Vairajathan

Who is Vairajathan?

Vairajathan is a fierce warrior deity of the Kannur and Kasaragod region. He is the same figure that the wider Hindu tradition knows as Veerabhadra, and many people in North Malabar call the Theyyam Veerabhadran. He is a deity of great force, held at kavus and koolams by the families who keep him.

The story

When Sati, the wife of Shiva, went to her father Daksha’s sacrifice, Daksha insulted her in front of everyone and she gave up her life in the fire. In his grief and anger, Shiva brought forth Veerabhadra, in one telling from a strand of his hair and in another from his throne. Veerabhadra destroyed the sacrifice and put an end to Daksha.

Shiva then sent him to earth to protect good people. He is said to have met the guardian deities Kshetrapalan and Vettakkorumakan, and to have joined them in the campaign that won back the land of Alladam for the Kolathiri king. At Cheruvathur he was welcomed by a devotee named Maniyani, and a shrine was later raised there, where the Theyyam is still held.

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

What you will see

The koladhari, the person who takes the kolam, appears in red attire with a tall crown, a sword and a shield, as in the photograph above. The movements are forceful. A well-known part of the ritual is the tattum vellattam, when the deity strikes the shield. Devotees move back as he comes forward, and a belief says that anyone touched by his weapon will not see the next Vairajathan season. For that reason, visitors should stay well clear.

Koladhari: the person who takes on the kolam, the deity’s form. See Theyyam words explained.

In the tradition

The Vairajathan Theyyam is linked with shrines at Cheruvathur, Thrikkaripur and Churuzham in Kasaragod, and with family koolams such as Kaniyil Koolam near Kanhangad. Related fierce deities in the same story, Raktha Jathan and Arthandan, are also said to have been born of Shiva’s anger.

Quick answers

Who is Vairajathan in Theyyam?

Vairajathan is a fierce warrior deity of the Kannur and Kasaragod region. He is the same figure that the wider Hindu tradition knows as Veerabhadra, and many people in North Malabar call the Theyyam Veerabhadran. He is a deity of great force, held at kavus and koolams by the families who keep him.

What does Vairajathan Theyyam look like?

The koladhari, the person who takes the kolam, appears in red attire with a tall crown, a sword and a shield, as in the photograph above. The movements are forceful. A well-known part of the ritual is the *tattum vellattam*, when the deity strikes the shield. Devotees move back as he comes forward, and a belief says that anyone touched by his weapon will not see the next Vairajathan season. For that reason, visitors should stay well clear.

Stories vary by shrine, family and teller; this is a general summary, not a definitive version.