At dawn on the prescribed starting date, the high priests of Matham at Payyavur (city) arrive. On the first day they are given gifts of cloth. The tantri's (priests), after purifying the place, perform Ganapati Honam (specific prayer), and worship Bhagwati. In the evening two members of the Adiyar tribe also arrive along with some other members of the tribe. They receive offerings from the tantri's .

The actual spot where Muttupan transformed Chantan is North from here, high up on the mountain in the dense forest. It is believed that Muttupan himself suggested that they should construct a Paadi (grove) in the southern side and perform worship since he believed no human being had the strength of penance to worship there.

The drum used for this ritual is known as the chenda.

Komaram's ritual

Many people were seated under the tree's to watch the performance. At this is time only some of the participants of the ritual are allowed to enter.

Yellow and red paste, made from rice, is painted on the body of the Komaram. He also wears the traditional headgear, bangles, and necklace. Before placing the headgear he puts on a red cloth known as pattu. 1. After he has been completely dressed, the Komaram walks to the Paadi with two churikas (spears), one silver, the other iron. The Adiyar men follow him around and carry his ornaments. Drummers accompany them. Chantan is represented by an Adiyar man who carries a bow and arrow, the box of offerings is known as bhandarappetti. The tantri's then enter the madappura (cave) and pour holy water on the sacred rock. Chantan enters after him. The tribes men are also paying respects to the other participants of the ritual, such as the Vaanavar. The Vaanavar gives them betel leaf and arcae nut and the blacksmith then lights a lamp which will stay lit for the entire festival. Picture 1 through 9 are of this part of the ritual.

Muttupan

The man who becomes Muttupan arrives shortly after. He circumambulates the area once and chants a hymn inviting Muttupan from Puralimala to Kunnattur Paadi. The man then lies down to be dressed up. He is then brought to the mud seat where make up is painted on his face and body. He and the man applying the makeup are singing one after another. Red paste is smeared all over his hands and arms. In his hand is a mirror which he shakes at times as he is praying. His mood is solemn and meditative.

When he is mostly dressed, the two Adiyar tribesman come to his sides and hold his hands. The drums start and he begins to rock back and forth slowly. Toddy is offered to him, which he first spills on the ground as an offering to the earth. After that he drinks. He is then passed other vessels with toddy which he passes on to others who also drink. The music gets faster and in turn his rocking becomes faster. At the climax of the music he shakes his head and body furiously and begins to move his hands in a snake like manner while continuously swinging his body back and forth. Toddy is drunk throughout. Meanwhile, the Komeron goes to the door of the mandapurra (cave) and dances in a frenzy with his churika in hand. He goes to the present Vavannar and receives blessings from him and his ancestors.

When this is over the rest of the dressing begins. Muttupan is given a false beard which he takes in his hands and shakes and dances with the same snake motions he was making before. It is tied on to him, behind his ears, along with the false mustache. He stands up after these are placed, and acts as if he is searching. The music plays repetitively. He sits back down and another piece of his costume is brought, known as the chakras. He holds it first in his hands and playfully fights with the man for it . It is then tied on. His body is continuously shaking. His eyes are wide and glazed, almost in a trance state. False silver eyes are then given to him in his hands. He playfully acts as if he would put them on many times but stops right before he does. The music continuously gets faster.

Muttupan sits for a minute and suddenly begins to kick his legs and wave his arms around furiously, thrashing like a mad man. All of a sudden he stands up and walks rapidly to the shrine where others are waiting. Click here to see this first part.

One man carries a parasol to cover Muttupan. He stands in front of the shrine and chants while placing the false eyes on. Finally the crown headdress is placed on and he is given his bow and arrow. In his right hand he holds the mirror.

A pipe starts to play loudly. He turns around slowly and surveys his surroundings, listening carefully to the music. His body is still except he begins to open and close his mouth repeatedly which causes his beard and mustache to flap. Enchanted, he continues for several minutes.

The two Adiyar men still support him from both sides. Every now and then Muttupans body jerks violently. He begins laughing loudly and distinctivly. The piper stands directly in front of Muttupan who becomes entranced and almost falls back from the sounds of the pipe. The pipe sounds are loud and piercing, swinging drunkardly in sound and tone. Muttupan also acts drunk and seems to be in some altered state.

The drums start again and he begins to dance to the beat. He then goes to the mud seat, stands on top of it, and turns slowly in a circle while doing hand gestures with the mirror in his right hand. One of the Adiyar men still holds his other hand. The two men help him down off the stump and he begans to dance for a while with the music. Cowrie shells are seen on his ankles.

After some time he goes again to the shrine, takes the lamp from one of the men and does a prayer. In the prayer he turns from side to side, looks at mirror, turns 360 degrees and does the same procedure again three times. After this Muttupan gives a blessing to the Komaram by touching his head, and then blesses the two Adiyar men at his side. Chatan is supposed to be represented and blessed, as well as the ghost of the Chatan. He then blesses the Vaanavar, and the ghost of earlier Vannavars. Anyone else involved in the ritual is also eventually blessed.

Afterwards, he goes back to the mud seat, places the mirror down and does another type of dance. He grabs his arrow and starts to poke the seat and the mirror while chanting something. By doing this, we were told, he supposedly gave the arrow power. He then points the arrow in the opposite direction. He continues to dance, for a minute and blesses the musicians.

People throughout the forest are watching intently. The pipe starts again and Muttupan begins searching around again seemingly entranced. His false beard starts flapping again. He then takes the arrow, sets it up in his bow, and fake shoots it by letting go of the string and running with the arrow. This is to portray the part of his life as a hunter. He stops, looks around again and continues to shoot the arrow again and again. The other men are at the shrine and are howling and shrieking like forest animals. He continues hunting.

Suddenly, he begans running around the grove, jumping over all the little fires that had been made. He did this three times. A seat was then prepared in front of the shrine and he sits down, triumphantly, while laughing and speaking at high speeds and without pauses. Amazingly he does not run out of breath and continues speaking, non-stop, for about an half hour. The people are now standing around him reverently.

Toddy is brought out, and again a few drops were given to the earth first, and then drunk by everyone. Rice is given to Muttupan which he blesses with words and then throws to the ground. He then gets up and is given two swords, which he begins to dance with. Click here for this segment of the ritual.

Muttupan then goes to the Komaram and gives him one of the swords. The Komaram goes inside the shrine with the sword. Inside, the Komaram does some type of pooja to the sacred stone and the sword.

The Komaram runs out and blesses one of the tribal, and gives him the sword, who then runs the sword back to Muttupan. Komaram, meanwhile, stands diligent in prayer. Many men are chanting now. Muttupan comes to Komaram and they hold hands, circle the fire 3 times, and then go back to the shrine where more words and prophecies are told. Muttupan then again blesses Komaram and proceeds to began blessing the rest of the people.

A seat is then brought to the middle of the grove. He sits down and all the spectators come and form a line. A box known as bhandarappetti (box of offerings) is brought out by the Vaanavar. A small golden replica of a bow and arrow is taken out and Muttupan blesses it. This has supposedly been a part of the Theyyam since it originated. It is immediately replaced and locked in the box.

Toddy is again brought out, this time as an offering by the Vaanavar and drunk by most of the participants. People then come to Muttupan one at a time. He gives every one a blessing, sometimes gives advice, or even speaks of the future. In addition, Muttupan gives each devotee special rice which he himself has blessed. One person told us it was also special because it did not contain salt in it. Money is offered by the devotees to Muttupan who puts it into a money box which sits next to him.

After a few hours he finally finishes speaking to each and every devotee. More toddy was brought out and drunk. After this, Muttupan goes to the shrine and says his final utterances and prayers. He then goes to the mud seat, gives the bow and arrow back to his helpers, and they began to undress him. When one of the helpers reaches for his crown, he starts to shake violently, but starts to calm down after it is removed. Click here to see the last clip.

The rest of the costume is removed and the man who had been dressed as Muttupan blesses it. The ritual for that day was then finished.