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Kerala Arts And Culture

Kathakali:

kerala is known the world over by its own performing art form, the Kathakali. "Katha" means story and "Kali" stands for dance.It is a beautiful mix of dance, drama and music that the connoisseurs of art world practiced as 'a total art form of immense superiority and power'.This is a form of dance formerly restricted only to the festival stages in temples

Theyyam:

A ceremony dance performed in temples by chosen people in completion of vows of devotees. Theyyam is the tainted form of the word Daivam meaning the God. It is alleged to be the dance by the Goddess Herself. The dancers are men in womanly attire wearing colourful costumes made usually of palm leaves, cloth and brass jewellery, ferocious masks and big head gear, often extending up to forty feet in height. The pace of the dance is set to the beating of Chenda . The artiste invested by the goddess in his person falls in a daze, dances deliriously to the mounting tempo and conveys, as an oracle, the goddess's taking of the vow and blessings or otherwise.

Chavittunatakam:

A Christian dance drama developed totally in Kerala as a equivalent of Kathakali enacted in Hindu temples. Unlike other performing arts, this drama is presented on a raised platform made of planks spread on skeleton wood structure. Actors don in colourful Roman attires enacts stories from Bible with rich dialogues and songs to the accompaniment of beating of country drums. The major feature of this art is the artistes stamping the dance floor producing resonant sounds to accentuate the dramatic situations

Markkam Kali:

It is a counterpart of Thiruvathira Kali played by women belonging to the Christian community. Here also the dancers attired in traditional white mundu frilled at the back to cover the buttocks, chatta, rich jewellery including Mekkamothiram. The dancers sing in praise of Jesus Christ to the unstable rhythms of drum beating. It is comparatively brisk in action.

Oppana:

Oppana is makeup. This is dance by Muslims girls while doing bridal makeup. It is an all girls' show in the bridal chamber. Friends and other girls of the bride's age sing to the rhythm of clapping hands in fast tempo and dance

teasing the bride on the eve of marriage preparing her for the rite doing her face make up, manicuring and applying henna on the palms and feet

Kalarippaytu:

It is a form of martial arts practised by Hindus. The available past evidences date it back to the 12th Century and historians consider that it is the oldest form of martial art in the world. Probably, it is the source of the world famous Karate of Japan. 'Kalari' is a school of warlike arts derivative of the Sanskrit word 'Kholoorika' meaning military training centre and 'payattu' the fight. There were Kalaris strewn around the state which are recognized by the Government as the official training centres for new recruits in the armed force. The instruction and practical training in this art is imparted inside the Kalari, a specially constructed hall with ample space of fighting floor with idols of all the presiding deities of the art and photographs of the entire roots of Gurus. The idols and Gurus are worshipped before the beginning of the practice with all rituals and singing of hymns as in a temple. The master reverently addressed as 'Gurukkal' is deemed the representative of the God of war and the present link with the long line of Gurus gone deified into the back of beyond.

Cherumarkali:

It is a crop dance in which the dancer, both men and women move in a swift rhythm, linked in a back lock or holding arms. The costumes are in striking red and white

Kaalavela:

It is a spectacular march of huge, gaudily adorned motifs of bulls

Kalampatu:

It is another folk art form that belongs to the northern regions of Kerala. This art form which is over 600 years old is performed by a group of five or fifteen people in Bhadrakali and Ayyappa temples. The rituals is performed around the Kolam - an elaborated picture . typically of Bhadrakali, drawn on the floor, using five colours. The performance in the light of temple torches lasts through the night. The singers are neatly dressed with women their hair on the side of the head. Aseries of songs are sung to the accompaniment of nanthuni and elathalam

Kaliyoottu:

It is an eight day long colourful folk which re-enacts the combat between goddess Durga and the demon Darika. The rite is perform in different stages. The climax of the play - the ritual called Paranettu - is performed on a specially constructed 100 feet high stage on the eight day.