Kerala’s Ancient Raveli Pattu Storytelling Tradition Faces Survival Challenge
Raveli pattu, also known as Blaveli pattu, is a centuries-old scroll-based oral storytelling practice in Kerala that is facing a steep decline in active performers. Preserved by members of the Veerasaiva community in the Ernakulam region, this traditional folk art combines ancient Malayalam prose and poetry with illustrated narrative scrolls to tell sacred stories.
What Happened
Urbanisation and shifting economic conditions have steadily reduced the customary spaces for Raveli pattu, leaving only a handful of active performers. Artistes traditionally moved door-to-door during the Malayalam month of Karkkadakam, using painted scrolls and songs honoring Lord Siva to bring goodwill to households, receiving rice, coconuts, or small cash offerings in return. The art is also performed during Kumbham around Sivaratri. Today, elderly practitioners like 72-year-old PK Narayanan from Vengola in Perumbavoor perform largely upon request for academic researchers, as younger generations pursue other occupations.
Key Highlights
- Oral Heritage: Raveli pattu has no written script and is handed down across generations through listening and recitation.
- Community Roots: The tradition is maintained by the Veerasaiva community, also known in Malayalam as pandarams, who migrated from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu centuries ago and primarily make and sell pappads.
- The Narrative: The performance recounts a legend from the Tamil epic Periya Puranam regarding Chiruthonda Nayanar, whose devotion was tested by Lord Siva through the demanding sacrifice and eventual restoration of his young son, Seeralan.
- Evolution of Scrolls: Traditional scrolls made of mul cloth stiffened with rice batter and turmeric with ink-pellet drawings have largely been replaced by rexine or PVC sheets drawn with marker pens, often outsourced to external artists.
- Name Origins: According to researchers, the name may stem from Kidavubali (child sacrifice) and is known alternately as Blaveli, Mlaveli, Maveli, Daveli, Midaveli, and Kdaveli.
Why This Matters
Raveli pattu represents a unique intersection of migratory history, religious literature, and visual folk art. According to Malayalam professor Sajitha G, who documented the tradition for her MPhil thesis in 2001, the performance also served a crucial economic role in history. During the heavy monsoon rains of Karkkadakam, when drying pappads was difficult, community elders sustained their livelihoods through these storytelling visits. Its decline marks the potential loss of an unscripted oral narrative style and scroll-painting tradition comparable to Rajasthan’s Phad or Odisha’s Pattachitra.
What to Watch Next
Efforts to keep the art alive rely on documentation by academic researchers and sporadic interest from younger family members. While many youth from the Veerasaiva community have moved away from the craft, exceptions exist, such as Aromal Sajeev, a Plus Two student from Kadayirippu, who continues to accept performance requests following the death of his father, Sajeev Sivan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Raveli pattu?
Raveli pattu is an ancient folk storytelling art from Kerala where a singer points to an illustrated scroll and chants a narrative blending prose and verse in ancient Malayalam.
Which community performs this art form?
It is traditionally preserved and performed by the Veerasaiva community, who migrated to Kerala centuries ago from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
What story does the performance narrate?
The performance narrates a story from the Periya Puranam focused on the Shaivite devotee Chiruthonda Nayanar and the ultimate test of his faith involving his son Seeralan.
Source: Reported via The Hindu.