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Home > Kerala Temples > Performing Arts > Kutthiyottam KutthiyottamKutthiyottamAs in the case of thookkam, kutthiyottam is an important offering in Devi temples. The kutthiyottam in the Chettikulangara (Mave1ikkara) Sree Bhagavathi (Bhadrakaali) temple is famous. In southern Kerata, particularly in Thiruvananthapuram district Kutthiyottam is done differently. The kutthiyottam in Chettikulangara temple represents a little elaboration. The person who makes the offering finds out a suitable boy between eight and fourteen years of age, mostly drawn from economically weaker section of the society and makes him observe vratha (penance) for seven days. On the festival day of the temple a silver wire is wound around him, one end of the wire is tied around his neck and an arecanut fixed on the tip of a knife held high over his head. He is then taken in procession to the temple with the accompaniment of beating of chenta (drum), music, ornamental umbrellas caparisoned elephants etc. After circumambulation of the temple the boy dances. If a pair of boys participates it is known as iratta-kutthiyottam. It is to be noted that kutthiyottam in temples of Thiruvananthapuram district is simply a vazhipaad and done by the boy or family members of the boy while the kutthiyottam in Chettikulangara temple is an offering of a boy to the Goddess taken from a poor family. Kutthiyottam of Chettikulangara (Mavelikkara) resembles an, ancient form of human sacrifice.
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