The identification of certain gods and goddesses with certain castes is one of the peculiar characteristics of feudal relations of an historical past, the land owning Brahmanical temples and the feudal families controlled the affairs of Theyyam shrines including the festivals. The desavazhi or naduvazhi played an important role in such affairs Actually one of the rituals of a Theyyam festival is to carry out fire or flame from a local Brahmanical temple to the village shrine as sacred. Further the chief dancer has to visit the Brahmanical shrines and give offerings as a levy.  The permission for conducting a festival is necessary from the local land-lord.

The priests and the dancers of a lower caste-Theyyam shrine have to observe all formalities in favour of the upper caste shrines. In brief, the caste-hierarchy was strictly observed on all occasions. The landlord and the village elders enjoyed the right to restrict the entry of outcastes in their respective shrines. Therefore all members of a community were forced to observe traditional caste rules. The Brahmanical temples who have no direct control over the members of the inferior castes thus maintained considerable authority and jurisdiction over them through the institution of Theyyam and caste organizations.

In the same way, the cult of Theyyam maintained a key position in the local agrarian relations.  The Brahmanical accounts like the Keralolpathi propagated the myth that Parasurama after reclaiming the land of Kerala from the sea had given it to the Brahmins and had made them the lords of the land. However, large extent of land remained outside their influence and jurisdiction. Such lands were cultivated and owned by the Dravidian stock. In such cases, the agrarian relations were controlled by various social organizations and caste organizations including the village communities. In north Kerala, the institution of Theyyam was converted  to regulate the agrarian relations as part of a feudal system. The cultivating tenants on the basis of their castes were organized in particular cult centres. Those centres were controlled by the land lords and the Brahmanical temples who extracted the surplus of their agricultural production by way of rent, feudal levies and customary payments. The peasant could not liberate himself from the burden of this feudal social system as he was indoctrinated to accept it through religion and its concepts. For instance, the agricultural labourers like the Pulayas believed that the Theyyam deities would cause them disease, calamity, etc. if they did not properly work for their lords and masters. Therefore, even in an ailing condition, they were forced to work hard for increasing agricultural production.  The dominant class succeeded to create such a mental servitude among the agrestic slaves and subject peasants for a better exploitation of the surplus labour. Therefore in the 20th century, when peasant movement had started in this region, it was even directed against the Theyyam cult in several places.  In feudal Europe, the church had an important role in the exploitation of the subject peasantry. In Malabar, the cult of Theyyam had been exploited in the same way for perpetuating the feudal agrarian relations by the dominant class. Although the Theyyam was the art and cult of the inferior castes and the depressed classes, it was reconverted to shackle them by the classes in power and authority as elsewhere in the human history.

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Historical Background

Classification of Sub Cults

Patronage By Brahmins

A Note On Performance

Meaning and Social Content

Dancers and Their Training

Training of the Artist

Caste and Agrarian Relations

Stylization

Local History

Future of Theyyam