Puthiya Bhagavathi
പുതിയ ഭഗവതി
A goddess said to have risen from a sacrificial fire, and the main deity of many Kannur shrines.
- Category
- Goddess
- Often identified with
- Bhadrakali
- Younger sister
- Cheerumba Bhagavathi
- Accompanied by
- Padakulangara Veeran and Veerakali (in some tellings)
Who is Puthiya Bhagavathi?
Puthiya Bhagavathi is a goddess who is the main deity of many shrines in the Kannur region. She is generally identified with Bhadrakali, and Cheerumba Bhagavathi is regarded as her younger sister.
The story
According to Kerala Tourism’s account, she emerged from a sacrificial fire that was lit to cure Shiva of smallpox. In some tellings she is accompanied by the warrior figures Padakulangara Veeran and Veerakali.
Hero photo: Vaikoovery, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What you will see
She wears a very large, fan-shaped headdress made of tender coconut leaf, edged in yellow-green, with a bright red centre, over a skirt of palm-leaf strips and a painted red face.
Koladhari: the person who takes on the kolam, the deity’s form. See Theyyam words explained.
In the tradition
She appears at many shrines in the region, and her Theyyam is also associated with ritual lamps.
The headdress is wide and the koladhari turns often. Keep clear. Photography and video are not allowed at some rituals, so ask your guide first.
Quick answers
Who is Puthiya Bhagavathi in Theyyam?
Puthiya Bhagavathi is a goddess who is the main deity of many shrines in the Kannur region. She is generally identified with Bhadrakali, and Cheerumba Bhagavathi is regarded as her younger sister.
What does Puthiya Bhagavathi Theyyam look like?
She wears a very large, fan-shaped headdress made of tender coconut leaf, edged in yellow-green, with a bright red centre, over a skirt of palm-leaf strips and a painted red face.
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 tripSources and further reading: Kerala Tourism: Various types of Theyyam, Theyyam (Wikipedia). Stories vary by shrine, family and teller; this is a general summary, not a definitive version.
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