In the shadowy night of a Kerala village temple, the air vibrates with the thunder of drums. Flaming torches light up enormous masks — some fierce, others hauntingly serene. Dancers, possessed by rhythm and spirit, stamp their feet in perfect sync with the chenda as the crowd watches in awe, caught between fear and fascination….
Imagine standing under a canopy of trees in a quiet village at dawn. Drums pound louder with each beat. A man — or is it a god? — emerges, painted in vivid red and black, wearing a towering headdress and eyes blazing with something beyond human. This is not a performance. This is Theyyam —…