Pattu is a peculiar form of theatre in Kerala which is not far removed from other types of Malayalam theatre, in essentials, much less in spirit, is the variety. It is purely a family or domestic function celebrated by rich families as a beneficent complement to such a ritual as marriage. The purely religious aspect of this consists in the invocation of the Goddess Parvati on a properly made seat, i.e. a Pitha surrounded by the various items of Mangala-Carana; this is then followed by the singing of songs by a particular set of Ambalavasi women, called Puspnis, in a sing-song tone accompanied by the sounding of a metal plate with a table knife. At the same time there stands in front of the goddess invoked a couple of ladies dressed in their religious ceremonial dress, and as the song proceeds, they become possessed and then begin a circular dance and convey the commands of the Goddess. The function begins early in the morning and with necessary intervals runs on the whole day and night. Here again there is the fact of the glorification of the Goddess, but it differs from the other kinds in that here it is a woman who becomes possessed.
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