Bhairavan Theyam is a Theyam belonging to the group of male theyyam. Bhairava is actually Lord Shiva who appeared as a beggar to atone for the sin of beheading Lord Brahma.
The legend behind Bhairavan Theyyam is as follows. One day in Kailasa, there was a dispute between Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva over who was the greatest among them and Lord Shiva claimed that I am the greatest. Paramashivan said that those who have doubts should try it. Lord Shiva asked Vishnu and Brahma, ready for the test, to travel up and down and find his feet and hair.
Beginning the experiment, Brahma traveled upwards in search of Shiva’s hair and Maha Vishnu traveled downwards in search of Shiva’s beats. Even after years, both groups could not find the beat and the hair. So Maha Vishnu accepted defeat and returned to Kailash. But Brahma saw a palm flower falling from above and took that palm flower and came to Kailash. Brahma lied that he had seen the part of the hair by showing the palm flower as a sign. When Lord Brahma realized that what Brahma had said was a lie, Lord Shiva got angry. Lord Shiva pinched one head of the four-headed Brahma with his fingernail and threw it away.
Angered by his beheading, Lord Brahma cursed Lord Shiva to beg for twelve years. So Lord Shiva disguised himself as Bhairava and begged for twelve years using Brahma’s head as a begging paper. It is this begging garb of Lord Shiva that Bhairavan wears as Theyam.
Bhairava has eight forms namely Agni Bhairava, Adi Bhairava, Yogi Bhairava, Kala Bhairava, Kangala Bhairava, Shakteya Bhairava, Ishvara Bhairava and Kapala Bhairava. Belonging to the Mantra Murti category, Bhairavan Theyam is performed by people belonging to the Malaya community.
