The performers, usually three in number, undergo a week of austerity before the presentation Colorful and intricately designed masks carved out of wood are the highlights of the attire. The fifteen minute performance starts slowly and works up to a frenzy towards the end. The thudi provides rhythm to the dance which is usually rendered at night. There are over 350 theyyams in northern Kerala. The hood, headdress, face painting, breast plate, bracelets, garlands and fabric of attire of each theyyam are distinct and meticulously crafted.
Musical accompaniments are chenda and veekuchenda, elatbalam and kuzhal.
The puppets made of deer skin are made to dance to songs from the Tamil version of the Ramayana. The performance start late at night and continues up to daybreak. Velkali Velkaliis one of the most elaborate and spectacular marital folk arts of Kerala. Fifty or more performers in the traditional attire of soldiers, bearing colourful shields and swords or long canes dance with war-like steps in perfect orchestration with the resounding rhythm of the thakil, suddha maddalam, elathalam, kuzhal and trumpets.