Trance and Possession: Ritual Madness and Choreographed Alteration
Performance studies & cultural discourse in South Asia 2025 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-96-2448-5_6 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Trance Possession linguistics Anthropology Classical antiquity studies |
| Key points | Argues that in classical performance traditions of Keralam, trance is achieved through disciplined training and body-memory, enabling performers to merge with a character while maintaining control, distinguishing it from possession. |
Abstract
AbstractThis chapter examines the relationship between trance, possession, and madness in both classical and ritual performance traditions of Keralam. Through detailed analysis of Kathakali, Kutiyattam, and ritual practices such as Teyyam and Guruti at Chottanikkara, it explores how altered states of consciousness are performed, understood, and codified within specific cultural frameworks. In classical forms, trance is achieved through disciplined training and the cultivation of body-memory, enabling the performer to temporarily merge with the character while maintaining control—distinguishing it from possession.