From Agrestic Slaves to Untouchable Gods: Remembering the Repressed History of Caste Slavery and the Resistance of Pulayas in Kerala through Ritualistic Folk Art, India

The empirical ordering of the upper castes through scriptural doctrines delegitimized the subaltern epistemology and impeded the possibility of any form of resistance. The article finds relevance in delving deep into the subversive acts of the most marginalized against Brahmanised hegemonic discourse and examines how they developed it as an epistemology of resistance. It particularly makes an in-depth inquiry into the past of Pulaya, a Dalit community in North Malabar, Kerala, and their history of resistance through a ritualistic folk art, Mari Theyyam. By closely examining the performance, paraphernalia and rituals associated with Mari Theyyam, this article emphasises that Mari Theyyam functions as a living archive and a counter-hegemonic epistemology sustained by the most marginalised community to challenge the erased or repressed history of caste slavery. The spatial mapping of Mari Theyyam also holds significance as it provides critical insight into the deeply entrenched caste system and the prevailing caste dynamics in Kerala. The article argues that, in a dark epoch that made Dalits voiceless and prevented them from raising their voice and writing culture, Pulayas of North Malabar made use of their folklore to collate their shared memories and oral testimonies of caste slavery. By conceptualizing Mari Theyyam as an alternative epistemology, the article contributes to Dalit studies and aesthetics, subaltern studies, religious studies, inequality studies and performance studies of South Asia.