Venerating Vēṭṭaykkorumakan (Son of Śiva and Pārvatī) through Ritual Arts

Abstract

Vēṭṭaykkorumakan is considered to be the son of Śiva and Pārvatī, born when they had assumed the form of a hunter and huntress. Although Vēṭṭaykkorumakan is considered as an incarnation, according to the narratives that are written in the local vernacular Malayalam, and known in the Malabar area of Kerala, he is considered to be only a hero too. Beside the tantric rituals that are usually performed for the deities, Vēṭṭaykkorumakan is venerated through two distinct rituals in Kerala, namely the Kaḷameḻuttuṃ Pāṭṭuṃ ritual in the southern part of Kerala, and the Teyyam ritual in northern Kerala. This article will discuss these two rituals in detail to examine how they are closely linked with theatre. Traces of the story of Śiva and Pārvatī assuming the form of a hunter and huntress in the Mahābhārata, and its influence in Sanskrit Literature and on other art forms, are briefly discussed also.

Keywords

• Kerala
• Malabar
• Vēṭṭaykkorumakan
• Kaḷameḻuttuṃ Pāṭṭuṃ
• Teyyam