I have been getting emails from the Lila foundation about their lecture series. They had some very interesting people but due to my teaching commitments, I never found time to attend them. The mid-semester exams came as a boon especially since Pepita Seth's lecture was scheduled for Saturday instead of a weekday. And as Rajinder has a car that I can use any time the whole thing really worked out beautifully. I am glad it did for the talk was fantastic and I learnt a lot about Theyyam.
Pepita Seth is based in Guruvayoor, Kerala. She is a photographer and a writer, who has researched extensively on the temple arts and has written a book on the Guruvayoor temple. She is currently working on the folk art of Malabar region, specifically the Theyyam tradition. She told us about the Annapurnaeshwari temple of Cherakunnu. The legend is very interesting. Annapurnaeshwari came to Malabar from Kashi on a boat manned by Muslims. She told the boatmen to wait for her in case she wants to go back to Kashi. The boatmen waited for her and there is a masjid in Cherakunnu where the Muslim boatmen are believed to be buried.
She talked about the traditions especially Theyyam (which is a corruption of Devam) enacted by male dancers. The tradition is now dying ironically because of education. The tradition requires children to be trained into the art and during the season they have to devote most of the day to the art form. No school will give that kind of permission.
The only grouse I had was about the moderator who gushed immoderately about Pepita Seth. Other than that it was a wonderful evening.
Pepita Seth is based in Guruvayoor, Kerala. She is a photographer and a writer, who has researched extensively on the temple arts and has written a book on the Guruvayoor temple. She is currently working on the folk art of Malabar region, specifically the Theyyam tradition. She told us about the Annapurnaeshwari temple of Cherakunnu. The legend is very interesting. Annapurnaeshwari came to Malabar from Kashi on a boat manned by Muslims. She told the boatmen to wait for her in case she wants to go back to Kashi. The boatmen waited for her and there is a masjid in Cherakunnu where the Muslim boatmen are believed to be buried.
She talked about the traditions especially Theyyam (which is a corruption of Devam) enacted by male dancers. The tradition is now dying ironically because of education. The tradition requires children to be trained into the art and during the season they have to devote most of the day to the art form. No school will give that kind of permission.
The only grouse I had was about the moderator who gushed immoderately about Pepita Seth. Other than that it was a wonderful evening.
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