Ummachi
ഉമ്മച്ചി
A Muslim woman honoured as a goddess, who wears a headscarf and is sung to in Mappila songs.
- Category
- Mappila Theyyam (goddess)
- Wears
- A headscarf, called a thattam
- Sung to
- Mappila folk songs in ishal tunes
- Accompanied by
- Yogyar Akampadi Theyyam, in some tellings
Who is Ummachi?
Ummachi is one of the best-known female Mappila Theyyams. Hindus and Muslims both take part in the ritual, and it is often given as an example of how this tradition crosses the lines of caste and religion.
The story
The legend says that a Muslim woman came to a palace to pound rice. To check that the rice was cooked properly she tasted it. A steward saw this, accused her of stealing and struck her with the pestle, and she died. She was later honoured as a deity.
Hero photo: Mithunrajkeekkamkot, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What you will see
Ummachi wears a headscarf that covers part of the face, which sets her apart from almost every other Theyyam. The koladhari sometimes sits on a chair during the ritual. In place of the usual invocation song, the singers use Mappila folk songs in the melodies called ishal, and the ritual includes pounding rice and storytelling. Devotees can offer a cloth, which is then used as the headscarf.
Koladhari: the person who takes on the kolam, the deity’s form. See Theyyam words explained.
In the tradition
Another Theyyam, Yogyar Akampadi, appears before her, wearing sandalwood and rice-paste markings, a braid with flowers and a sacred thread. According to a Malayalam news report, it changes into Ummachi at the end of its ritual.
Ummachi’s ritual is quiet and personal. Please keep your voice low and follow your guide’s lead. Photography and video are not allowed at some rituals, so ask your guide first.
Quick answers
Who is Ummachi in Theyyam?
Ummachi is one of the best-known female Mappila Theyyams. Hindus and Muslims both take part in the ritual, and it is often given as an example of how this tradition crosses the lines of caste and religion.
What does Ummachi Theyyam look like?
Ummachi wears a headscarf that covers part of the face, which sets her apart from almost every other Theyyam. The koladhari sometimes sits on a chair during the ritual. In place of the usual invocation song, the singers use Mappila folk songs in the melodies called ishal, and the ritual includes pounding rice and storytelling. Devotees can offer a cloth, which is then used as the headscarf.
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: Mappila Theyyam (Wikipedia), Asianet News: Varieties of Theyyam in Kasaragod (Malayalam), Manorama Online: Ummachi Theyyam (Malayalam). Stories vary by shrine, family and teller; this is a general summary, not a definitive version.
More Theyyams
Bappiriyan
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A sailor who is believed to have been a Muslim, honoured in a Hindu ritual.
Mappila Theyyam
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Theyyams that honour Muslim figures, kept by Hindu and Muslim communities together.
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A Mappila Theyyam whose figure is Ali, brought before the goddess Chamundi.
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A mosque officer who became one with the goddess Karinchamundi.