Possession
Possession refers to some of the fierce dances still practiced today in India, mainly in the Kerala region, called Thirai Attam and Teyyam. The spirit supposedly possessing the dancer is that of a hero, not a demon, and the term "devil dancing" used by Western anthropologists conveys a false image. In popular imagination this hero has been accorded a kind of godhood through local worship, and through the performance his blessings are sought as a means of receiving personal cures and for general well-being.
The word teyyam is derived from the Sanskrit devam (god), which indicates that the spirit being placated is not evil. The confusion may have arisen because the dancer is dressed in a horrifying costume. The actor (kolam) wears a huge headdress, sometimes with two skulls as ear covers; he is bare chested, his arms are loaded with bangles, and he wears many necklaces and a wide skirt with painted snakes. A cobra is painted on his chest, a huge halo from the head to the hips emphasizes his figure, and he wields a scimitar with consummate skill. There are some three hundred Teyyams, each telling a different story about a hero.
In Kerala the custom of raising stones in honor of great warriors was practiced as early as the second century CE. Later in makeshift temples (sthanams) for these heroes, the sword or other weapon was kept on a wooden stool. No daily ceremony is performed in these temples, which still exist today, but an annual Teyyam dance funded by the community is held for the hero.
The performance sometimes begins with preliminary dances and often, but not always, the sacrifice of a cock. After putting on his costume, the performer invokes the spirit (bhootam) of the hero and is slowly possessed by it. Finally he dances in great frenzy for hours. When the divine force subsides and he is calm, he is considered to be the holy embodiment of divinity. He goes into the temple, brings out some turmeric with rice, and distributes it to the participating audience and devotees, personally giving blessings to each of them.
The Teyyams are still popular in Kerala, where they are patronized not only by the rural population but also by urban and educated people.
Further Reading
Banerji, Projesh. (1959) The Folk Dances of India. Allahabad, India: Kitabistan.
Gautam, M. R. (1980) The Musical Heritage of India. Delhi: Abhinav Publications.
Kurup, K. K. N. (1973) The Cult of Teyyam and Hero Worship in Kerala. Calcutta, India: Indian Publishers.
Roy Chaudhury, H. C. (1962) Materials for the Study of the Early History of the Vaisnava Sect. Calcutta, India: n.p.
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