MLAVELI VAYANA

Folkland – International Centre for Folklore and Culture, with the generous support of Dorf Ketal Chemicals India, in association with the Department of Malayalam, Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam, organized a special programme on 18 August 2026 for the revival and documentation of the traditional folk art form Mlaveli Vayana and to introduce its cultural heritage to students. Mlaveli Vayana is a traditional ritual folk art form of Kerala that is gradually becoming extinct. It is known by different regional names, including Daveli, Blaveli, and Raveli, and has traditionally been performed by members of the Veerashaiva community. With only a very small number of practitioners remaining today, the tradition is facing a serious threat of disappearance. The central narrative of Mlaveli Vayana revolves around a childless couple who are visited by Lord Shiva in the guise of a wandering ascetic. Through the blessings of Lord Shiva, the couple is blessed with a child, bringing happiness and prosperity to their family. The performer narrates this story and a series of other traditional narratives with the support of an illustrated calendar or picture series containing more than a hundred images. Each image represents a story, moral lesson, traditional belief, or aspect of everyday life, which is explained through songs performed in a distinctive traditional tune. Beyond entertainment, Mlaveli Vayana conveys a rich body of traditional knowledge and social values. Its narratives emphasize devotion, charity, agriculture, cattle rearing, compassion, social responsibility, and good conduct. It also communicates practical values of everyday life, such as respecting others, providing drinking water to those in need, encouraging children to pray, and sharing resources such as milk with the calf, family members, temples, and neighbours.