Vayanattu Kulavan

Who is Vayanattu Kulavan?

Vayanattu Kulavan is a major deity of North Malabar who appears as a hunter, and is the principal deity of many Thiyya families. Other communities also revere him. He is also called Adhitheeyan and Thondachan, which means ancestor.

The story

In the best-known telling, he is a son of Shiva, born when Shiva struck his thigh. He gathered toddy for his father, but Parvati had him sent away from heaven. On earth he drank toddy that was set aside for Shiva, and Shiva punished him with blindness. Shiva offered silver eyes and a lamp in return, but Kulavan cast them away, and where they fell, he was honoured as a god.

A second telling is about a man who strayed into a forbidden forest, became an attendant of Shiva, and was blinded after drinking the reserved toddy. In both stories the blind god is said to see people’s hearts and sorrows, and in the story of Kandanar Kelan, it is Kulavan’s bow that restores the farmer to life.

Hero photo: Vk1110, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What you will see

Kulavan wears a heavy headdress made from natural materials, richly painted face art and layered attire. The koladhari’s eyes are shown closed or hidden, reflecting the blind god. Before the deity appears, the koladhari looks into a mirror, which is the moment when the god is said to take form.

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

In the tradition

Koladharis are drawn from hereditary families. The ritual can last many hours or a full night, and the deity is honoured as the family’s central protector.

Quick answers

Who is Vayanattu Kulavan in Theyyam?

Vayanattu Kulavan is a major deity of North Malabar who appears as a hunter, and is the principal deity of many Thiyya families. Other communities also revere him. He is also called Adhitheeyan and Thondachan, which means ancestor.

What does Vayanattu Kulavan Theyyam look like?

Kulavan wears a heavy headdress made from natural materials, richly painted face art and layered attire. The koladhari’s eyes are shown closed or hidden, reflecting the blind god. Before the deity appears, the koladhari looks into a mirror, which is the moment when the god is said to take form.

Sources and further reading: Kerala Folklore: Vayanattu Kulavan Theyyam, Kerala Tourism: Various types of Theyyam. Stories vary by shrine, family and teller; this is a general summary, not a definitive version.