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Devakkooth

A Ritual Dance Art from an Islet in North Malabar

Bibliographic Data

ID15720797
AuthorsRithwik Sankar A (0000-0001-8290-6196, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, corresponding author), Babitha Justin (Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology)
Year2023
Volume72
Issue2
Pages220-238
Publication date2023-06-14
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of the Anthropological Survey of India (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2277-436X • E-ISSN: 2632-4369
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/2277436x231163711
OpenAlexW4380609437
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited7

Many rituals in North Malabar can be read as complex cultural spaces that articulate subaltern concerns to a certain extent. However, rituals also perpetuate hegemonic ideologies dictated by and embedded within the caste system. Theyyam, a traditional ritual art in North Malabar, carries ritualistic elements of worship and penance along with the convergence of various forms like dance, painting and music. In Theyyam, a traditional ritual art in North Malabar, the female impersonation of the Mother Goddess and female deities occurs in the transvestite ritualistic performances by men. Devakkooth, or the dance of the goddess, a ritual art performed in an islet or thuruth, is widely regarded as the only Theyyam performed by women from the Malaya community, where women impersonate the goddess. Devakkooth is different from other performing arts because of its performance style and self-reflexivity on the thuruth culture. This article discusses key aspects of Devakkooth: the myth, the song of the performance, body movements, geographical specialities and its cultural and ritualistic self-reflexivity. This paper explores the unique aspects of Devakkooth as a female performance artistic dance ritual

Aesthetics · Art · Caste · Dance · Hinduism · Ideology · Literature · Mythology · Performing arts · Sociology · Style (visual arts · The arts · Visual arts · Worship · Anthropology · Asian Studies and History · Cultural and Artistic Studies · Diversity and Impact of Dance · Gender Studies · History · Religious studies

  • The Devakkoothu tapestry

    Open Access•Saranya Jayaprakash A, M Senguttuvan et al.•Humanities and Social Sciences…•2025

  • Investigating gender roles

    Rithwik Sankar A, Babitha Justin•Journal for Cultural Research•2025

  • Social Change in Modern India

    M N Srinivas•Social Change in Modern India•2000

  • II. Dance Ethnology and the Anthropology of Dance

    Open Access•Adrienne L Kaeppler•Dance Research Journal•2000

Unique citing works2
Citations per year2
Citation span2025 - 2025 (1)
Citation velocityrecent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 2

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