<i>Kriya in Kutiyattam</i> : Birthing a world

Abstract Kutiyattam is an ancient form of ritual‐theater in Kerala. Kriya is an offering to the gods intended to allure them into giving birth to the special Kutiyattam cosmos. A world in which objects, entities, and words are all made of movement. Expanding a presence that resides in the flame of the lamp brought from the temple, kriya collects the elements of life—water, fire, death, wind, wealth, and more—from the nine gods of the cardinal directions. Although kriya is rooted in purity, sacredness, and worship, and although it clears pathways for the divine, nothing on a higher, exterior level is involved. Such a world is ‘ inclusive :’ It includes within itself everything necessary for it to survive and thrive; nothing encompasses it. Following in detail how this world is created through kriya reveals some of the conditions and traits of an inclusive world.