Thekkanum Thekkathiyum is a dance form popular in
Palakkad and
Malappuram districts. It is usually performed by the members of Panar community. A troupe consists of two dancers (one male and one female) and two percussion instrumentalists. In this dance, the performers enact well-defined steps. They sing, exchange dialogues and perform stylized movements. Then the instrumentalists repeat the songs and put questions to the characters. Some portions from the
Ramayana form the theme of the play, sometimes, portions from the
Mahabharata are also used.
