Kuruthi Amma

Last Friday Manoj called me to know whether I was interested to photograph a Theyyam performance on Saturday. Even though it was working day, my family did not want to miss this unique opportunity. So in the morning we went to Chithari 5 km from Kanhangad, Kasaragod district, north Kerala where this Theyyam was held. We reached the venue at at around 11AM. Theyyam for that day had already started. We were greeted by a very enthusiastic crowd of people who welcomed us photographing the Theyyam.

Kuruthi Amma

Kuruthi Amma Theyyam

I used both Canon EOS 5D mark II with X Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0 L IS USM and Canon EOS 7D with Canon EF 300mm f/4.0 L IS USM to photograph this Theyyam. I was using the new Dual Harness from OP/TECH which allowed me the flexibility of using both cameras simultaneously.

Kuruthi Amma Closeup

Face painting

Facial painting

For sacrifice

The Theyyam we were watching was of Kuruthi Amma and Kappalathi Amma. Both were female forms and there was not much elaborate costume or facial makeup that you see in other Theyyam dance forms. What was interesting is that the Kuruthi Amma was speaking more of Tulu mixed in Malayalam. This theyya may be from our Tulunadu. As I am ignorant of the Theyyam I do not want to hypothesize things I don’t know. But Mangalore is getting flooded with Koragajja temples at every road junction, it might be interesting to find the relation of Mangalore’s Koragajja with Chithari’s Kuruthi Ammma.

Kuruthi Amma Closeup

Kuruthi Amma Closeup

Kuruthi Amma Closeup

I also found the rituals they were performing were similar to our Bhuta Kola. So lot of similarity exists, but facial paint which is predominantly reddish as compared to predominantly yellow color of our Bhuta Kola. I was also able to photograph the sacrifice of the hen to the Theyya. What was most interesting is that the devotee were 99% women with hardly any men folk around. All came at the end of the performance to recive blessing from the Theyya.

Blessing the Sacrifice

Sacrificial Chicken

Kappalathi Amma in Trance

Kappalathi Amma in Trance

Kappalathi Amma After Sacrifice

What was more interesting for me was the nearby back water. In between two Theyyams I visited this backwater which was full of jellyfish details of which I will post in my next blog..

Lacewing Eggs on the under surface of Oleander Leaf

I found these strange eggs on the under surface of Oleander (Nerium oleander) leaf next to my house. Each egg was attached to the top of a hair-like filament. I had not seen such an egg laying on filamentous structure and on searching for info I found that it was from Lacewing (Chrysopidae). I used Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM on Canon EOS 5D mark II illuminated using Rayflash on Canon Speedlite 580EX II flash.

In another few days the eggs will hatch and a tiny predatory larva emerges ready to eat the pests in my garden. Lacewing larvae are also known as aphid lions. Oval shaped eggs are laid singly at the end of long silken stalks and are pale green, turning pale gray in several days. The larvae, which are very active, are gray or brownish and alligator-like with well-developed legs and large pincers with which they suck the body fluids from prey. Larvae grow from <1 mm to 6-8 mm.

Lacewing larvae voraciously attack their prey by seizing them with large, sucking jaws and inject a paralyzing venom. The hollow jaws then draw out the body fluids of the pest. Of all available commercial predators, lacewings are the most voracious and has the greatest versatility for pests of field crops, orchards, and greenhouses. They are one of the best biological pesticides for your garden.

Reason for that filamentous structure may be to prevent emerging larva from cannibalizing each other. Each lacewing larva will devour 200 or more pests or pest eggs a week during their two to three week developmental period. After this stage, the larvae pupate by spinning a cocoon with silken thread. Approximately five days later adult lacewings emerge to mate and repeat the life cycle. Depending on climatic conditions, the adult will live about four to six weeks.

Lacewing Eggs

Each adult female may deposit more than 200 eggs. For best results, habitats should be provided that encourage the adults to remain and reproduce in the release area. Nectar, pollen, and honeydew stimulate their reproductive process. If these food sources are not available, adults may disperse.

Lacewing larvae feed on many different pest insects. In general, they attack the eggs and the immature stages of most soft-bodied pests such as: aphids, thrips, spider mites, sweet potato & greenhouse whitefly, mealybugs, leafhoppers, and the eggs and caterpillars of most moths.

Adult green lacewings are pale green, about 12-20 mm long, with long antennae and bright, golden eyes. They have large, transparent, pale green wings and a delicate body. Adults are active fliers, particularly during the evening and night and have a characteristic, fluttering flight.

Daphnis minima

My daughter called me that day to photograph a moth which she thought was Oleander Hawk-moth(Daphnis nerii). When I went close to take photograph I realized that it was not Daphnis nerii. It was looking very similar to Daphnis nerii, but was brownish all over instead of the bright camouflage green Oleander Hawk-moth had. You can see Oleander Hawk-moth here as well as in my Macro Stitching a Moth post. You can also see its caterpillar at Metamorphosis.

I photographed this moth using my Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM on Canon EOS 5D mark II with Rayflash fitted to Canon Speedlite 580EXII Flash. All photos were taken hand held at an awkward angle perching on a wooden stool as the moth was sitting close to fluorescent tube light outside my house. Ant which passed by during the shoot gave nice dimension of scale to the photograph.

Daphnis minima

Later going through identification I found that it did not even resemble another likely candidate Daphnis hypothous. Later at Indian Moths Yahoo Group I found out that it is Daphnis minima. This species is endemic to the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka. I thank Dr Ian J. Kitching and Roger C. Kendrick For helping me out in identification.

For more details on Daphnis minima check this link.