Puliyoor Kannan

പുലിയൂർ കണ്ണൻ

A tiger deity, brother of Puliyoor Kali.

Category: God (tiger deity)
Brother of: Puliyoor Kali
Son of: Pulikandan and Pulikarinkali
Appears: Sometimes with Puliyoor Kali

Who is Puliyoor Kannan?

Puliyoor Kannan is one of the tiger deities in the Puli Daivam family. Popular sources name him as a son of the tiger pair, and a brother of Puliyoor Kali. In some places Puliyoor Kali is said to appear together with him only.

The story

A popular page about the family says the tiger pair had four sons and a daughter, or five sons by some beliefs, and names him among them. We found no separate story for him.

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

Puliyoor Kannan Theyyam during a ritual in North Malabar, Kerala — Photo: Vaikoovery, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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

What you will see

In photographs, Puliyoor Kannan wears bright red attire, a red face with a large moustache and a tall headdress. Some photographs show a white beard.

In the tradition

He appears with the other tiger deities in the shrines where the family is worshipped.

A note for visitors

These rituals are lively and close. Stay behind the boundary. Photography and video are not allowed at some rituals, so ask your guide first.

Quick answers

Who is Puliyoor Kannan in Theyyam?

What does Puliyoor Kannan Theyyam look like?

In photographs, Puliyoor Kannan wears bright red attire, a red face with a large moustache and a tall headdress. Some photographs show a white beard.

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: Hindu Blog: Puliyoor Kali Theyyam, Kerala Tourism: Various types of Theyyam. Stories vary by shrine, family and teller; this is a general summary, not a definitive version.