Kozhikode: Thirayattam, the ethnic folk art form of South Malabar, so far seen only during temple festivals, will appear on an international platform soon. It has been selected for the second edition of International Ethnic Folklore Festival to be held in New Delhi from October 15 to 18.
This is among the 10 art forms selected from around the globe. Along with Thirayattam, Bhangara of Punjab will also be performed during the festival. A seven-member team of Thirayattam artiste headed by Moorkkanad Peeth-ambaran from Kozhikode will perform it.
Moorkkanad Peethambaran said; “So far our art form has been limited to just temple festivals and we perform in over 70 temples every year. We also conduct workshops and lecture-demos for students, artiste and scholars, but this is for the first time we are getting an opportunity to perform in an art festival. This will also be an opportunity for our team to popularise it on an international platform,” he said.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and European Association of Folklore Festival are jointly organising the festival. The festival is an initiation of Shrustii Multicultural centre, a non-profit organisation functioning to promote ethnic art forms in and around the globe.
Thirayattam was selected for its combination of dance, music, theatre, satire, facial and body painting, masking, martial art and ritualistic function. Known for its fast and furious steps to the beats of chenda, ila thalam, kombu, thudi, panchayudham and kuzhal, it is performed only by men. The dance form has two classifications, mainly Thirayattam, which is performed at night, and Vellattam staged during the day.
