Shasthappan Theyam belongs to the group of Mantramurtis. Shasthappan Theyam is also known as Kutti Shasthan and Kuttichathan. Shasthappan is the idol worshiped by eighteen Brahmin families. It is believed that Kutti Shasthan is a fierce idol who brings prosperity to those who pray and misery to those who criticize.
The plot of Shastappan Theyam is related to a Brahmin family called Kalakat Illam near Payyannur in Kannur district. Although Kalakat illam family man had all the glory, wealth and learning, he was not blessed with children. He visited all temples and did all kind of Pujs for a child.
During this time Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were incarnated on earth in the guise of Valluva community. So one day, a son was born to Shiva Parvati, who was the avatar of Valluva, on earth. The baby was born at the time when the black moon and in the Malayalam month of Karkkadaka. As soon as the baby was born, ominous signs teased. All around there were storms and torrential rains. But Lord Shiva knew with his inner eye that the baby had divinity.
Lord Shiva did not take the child born on earth to Kailasa instead he left the son infront of Kalakatt family, who was suffering without the luck of having a child. Lord Shiva calmed Parvati by saying that Thirumeni and Atholamma would look after the baby like gold.
On seeing a young child on the steps of their house, Thirumeni and Atholamma saw that this was the devine child gifted by God to them, who were not fortunate enough to have children, and took him away. They raised him with all care and love. But what happened when the child grew up was contrary to their expectations. He grew up as a forest man and did not follow any Brahminical practices. Being extremely intelligent, he memorized the Vedas very quickly from the Guru’s face. But one day when the Guru went to take a bath, the Guru scolded and beat him for taking a Vedic book and reading it without asking permission. Enraged by this, he killed the teacher who had beaten him. The entire puja material and Homa kunda were destroyed. As the days went by, all the peace in Illam started disappearing because of that boy. By seing all of this Thirumeni called the boy as Kuttichathan (Means child who always creates problems.
Feeling extremely distressed by their son’s actions, Thirumeni and Atholamma thought that there would be at least some peace in their absence. He ordered Chathan to take care of the cows and stay with tribals who take care of cows in one of their stables far away from the illam.
He obeyed His Holiness’ order, went up and down the forest and hills and grazed the cows. He got used to being with animals. He climbed the tree with the monkeys, and he sang like the sparrows. And so the days passed. One day he wanted to see his mother.
He walked straight to illam and asked Atholamma for milk in a golden bowl. But Atholamma taunted him by saying that she should give milk to tribal boy not in a golden bowl but in an earthen pot. Hearing this, Chatan trembled with anger and Chathan’s eyes turned red. Atholamma did not let Chatan into the house and closed the door. He knocked on the door several times but Atholamma did not open the door. Chathan walked back sadly. His throat was parched with thirst. His anger redoubled as he remembered his mother’s face as she slammed the door on him, and the fire of revenge burned in his mind. Then he laughed so fiercely that the land trembled. Hearing that laughter, the forest shook, the birds took flight, the animals scattered, elephants came out of the forest running on all fours, and Chathan sat on top of one of the forest elephants. The elephant rushed in between the herds of bulls with a loud signal call from all four directions. A big bull rested on the trunk of a huge elephant, and Chatan quenched his thirst by drinking the hot blood from the bull’s neck.
He laughed at the foresters who came to look for the bull saying that the bull has went to Kailasa. Atholamma came to know the news and burst into tears. Chatan burst out laughing saying that I hate you because you didn’t give me for milk to drink, instead I drank the blood of bulls neck. The foresters beat Chatan around the head with wormwood stick and then dragged him away. Chathan fell down on the bank of a pond, hitting his head on a stone, still laughing. Beaten by the blows, he moved slowly and reached Illama. Atholamma was drawing water from the well. Chathan picked up a stone and threw it at Atholamma and they fell to the ground. Thirumeni thought what will be done with this person who is extremely dangerous. Then according to His Holiness’ order, Kadan Mar Chathan was tied up and taken to the river bank and laid on a rock. Suddenly the elder of the foresters swung his sword and Chatan’s body and head were severed. The separated body and head floated in the river.
The junglers who rushed to Illam to tell them what had happened to Chathan were bewildered. In the courtyard of illam, Chatan stands with shining eyes, Chathan wherever he turns. Yes, Chatan has become a ghost. The puja items were burnt, the lamps were blown in the wind, the pots were falling and the laughter of Chathan was heard everywhere.
Knowing this, skilled sorcerers came. They used their mantra power to summon Chatan in the mantra field. Then Chatan’s body was cut into three hundred and ninety-eight pieces and burnt in the Homa kunda. But hundreds of Chathans emerged from the smoke curls that spread into the air. The sorcerers were terrified, and the Chathans caught each one of them and killed them in the fire and set Illum ablaze. Finally they all ran away and took shelter in Perumalayan. Perumalayan had a revelation that he should perform Chathan’s Theyyam to prevent the recurrence of misfortunes. That is how Kuttichathan or Shastappan Theyam started to perform in Malanadu.
Kalakat, Kattumadan, Adiyeri, Mullanchery, Vellur, Mullapally, Chalil, Nallam Kottam, Nichyat, Karuvarath, Kandy, Patteri, Mepat, Keerpat, Alamberi, Chellur place, Puthanperi, Poontop, Vazhum Kulangara were all the places where Shastappan was gathered but later returned to Kalakat. It is believed that he was brought to Illut and settled there.
