1, The Hitavada, dated 10th December 2005   2, The Hindu, dated 21st March 2006  3,The New Indian Express Tourism Feature, dated January 2005  4, Deepika Sunday Supplement, dated March 2001  5, The New Indian Express Tourism Feature, dated February 2005   6, The Hindu, dated 18th February 2006  7, Mathrubhumi Sathya Sai Supplement , dated November 2001.

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THEYYAM CHARISMA

64 page booklet with 30 color photographs.  Comprising of the various aspects and salient features of this dynamic ritual dance of North Kerala.  Contains an article in Spanish, German, and French.  Forward by

Charisma of Theyyam : There is neither a dearth of books and articles on the Theyyam ritual of North Malabar nor people who can explain to the uninitiated the myths and rituals of the art form.  But there are a few books that introduce the folk ritual to foreign tourists who are by no means connoisseurs of the art form,  'Theyyam Charisma',  a 60 page book in English by Srihari Nair, provides tourists with information on all aspects of Theyyam, which combines music, colour, omovement and worship.

Myths  Theyyam or Kaliyattamk is still rooted in the ancient folk traditions and is a part of the sacred mythologies relating to local deities, though its secular aspects are no less important,  There are different forms of  Theyyam, each based on some myth of a local deity.  No two Theyyams are ever identical.

A combination of carious elements such as the sacred rituyal, music and colour associated with art form, the dancer's awe-inspiring costumes coupled with his movement to the accompaniment of drumbeats and ssongs evoke an ambience of divine splendour.  The book captures various facets of Theyyam.

Save a few foreign tourists who love folklore, most others visiting this part of the region are not known to frequent places where the Kaliyattam festivals take place during the summer.  Perhaps, Mr,Nair's book caters to the curiosity of the tourists to know the basics about the ritual, its art, craft, make-up, ornaments and preparation needed by the artiste.

"The visual splendour and the aura of mysticism have made Theyyam a very popular and fascinating performing art," said Mr.Nair.  These are the aspects that can attract tourists, he added.

The large number of illustrations and photographs of different  kinds of  Theyyam, the costumes and ornaments that have been included in the book reiterate the visual aspect of the ritual.  The book, which captured the elegance and splendour of the Theyyam, also contains the author's brief overview of the ritual in French, German and Spanish languages.

By Mohammed Nazeer, THE HINDU, October 19,2004

"The great cultural heritage of North Malabar had not been adequately captured and I am glad that you took the trouble to compile this in  detail".

R.K.Krishnakumar, Vice Chairman, The Indian Hotels Company Ltd. Mumbai.

"A book with basic information for laymen and tourists is a need of the time.    Shrihari Nair  has fulfilled that need with utmost intelligence and commitment.  A highly informative and interesting book".

Malayala Manorama.

"Theyyam as a folk art form has been explained in this booklet for the foreign tourists in particular.  There is also interesting information on the makeup, music, dance, songs, training, various types and other perspectives of Theyyam".

Mathrubhumi.

"An all- inclusive handbook on the most outstanding ritualistic form of performing arts of North Malabar. The basic information required for tourists, a glossary of related terms and a detailed geographical map of North Malabar are the other highlights".

The New Indian Express.

"This book deals with Theyyam, a popular ritual dance of North Malabar in Kerala.  A must read for those who are interested in the subject".

The week.

"A scholarly effort to make  Theyyam, an art form unique to Malabar, accessible to a national and international audience".

Ajith Balakrishnan, Founder and CEO, Rediff.comLtd.