Manikutti Sasthappan Theyyam is a type of Kuttichathan theyyam that is worshipped during the annual theyyam kaliyattam thira festival in Kannur and Kasaragod region of Kerala. As per information, Manikutti Sasthappan is a wish fulfilling deity but at the same time dangerous and naughty. This theyyam wears a dark color kolam. As per Manikutti Sasthappan story, Sasthappan was born to Shiva and Goddess Parvati who took the form of Valluvan and Valluvathi. They gave the child to the Namboothiri of Kalakattu family. But the child did not follow Brahmin tradition. He performed all kinds of non-Brahmanical actions.
One day Sasthappan killed an ox and drank its blood.
Kalakattu Namboothiri who came to know about this incident warned him against
such actions. Sasthappan thought that it was the wife of Namboothiri who had
informed about his actions and threw a stone at her chest.
Kalakattu Namboothiri who saw this hacked Sasthappan to
death. But Sasthappan did not die. Kalakattu Namboothiri then invited other
Brahmins and created huge yajna. They cut Sasthappan into 390 pieces and put in
21 yajna kundam (sacrificial fire).
But thousands of Sasthappan appeared from the homa kundas
and they performed dance on fire. They then annihilated all the Brahmins
including Kalakattu Namboothiri. Manikutti Sasthappan was one among them.
Manikutti Sasthappan theyyam is worshipped annually to keep
him calm and happy so that he does not cause problems to people and other
living beings.
He is propitiated for desire fulfillment, to defeat enemies,
to find treasure and to take revenge. It is also believed that prayers to him
help in retrieving lost items.
The theyyam is performed at Kadirur Kakkara Antholikkavu temple (January 27 to January 28) in Kannur district.