Keralam, where I grew up, has all these tribal rituals and dances and creation myths and folklore. They were assimilated into the fabric of Hinduism when the Aryans came. Some survived more intact than others. Theyyam, a ritual dance, is one of them.
The elaborate costumes and the vivid makeup fascinated and frightened me as a child. They lurked in dark corners and invaded my nightmares. They blended into the heat of the summer and the sounds of the monsoon to inform my sense of home.
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