Pottan Theyyam - carrier of social message

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Pottan Theyyam Performance
The Pottan Theyyam performance depicts the futile social set up of a bygone era (yet in many ways it still carries a relevant message). It is based on an incident involving Shankaracharya, the proponent of Advaita Vedanta and widely credited to the revival of Hinduism (which had lost its sheen and many followers because of a rampant unjust social system and misinterpretation for selfish ends) and his path to enlightenment.

Shankaracharya was on his way toSarvajnapeeta(symbolizing attainment of the ultimate 
knowledge) when Lord Shiva decided to test Shankaracharya’s depth on true knowledge. Lord Shiva donned the guise of a ‘Chandala’ (in those days a cast who were on the lowest strata and untouchable) and blocked the learned high cast Aacharya’s way.  Aacharya commands the ‘Chandala’ to move out of his way, but Chandala stands his ground and throws questions at the Aacharya on how and why is he different from Aacharya.
The ‘learned’ Shankaracharya regarded as the greatest exponent of rational debate is not able to crack the arguments of the ‘Chandala’ and realizes that this is no ordinary man. Lord Shiva is thus able to convey to Adi Shankara that no knowledge is complete without acknowledging and respecting the fellow human’s right for equality.
The Thottam Paatu is probably the most important and socially relevant part of Pottan Theyyam. It is in an older ‘sing song’ and slang sort of Malayalam depicting the conversation and rational debate between the ‘Chandaala’ (Pottan Theyyam or Pulaya Pottan) and Shakaracharya in a question and answer mode.  While it is not known who wrote the ‘Thottam Paatu’ for Pottan Theyyam, it will be amongst the first rebellious works to question the unjust social system in a popular, rational and simple manner.
In the performance the ‘Pottan Theyyam’ actually enacts two other forms besides that of ‘Chandala’ (Pulaya Pottan)- that of Pulamaruthan(Nandikesan) and Pulakkaali (Godess Parvathi) who were said to be with the Chandala.

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