chakravalam

The festival of thiruvathira is as important as Onam or Vishu in the Vallluvanad regions of kerala. Although most of us are familiar with the term Thiruvathira kali (or Kai kottikali), there are some rituals which are very native to Valluvanad. Chozikali is folk dance ritual performed on the night before thiruvathira which is now slowly becoming extinct in most of the urbanised Kerala.The chozi is played out by children dressed in plaintain leaves who represent the bhoothaganas of Lord Shiva. The children are accompanied by elders in the form of various other characters such as Kaalen and Muthiamma. The desha chozi (village chozhi)will be native to a particular village and they will have a prescribed place to don the attire which is kept sacred.The chozhi kali first performs at the temple and then they roam around the villiage visting each house to bless the people on behalf of Lord shiva. Once the chozi performs, the Kaalen(Yama devan) yells at the threshold of the house to claim any ...