Aneesh Maloth, dressed in a white vest with sleeves and white checkered lungi, walks towards the temple to the accompaniment of beats on a chenda. He wears a skull cap, sports a faux black moustache and carries a sword and shield. On the temple premises, he recites the azaan (Islamic call to prayer) and offers namaz (prayer). Devotees gathered at the temple watch as he performs and seek his blessings. This is not a work of fiction. It happens every year at Malom Koolom Bhagavathy Temple near Vellarikkundu in Kasaragod district.
Aneesh is Mukri Pokker, a Mappila Theyyam, a variant of Theyyam in which Muslim characters are revered as gods. Ashraf Thoonery has showcased this Theyyam in his documentary Mukri with Chamundi : The Saga of Harmony in Theyyam Art.
