How ‘Raveli pattu’, Kerala’s ancient story telling tradition, is struggling to survive

In the quaint village of Vengola in Perumbavoor, Kerala, a centuries-old folk storytelling tradition known as Raveli pattu is facing the challenges of modernity. Practiced by the Veerasaiva community, which migrated from Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu centuries ago, this art form involves an artist singing a mix of prose and poetry from a scroll filled with tiny illustrations.

Performed during the Karkkadakam and Kumbham Malayalam months, Raveli pattu is believed to bring positivity during the otherwise inauspicious Karkkadakam month. While it was once performed door-to-door by families of the Veerasaiva community, today the art form is practiced by only a handful of artists like PK Narayanan, who performs only on request.

Narayanan, 72, recounts learning the art from his father Nanukuttan, and admits that none of his three children is interested in continuing the tradition. The community, known as pandarams or Veerasaivas in Malayalam, makes and sells pappads for a living. While the scroll used to be made from mul cloth stiffened with rice batter and turmeric, today they are made from rexine or PVC sheets with marker pen illustrations.

Despite the decline in practitioners, Sajitha G, a professor of Malayalam, sees value in preserving Raveli pattu. As part of her MPhil thesis, she documented the tradition, which is derived from the Periya Puranam, an epic Tamil poetic account of the lives of 63 Shaivite poets. The violent story of Seeralan's sacrifice, which involves Chiruthondar and his wife serving an ascetic, highlights the dramatic nature of the art form.

While the art form's name may have evolved from "Kidavubali," meaning child and sacrifice, it remains a vital link to the Veerasaiva community's cultural heritage. Aromal Sajeev, a student, continues the tradition to please his clients, demonstrating that even in the face of modernity, the spirit of Raveli pattu endures.