Theyyam is the ritual performance tradition that defines northern Kerala from October to May, and Payyanur is one of the best bases from which to witness it. Unlike the heavily choreographed classical dance forms of south India, theyyam is a live religious ceremony held at individual temples (kavus) and family shrines throughout Kannur and Kasaragod districts — not a performance for tourists but an act of worship.
The preparations for theyyam are as dramatic as the performance itself: performers spend hours applying elaborate makeup and constructing costumes of extraordinary intricacy before the deity descends into them. Visitors who approach respectfully are almost always welcome. The best way to find performances is to ask at your accommodation or the local tourist office for the current schedule; during the season there are performances happening somewhere near Payyanur on most nights. The small temple compounds and quiet village settings make theyyam in this area more intimate than the well-known venues further north at Parassinikadavu.