Devakkooth is the only theyam that is performed by women. Devakkooth also known as Valli Theyam. Although most of the Theyas in the Theya universe are female deities, including mother deities, naga deities, maidens, and village deities, they are all performed by men. The fact that it is the woman who weaves the devakooth among virgin theyas makes the devakooth different from other theyas.
Devakkooth is performed only in Koolom Thayakav temple in an island called Thekumpad near Cherukunn in Kannur district. This Theyyam is performed every two years. Devakooth is based on the story of a Devathas(Angels) who came to the Thekkumpad to pick flowers for puja rituals and was left alone on the island and later Saptarshi Narada came and took the goddess back to the world of gods.
Surrounded by the river on all four sides, the Thekkumpad was a very beautiful like a garden. Because of the beauty and fragrance of the flowers in the Thekkumpad, even those from the Deva world came to look for flowers there. So one day the seven Devathas came to the Thekkumpad to collect archana flowers. Devathas happily walked through the flower gardens of the island, enjoying the beauty of the flowers and gathering what they needed. But in a place full of many plants and forests, Valli, a Devatha who was once in a group, lost her way and went alone. The other Devathas came to know that Valli was missing and searched for her all over the island. But they could not find the vine anywhere on the island full of plants and white canals. The six deities, who spent the whole day searching for the Valli, returned to the deva world in despair when night fell. For that long, the goddess of the Valli was lying in fear, entangled in a thicket of creepers.
That goddess spent the whole night alone in the village. It is believed that after staying on earth for one night, a Devathas can enter the world of gods only if she takes a bath and wears new clothes, otherwise she becomes a mere human woman and has to remain on earth. The next day, when it was dawn, the people of the island saw the goddess trapped in the creepers. They consoled her and later informed the lord of the island. Lord reached and saw the goddess. A small shed was built to the Devatha for the time being. She stayed safely in that shed for three days. By that time, after listening to Valli’s prayer, Narada arrived from world of gods with new clothes to save her.
After bathing and purifying her body, she weared new clothes and returned to the world of gods along with Narada. When Valli reached gods world, she could not forget the beautiful Thenkumbad and the natives who protected her there. The Devatha decided to visit the Thenkumbad once in two years to see the people there. So it is believed that on the day Valli Goddess comes to the island to meet the locals, the Devakooth is performed. Devakooth is performed at the beginning of the Malayalam month Dhanu in alternate years.
Women performs the Devakkooth Theyam after taking Vrata of forty one day after salutation to the scripture Pallimala. On the days of taking the Vrata, one should stay at home by completely giving up fish and meat dishes, reciting Pallimala book, learning dance steps and Theyyam Thotam.
Normally, after the Theyyam, the face painting is completely erased. But Valli Theyam erases only half of the face painting. The painting in eyes will not erased, the next day after the Theyam will go home and then face paiting will be erased completely after saluting the Palli Mala scripture. Thousands of people come to see the DevaKooth, which is tied to a single kavil in the hill country.
