Arya Poonkani

ആര്യപൂങ്കന്നി

A goddess who crossed the sea and found a friend in a Muslim sailor.

Category: Goddess
Companion: Bappiriyan, the sailor
Notable detail: Wears wooden footwear
Story: A voyage, a shipwreck and an unlikely friendship

Who is Arya Poonkani?

Arya Poonkani is a goddess of North Malabar whose story links two faiths. She appears together with Bappiriyan, a sailor who is believed to have been a Muslim.

The story

Arya Poonkani was born to Aryapattar and Aryapattathi and grew fond of ornaments and pearls. She and her brothers set out by ship to find pearls for her marriage, but were caught in a storm and separated by a shipwreck. After seven days at sea they came ashore. Alone, she saw a sailor, Bappiriyan, in a small boat. He ignored her at first, but she showed her powers and he agreed to help her look for her brothers.

They found the brothers, who chose to settle where they were. Arya Poonkani and Bappiriyan went on to the Kooran hills on the North Malabar coast and settled there. Many shrines were later built across the region.

Close view of the Arya Poonkani Theyyam face and headdress — Photo: Kuttappan Chettan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Hero photo: Kuttappan Chettan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What you will see

Her face art is delicate and her movements are slow. A large, round, tiered red headdress rises behind her. Unlike most Theyyam, who appear barefoot, she wears traditional wooden footwear.

In the tradition

Bappiriyan usually appears in the same shrine, and the pair are often cited as an example of Hindu-Muslim harmony in Kerala.

A note for visitors

Look for the wooden footwear. It is one of the details that sets this Theyyam apart. Photography and video are not allowed at some rituals, so ask your guide first.

Quick answers

Who is Arya Poonkani in Theyyam?

Arya Poonkani is a goddess of North Malabar whose story links two faiths. She appears together with Bappiriyan, a sailor who is believed to have been a Muslim.

What does Arya Poonkani Theyyam look like?

Her face art is delicate and her movements are slow. A large, round, tiered red headdress rises behind her. Unlike most Theyyam, who appear barefoot, she wears traditional wooden footwear.

Learn about the Theyyams with a local guide

Our guided trips explain each deity’s story as you see it, and are planned with you on enquiry. We never publish ritual dates or venues, and confirm the right nights with you closer to travel.

Enquire about a trip

Sources and further reading: Arya Poonkani (Wikipedia), Bappiriyan Theyyam (Wikipedia). Stories vary by shrine, family and teller; this is a general summary, not a definitive version.