IMPRESSIVE, COLOURFUL, MYSTIC – three words to describe the temple festival in Thrikkaipetta, which took place on 18 and 19 February 2016.
During two days, the devotees came to attend the Gulikan Thira and Bhagavathi Thira performances and their drums rhythms, at Puthenveedu temple. Gulikan is a god of death, as well as a form of Siva. He represents the male aspect, and Bhagavathi the female aspect.
Thira is a ritual dance performed by artists of the Perumannan community in groves and temples of the Malabar region in the Indian state Kerala. This ceremony is performed during the annual temple festival Utsavam. Thira brings the gods to life. Performers dress up with ceremonial facial paint and sound making clothing and dance in front of the deity, the Bhagavathi. The aim is to bring a sense of awe to the proceedings. Each performer represents a particular deity and is sponsored by devotees as a prayer offering. These dancers are viewed as being possessed by the gods when they are in their act, with devotees queuing up to meet them to share woes and wishes.
