Thiriyuzhichil
Encyclopedia
Thiriyuzhichil is a dance ritual performed by Pulluva
s in Kerala
(South India
) to alleviate the fear of snake
s, to appease the snake and to be blessed with babies. This is more popular in the districts of Trichur, Calicut
and Palghat
and it is performed in Hindu
Temple
s and shrines meant for snakes. By performing this, the queen of snakes could be appeased. The performer starts dancing holding a torch in his hand using various types of music instruments.
Thiri Uzhichchil is also performed as one of the items in Ayyappan Vilakku festival. This item is performed early morning at about 3 am after the Ayappa Jananam (Birth of Ayyappa) ritual and the Paal kindi ezhunnaLLippu (ritual procession of Ayyappa bringing tiger's milk).
In the case of Thiri Uzhichchil in Ayyappan viLakku, the accompaniments are ilaththaaLam(cymbal) and Chenda (traditional Keralite drum). The Velichapaadu after uranju thuLLal (trance-like shivering and jumping continuously) starts with one thiri (flaming torch) and increases it to two and three and even goes up to five thiris.
The thiri or pandam is a flaming torch made of group of cotton wicks strapped together by coconut leaf fronds. The wicks are fuelled by coconut oil, into which
they are dipped before the performance.
He wipes the flames on the body especially the arms, chest and back continuously dancing to the tune of the drums.
The dance is a form of worship, Nrithya Pooja, on the eight sides of the ambalam (shrine) - in case of Ayyappan ViLakku the temple is constructed purely with banana stems without using any metallic items - with intricate steps and each section of the dance, ending with a crescendo on one of the eight sides.
In addition to wiping the flames on the body, the performer also sticks the torch into the waist part of the kachcha (traditional dress) both on front and back side so that the flames almost touches his chin. The crescendo of the drumming and the dance culminates when
he wipes the torch so vigorously on his arms, chest and back that it almost goes out.
After the performance the performer offers the torch to all the spectator devotees to warm their palms and touch the palms to their faces (just like the traditional way Hindus take the camphor offering).
The Velichappadu usually wears the white dothi and both red and black kachcha and also ties up the "waist belt of bells" (aramaNi) during the performance.
Pulluvan
A Pulluvan is a male member of low caste group called Pulluvar of Indian state of Kerala. They belong to the Hindu religion. The term pullu means a bird of omen. There are many sub-divisions within the Pulluva community, the majority known as Nagampatikal...
s in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
(South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
) to alleviate the fear of snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s, to appease the snake and to be blessed with babies. This is more popular in the districts of Trichur, Calicut
Kozhikode district
Kozhikode District , formerly Calicut, is a district of Kerala state, situated on the southwest coast of India. The city of Kozhikode, also known as Calicut, is the district headquarters. The district is 38.25% urbanised...
and Palghat
Palakkad district
Palakkad District is one of the 14 districts of the Indian state of Kerala. The city of Palakkad is the district headquarters. Palakkad is bordered on the northwest by the Malappuram District, on the southwest by the Thrissur District and on the east by Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. The...
and it is performed in Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
s and shrines meant for snakes. By performing this, the queen of snakes could be appeased. The performer starts dancing holding a torch in his hand using various types of music instruments.
Thiri Uzhichchil is also performed as one of the items in Ayyappan Vilakku festival. This item is performed early morning at about 3 am after the Ayappa Jananam (Birth of Ayyappa) ritual and the Paal kindi ezhunnaLLippu (ritual procession of Ayyappa bringing tiger's milk).
In the case of Thiri Uzhichchil in Ayyappan viLakku, the accompaniments are ilaththaaLam(cymbal) and Chenda (traditional Keralite drum). The Velichapaadu after uranju thuLLal (trance-like shivering and jumping continuously) starts with one thiri (flaming torch) and increases it to two and three and even goes up to five thiris.
The thiri or pandam is a flaming torch made of group of cotton wicks strapped together by coconut leaf fronds. The wicks are fuelled by coconut oil, into which
they are dipped before the performance.
He wipes the flames on the body especially the arms, chest and back continuously dancing to the tune of the drums.
The dance is a form of worship, Nrithya Pooja, on the eight sides of the ambalam (shrine) - in case of Ayyappan ViLakku the temple is constructed purely with banana stems without using any metallic items - with intricate steps and each section of the dance, ending with a crescendo on one of the eight sides.
In addition to wiping the flames on the body, the performer also sticks the torch into the waist part of the kachcha (traditional dress) both on front and back side so that the flames almost touches his chin. The crescendo of the drumming and the dance culminates when
he wipes the torch so vigorously on his arms, chest and back that it almost goes out.
After the performance the performer offers the torch to all the spectator devotees to warm their palms and touch the palms to their faces (just like the traditional way Hindus take the camphor offering).
The Velichappadu usually wears the white dothi and both red and black kachcha and also ties up the "waist belt of bells" (aramaNi) during the performance.