A Theyyam Run
Preamble- Ramble It is difficult to pinpoint when Curiosity became Desire and when Desire turned into Obsession . But, that it was brewing for quite a while is true. Our Mysore being in close proximity to North Kerala ( Malabar -Wayanad), one grew up with the "general knowledge" that that part of God's Own Country also had a lively , thriving culture of its own Spirits, Shamans and Vamachara rituals ("black magic "type), all of which went back to the Beginning of Time. One also knew that they called their Spirits "Theyyams" ( derived from "Deivam" meaning Supernatural Being or God ) who made an appearance between October and April to drive away diseases , ensure good crop and give other blessings. Sometime in late 1990s , the very early days of Web Logging, a blogpost by an European lady had caught attention. She had documented everything about a Theyyam ritual : selection of the candidate, his rigorous preparatory penance