Neeliyar Bhagavathi Theyyam is a Mother Goddess theyyam performed during the annual thira kaliyattam theyyam festival in Kannur region of Kerala. As per information, this theyyam has the sankalpam of Goddess Kali. As per Neeliyaar Bhagavathy Theyyam story, Neeli belonged to a lower caste and was an excellent debater and orator. But she was killed by a local ruler. It is believed that she became a goddess after her death.
Yet another story has it that Neeli was a beautiful woman
and she was wrongly accused of prostitution. It is said that people made her father
murder her. She became a daivakaru and was later given a place of worship.
It is said that Neeli after her death started residing in a pond of Manathana Ilam. The men who went to take bath in the pond met beautiful Neeli who offered them oil and thali. She later murdered the men. Men who went to take bath in the pond never returned back alive. Once, famous scholar Kalakkatu Namboothiri went to take bath in the pond. He too saw Kali and asked her who she was? She told him that he was Kali. Later Neeli offered oil and thali to the Namboothiri. The pious Brahmin saw his mother in her and told her that this is amrit given by mother. As Kalarkkatu Namboothiri addressed her as his mother, she got atop his traditional umbrella and reached Mangattuparamba and she made her abode here. It is said that she had asked Kalakkatu Namboothiri to keep his umbrella down only in a place where cow and tiger are residing peacefully. It is said that the Namboothiri saw a cow and tiger together at Mangattuparamba.
Today, this Bhagavathi Theyyam is famous at Mangattuparamba
Neeliyar Kottam near Morazha.
This theyyam is also known by the names of Kottathamma and
Ottathara. The theyyam appears just after sunset.
This theyyam can be performed on all days of the year. The theyyam
is offered by devotees for early cure from diseases and for good health of
children.
The theyyam is famous for its huge headgear – Valiya mudi.
കൊട്ടിയൂരിനടുത്തുള്ള
മണത്തണ എന്ന സ്ഥലമാണ് ഭഗവതിയുടെ
ആരൂഡം . കര്ക്കിടക മാസം രണ്ടു മുതല്
പതിനാറ് വരെയുള്ള
ദിവസങ്ങളില് ഭഗവതി ഇവിടെയാണ് ഉണ്ടാവുകയത്രേ.