and marked by distinct costumes and make-up addressing various social injustices perpetrated by the upper caste.
A Lyrical Confrontation
The theyyam performance is accompanied by ‘thottam pattu’– songs which voices the experiences of the lower caste and questions against a community which claims superiority over others. For instance, thottam pattu sung by ‘Pottan’ (idiot) theyyam, a manifestation of Shiva as a low caste chandala who appears before Shankaracharya forcing him to confront the biases that clouds his humanity.
‘The theyyam urges its audience to move away from the shackles of these biases to build an egalitarian world of humanity.’
Pottan theyyam, usually donned in an intricately painted mask laced in red, headgear made using palm leaves and straw, breastplate or body paint. He starts by narrating his predicament that makes Shankaracharya’s order to clear the path in front of him impossible to follow. The pottan theyyam asks where he could move to when one side of the path is filled with vines and forest, and the other end is full of thorns. The pottan theyyam then goes on to confront the selective discrimination he is faced with- the bananas he grew are offerings to their Gods, the flowers he grew adorns their idols, both of them (i.e, Shankaracharya, a brahmin and he, an untouchable) bleed red blood. Yet one is deemed superior and purer than the other. The theyyam urges its audience to move away from the shackles of these biases to build an egalitarian world of humanity. The bold use of colours and elements like fire lends an energy and intensity powerful enough to shake the conscience of its audience to reflect on the absurdity of these long-held biases.
An Artistic Space of Commentary
Alan Dundes’ observations on folklore are critical to understand how folk arts which document and amplify human experience, creates an artistic space for contemplation and commentary. He terms folklore to be people’s “symbolic autobiography”- an artistic space rendering an inside-out view of society. While folk arts and performances might come across as a release from reality with its fictitious and ritualistic elements, the personal and societal anxieties repressed underneath the spectacle is a crucial commentary on the society one lives.
This duality empowers folk arts to serve as a vehicle of social commentary and resistance that is not bound by structures and rules of temple arts. Folk arts overthrows any walls of restriction as it is flexible, easy to access and to understand. Unlike temple arts designed to be understood, enjoyed and attended by an upper-caste audience who had access to education and scriptures, and whose stories revolved around mythology. Folk arts like theyyam borrow elements from upper-caste mythology to create rich alternative narratives fuelled by their woes and underlying social conditions. These artforms, much like folklore and folk arts, are flexible and create an artistic space which is dynamic and spontaneous in its approach.
‘While folk arts and performances might come across as a release from reality with its fictitious and ritualistic elements, the personal and societal anxieties repressed underneath the spectacle is a crucial commentary on the society one lives.’
For instance, the storytelling employed in temple arts like Kadhakali and the lyrical component named Aattakadha that accompanies the performance have fixed subjects and instances from mythology. The performance is marked by sophisticated use of words and expressions with strict adherence to mythology and conventions. Meanwhile, a folk art like theyyam offers more dynamic movements and interactions- while the thottam pattu associated with a particular theyyam is fixed as it defines the origin, central anguishes and message they seek to communicate, the performance itself is flexible as it is not restrictive when it comes to usage of space, narrative style and integrating themes outside the body of stories and myths associated with the theyyam. The huge variety in the forms of theyyam which goes beyond four hundred is also a testament to the flexibility of the form.
The Curious Case of Ottam Thullal: Rooted Myths and Social Satire
Another great example of folk arts serving as a vehicle of social commentary is the birth and rise of ‘Ottamthullal’ which literally translates “to jump”. An art folk founded by Kunjan Nambiar is an answer to the ridicule he was subjected to during a performance of Chakkyar Koothu, a temple art reserved to upper-caste audience featuring a monologic retelling of episodes or instances from mythological texts like Mahabharata.
Ottamthullal features a performer with green face paint, dressed in uniquely draped white cloth with red and green borders, colourful headgear and ornaments- dancing in a fast pace reciting thullal lyrics (also noted for its fast rhythm). The lyrics are often based on episodes from Mahabharata or Ramayana but are crafted to root its characters and topical situations of Kerala. For instance, in a retelling of Rukmini Swayamvaram, Balabhadran commands his soldiers, horsemen and guards who absurdly consists of Nairs (people hailing from Nair caste in Kerala) and Nasranis (Christians) to follow Krishna who has proceeded alone.
While the major plotlines borrowed from mythology remain untouched, scenes are integrated to encapsulate the exploitation enabled by the upper caste behind inflated and arrogant claims; the corruption and schisms that render the local chieftains useless, and digs at the overall inefficiency that lingers in the system and those who run it. Such integrations sometimes blur the gaps of myth and reality, interweaving lives of mere mortals of its time with puranic (relating to Purana) characters, extending the existence of hypocritical elements to continued eternity.
Due to the endless possibilities it offers in terms of character building, story attributes and its quirky storytelling, it continues to be a vehicle of satire and social commentary on issues like corruption and price hike. It also happens to be a popular medium used in stage and television events and even the election campaigns. A much discreet use of Thullal conventions and narrative style can be observed in its integration as a format for satire programs featuring the news.
Conclusion
Folk storytelling and folk art performances weaves an imaginative space where the anguishes of the subconscious takes centre stage as it blends with pre-existing narratives, creating a unique variation- which like the lived experiences are unique and subjective.
In the advent of online activism, this centrality of subjectivity combined with its accessibility and flexibility offered by folk arts like Theyyam and Ottamthullal continues to make it the ideal format to address social evils. Creating a platform to encourage social reform at a grassroot level, Theyyam and Ottamthullal lives on, breathing life to more performances and tales of resistance.
BIO: Priyanandana A N is in a constant pursuit for stories that come in any shape of form- be it stories, poems, photos, ads, films or day to day snippets of conversations. She is also enthusiastic to cook up stories, poems and scripts of her own. She has completed her Masters in MA Mass Communication from AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi.
References:
Dundes, A. (1965). The Study of Folklore. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
Dundes. (2020). MEANING OF FOLKLORE : the analytical essays of alan dundes. Utah State Univ Press.
Mohan, A. (2021, October 31). How caste still rules the social lives of Theyyam practitioners in Kerala. The Caravan.
Chandrshekhara Warrier, M S.(1997). Kunjan Nambiarude Thullal Krithikal. Current Books
Thampi, K P Padmanabhan (1946). Thullal: An Indigenous Art- form. Travancore Information and Listener
Keralolpathi ( Malayalam Edition ). (2018). Createspace Independent Publishing Platform.