Pottan Theyyam is worshipped in Sacred Groves, Temple Shrines and few Ancestral Houses of Kolathunadu in Malabar in small shrines regarded as the ‘Ara’.
‘Pottan’ in Malayalam means ‘Idiot’. Some believe that Pottan Theyyam or the Pottan Daivam earns the tag of ‘Pottan’ from the way the godliness is portrayed by the performer or the ‘Koladhari’ with a mixture of sarcasm and weird funny yet intense playfulness. But, according to legends, Pottan Daivam was manifested by Lord Shiva as ‘Pulapottan’ and hence the name.
Pottan Theyyam, according to the legends, is regarded as the manifestation of Lord Shiva. Though the performance of Pottan Theyyam is well backed up by an element of unplanned playfulness and entertainment, it is never a display of a comedian character to engage the spectators. It is but the simplest manifestation of the all-knowing Lord Shiva from the Hindu Mythology to impart the simple idea of secularism and justice to the society.
The Pottan Theyyam is worshipped as one of the most powerful and favourite form of Theyyam throughout the Theyyam Lands of North Kerala. Proving the upholding of the downtrodden of the society, Pottan Theyyam is largely worshipped by the ‘Pulaya’ and the ‘Malaya’ castes who according to the legends of the deity have an integral tale of bonding with Pottan Theyyam.
Before the performance of the Theyyam, the Koladhari recites the legends of the Pottan Daivam. The recitation known as the Pottan Daivam Thottam is one of most inspirational and emotional aspect which has equal attractiveness as that of the performance itself. The myth and legends of the Theyyam is verbally chanted and the folks are reminded of the lord’s manifestation to eradicate the social evils and plant the idea of Secularism and Equality in the society long back.