In God's Mirror

One woman’s unprecedented portrait, in her words and photographs, of Theyyam, a 2,000-year-old ritual of worship found only in the northern region of Kerala, India. Theyyam is an extraordinary 2,000-year-old ritual of worship found only in the northern region of India’s south-western state of Kerala. It is in this myth-wrapped land that empowered men become temporarily transformed into deities. Whilst the process is an internal one that obliterates the practitioner’s human persona, on an external level his face is transformed by intricate make-up and his body fantastically costumed.The word ‘Theyyam’ is a corruption of daivam, meaning, quite simply, God. The practitioners of Theyyam perform specific rituals and dance to express their joy at seeing their devotees, whilst the last stages of their manifestation involve them blessing, healing, exorcising, answering questions and maintaining the link between humanity and the divine.Pepita Seth’s decades-long association with Theyyam’s practitioners gave her unprecedented access to their unique culture. In God's Mirror: The Theyyams of Malabar is the culmination, in her words and photographs, of her commitment to this extraordinary subject.Preface 1. Annapoorneswari's World 2. The Sacred Universe 3. Theyyam 4. Practitioners and Training 5. Costumes Master Version 6. Face Writing and Masks 7. Auxiliary Castes and Holy Weapons 8. Shrines and Their Roles 9. The Identity Of A Deity 10. Before The Kaliyattam 11. Puli Theyyams 12. Muchilottu Bhagavathi 13. Vishnumurthy 14. Ottakolam 15. Puthiya Bhagavathi 16. Cheermba 17. Nangalankara Bhagavathi 18. The Alambady Brahmins 19. The Gods of the Ten Houses 20. The Tulu Veeran 21. Out of Season 22. Ali Bhuta 23. Chamundi 24. Ukkummal Chamundi 25. Gulikan 26. Last Statement Glossary