Puliyur Kannan Theyam is a Theyam belonging to the group of divine animal forms.
In the past, Parvathi and Paramasiva took birth as a tiger and lived on earth as a couple. The names of the animal couple were Pulikandan and Pulikaringali. A cave was made under the Tatanar stone in the Tulu forest and the tiger couple stayed in it. Pulikandan and Pulikkarinkali gave birth to six tiger cubs. The six tiger gods were five male tigers Kandapuli, Marapuli, Kalapuli, Puli Maruthan, Puliyur Kannan and one female tiger named Puliyur Kali.
The tiger gods who went in search of food killed and ate the cows of Kurumbaratiri Lord. Angered by this, Lord decided to kill the tiger and entrusted the task to Karinthiri Nair, his warlord. But Karintiri Nair was killed by tiger gods. Karinthiri Nair also became the son of a god because he was killed by the tiger gods. The tiger gods, including the Puliyur Kannan, and the Karintiri Nairs are are performed as Theyyam.
