Art forms

Kerala has a rich tradition art and dance forms. Like any land, Kerala also has its own typical art forms, which reflects the life and outlook of the people – from the renowned Kathakali, considered to be the complete art form as its synthesises all that is best in the fields of drama, music and dance, to the folk dances which are reflections of the rhythmic impulses.

Performing Arts

Kathakali: Kerala owes its transnational fame to this nearly 300 years old classical dance form that combines facets of ballet, opera, masque and the pantomime. This is a visually powerful art form. The dance drama, which has a unique costume and make-up, depicts storeies from the two great Indian epics – the Ramayana and the Mahabaratha.

Chavittunatakom: A Christian art form of Kerala, evolved at the turn of the 16 th century AD, during the Portuguese colonisation and bears definite traces of the European Christian Miracle play opera and ballet.

Krishnanattom: A spectacle for both the scholar and the simple rustic. The visual effect is enhanced by varied and colourful facial make-up with larger-than-life-masks, made of light wood and cloth padding.

Oppana: A dance form essential to the wedding entertainment and festivities of Malabar Muslims. Maidens
and young female relatives sing and dance around the bride, clapping their hands.

Mohiniyattom: The dance of the enchantress, Mohiniyattom is a distinctive classical dance form of Kerala.

Kakkarissin Natamom: Kakkarissi Natakom is a satirical dance-drama based on the puranic legends of Lord Shiva
and his consort Parvati when they assumed human forms as Kakkalan and Kakkathi – the male and female members
of a nomadic tribe of furtunetellers.

Kolkkali: A folk art mainly of the agrarian classes, Kolkkali is a highly rhythmic and the performers never miss a beat. In Malabar Kolkkali is more popular among Muslim men.

Thullal: Thullal is a solo performance combining the dance and recitation of stories in verse. Staged during temple
festivals, the performer explicates the verses through expressive gestures.

Koodiyattom: Koodiyattom literally means, “acting together”. This is the earliest classical dramatic art form of Kerala.
Based on Sage Bharata's ‘Natyasasthra' who lived in the second century, Koodiyattom evolved in the 19 th century AD.
The UNESCO recently declared Koodiyattom as one among the “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage
of Humanity”.

Thiruvathirakali: Thiruvathirakali is a dance performed by women in order to attan everlasting martial bliss on
Thiruvathira day in the Malayalam month of Dhanu (December – January).

Duffmuttu: Duffmuttu is also known as Aravanamuttu. It is a group performance popular among the Muslims of Malabar.
Duffmuttu is staged as a social event during festivals and nuptial ceremonies.

Ritual Arts

Theyyam: Theyyam, is also known as Kaliyattam, is a ritual dance popular in north Kerala or the erstwhile Kolathunadu. Theyyam incorporates dance, mime and music and enshrines the rudiments and ancient tribal cultures, which attached great importance to the worship of heroes and the spirits of ancestors. Of the over 400 Theyyams performed, the most spectacular ones are those of Raktha Chamundi, Kari Chamundi, Machilottu Bhagavathi, Wayanad Kaluven, Gulikan and Pottan. Persons belonging to the Vannan, Malayan and other related castes perfume these dances in front of shrines, sans stage of curtains.

Patayani: Patayani is a week-long ritual dance held in Kaali temples on the banks of the Pamba River during the Malayalam months of Meenam & Medam (March – April).

Pootavum thirayum: This ritual offering to Goddess Kaali is performed in many places of South Malabar . A dance troupe dresses up as Kaali (the Thira ) and the accompanying spirits (the Poothams) who were created along with the goddess for the destruction of the evil demon, Daarikan.

Koothu: Koothu is a socio-religious art performed in the Koothambalam or the Koothuthara of temples, either independently or as part of Koodiyattom. It is a solo narrative performance interspersed with mime and comic interludes. The Chakkiar dons the role of ‘Vidushaka' or the wise jester. Through his inimitable narration of stories from the epics (the Ramayana and the Mahabaratha), the Chakkiar satirises the manners and customs of the time. No one is above the butt of his ridicule. His wit ranges from innocent mockery to veiled innuendoes barbed pun and pungent invectives.

Paana: Paana or Pallippaana, as it is sometimes called, is a ritual art to propitiate the goddess Bhadrakaali. The art form is popular in the districts of Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram.

Mudiyettu: Mudiyettu is a ritual dance performed in some Kaali temples of Ernakulam and Kottayam districts (central Kerala). The dance celebrates the godess's triumph over the demon Daarikan.

Kannyarkali: Kannyarkali, also known as Desathukali, is a folk art exclusively practised by the Nair community of the Palakkad area. It owes its origin to the pursuit of martial arts in this region, which was under constant threat of attack from neighbouring Konganadu.

Arjuna Nritham: Arjuna nritham (the dance of Arjuna) is a ritual art peformed by me and is prevalent in the Bhagavathy temples of Kerala.

Tholppavakkoothu: Tholppavakkoothu, literally meaning “leather puppet play”, is a ritual art performed during the annual festivals in the Kaali temples of Palakkad district. The theme of the play is based on the Kamba Ramayana, narrated in a diction that is a mixture of Malayalam and Tamil dialectical variations. The shadow play is presented in the ‘Koothumadam', a specially constructed oblong playhouse on the temple premises. The puppets are fashioned out of the hide of buffalo and deer, the former of evil characters and latter for noble ones.

Velakali: This spectacular martial dance is peformed by men in some of the temples of southern Kerala. The dancers, clad in the traditional clothes and colourful headgear of the medieval Nair soldiers, engage in vigorous movements and dexterous sword play, to the accompaniment of an orchestra comprising the maddalam, ilathalam, kombu and kuzhal. Velakali originated in Ambalappuzha where Mathoor Panicker, chief of the Chempakasseri army, promoted it to boost the martial spirit of the people. The dance form is a regular feature of the annual festivities at the Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Temple in Alappuzha district.

Kalamezhuthu: The kalam is a unique drawing also called dhulee chitram or powder drawing. The artist uses the floor as his canvas. Kalamezhuthu pattu is performed as part of the rituals to worship and propitiate gods like Kaali, Ayyappan or Vettakkoru makan. This ritualistic art is a common feature of temples as well as noble households.

Margomkali: Margomkali is a ritual folk art of the Syrian Christian of Kottayam and Thrissur districts. A dozen dancers sing and dnace around a lighted wick lamp (Nilvalikku), clad in the simple traditional white dhoti and sporting a peacock feather on the turban to add a touch of colour.

Kavadiyattom: Kavadiyattom, a colourful ritual art, is a votive offering to Sree Subramanya. Basically of Tamil origin, Kavadiyattom is widely prevalent in the Subramanya temples all over Kerala during the festival seasons.

Theeyattu: Theeyattu is a solo dance-drama peformed in front of the Kalam or Dhooli Chitram (ritual drawing with coloured powders). It is enacted in some Bhagavathy temples of Thiruvalla, Kottayam and Thriupunithura.

Kummattikkali: Kummattikkali is a mask dance popular in Thrissur district of Kerala. The dancers, wearing painted wooden masks and sporting sprigs of leaves and grass, go dancing from house to house. A popular Kummatti character is Thalla or the witch; the other represent various Hindu gods and goddesses. The songs deal with devotional themes and are accompanied by a bow-like instrument called Ona villu. No formal training is required to perform the Kummattikkali, and often the spectators join in the performance.

Marital Arts: The martial art form of Kerala – Kalaripayattu – is believed to be the mother of all martial art forms in the world and for that matter, the most scientific one. It consitsts of a series of intricate movements that train the body and mind.