Folk dances
· Kathakali
· Mohiniattam
· Pulikali
Ritual dances
· Theyyam
· Mudiyettu
Martial Arts and Sports of Kerala
· Kalaripayattu
· Parisa Kali
· Velakanni
· Valeru
· Kunderu
Lush green fields, flowing rivers facilitating fertility of land, spectacular white sandy beaches with blue waters kissing the sand, dreamy backwaters and houseboats that sail on them and a plethora of flora in the immense marshlands of Kerala are all the alluring physical and scenic aspects of the state which attract numerous tourists from across the globe to this God’s Own Country. Along with all these splendid natural attributes of the state, Kerala boasts of individuals who value all the time-honoured arts and traditions of this ancient land despite being progressive and innovative in their approach towards life.
Dances of Kerala are a part of the illustrious performing arts culture of the state. They are considered as the pride of the state and have now found patronage in the global scenario. Performing arts in Kerala are an amalgamation of dance, music, theatre and mythology. Kerala boasts of folk dances such as Kathakali, Mohiniattam, Pulikali as well as ritual dances such as Theyyam, Kummathikkali and Mudiyettu. Let us have a look at the glorious dances of the state of Kerala.
Folk Dances
Kathakali
Kathakali, the classical dance form of Kerala is very well known for its elaborate and heavy make-up, costumes and ornaments. It dates back to the 17th century and presents stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and other Hindu epics and mythologies. Mahakavi Vallathol Narayan Menon is known to have given Kathakali its present form wherein the dancer uses his/ her interpretation to portray the drama or story that is sung for him. It consists of both the nritya (pure dance) and abhinaya (mime). It uses the entire body, skeleton and muscles, also those on the face, to depict emotion. Earlier it was performed only by the men but women are increasingly taking to it. The costumes in Kathakali are those of Sathwika (the hero), Kathi (villain) and Minukku (females). All these features make Kathakali one of the most magnificent theatres of imagination and creativity.
Mohiniattam
Mohiniattam is a dance form which originated in the state of Kerala. It is a solo female dance performance which is usually depicted by the gentle swaying of the body from side to side. The theme of Mohiniattam is dedicated to the feminine concepts of shringara and love. It is believed that Mohiniattam is devoted to the feminine form of Vishnu i.e. Mohini- the enchantress. The guidelines for the hand and arm movements in this dance form are mentioned in the classical text called Hastha Lakshandeepika. Mohiniattam developed as the Devdasi system took root in Southern India. Although the system bore a tainted look due to the social and economic conditions, the dance form gradually regained its past glory and respect. In the 19th century, the enlightened ruler of Travancore, Swati Tirunal revived the dance form and helped the dancers perform their dances with the accompaniment of musical instruments like the violin, veena and mrigangam.
Pulikali
Pulikali, also known as Kaduvakali is a traditional folk dance form of the state of Kerala is most popular in the states of Palakkad and Thrissur. In Malayalam, Pulikali lierally means ‘play of the tigers’. Pulikali is performed on the fourth day of Onam. The performers of Pulikali, usually 6 people in a group have their bodies painted in colours and patterns that represent the tiger, wear tiger masks and perform a dance which resembles the hunting rituals performed by groups while on a tiger hunt. This dance involves real scenes played out by the performers like the tiger catching its prey that is offered as bait by the hunters and the crescendo where the tiger is finally caught by the hunters. The drummer plays a very important part of this entire act as the beat, rhythm, tempo and vibrations are provided by his instrument.
Ritual dances
Theyyam
Theyyam, a ritual dance form performed by the backward community of the Kolathunadu area of Kerala has a several thousand year old history. The dance is performed by a dancer who is called theyyam and the people of the districts near-by consider this Theyyam as God himself and seek his blessings. This dance is performed through different steps known as Kalaasams and involves musical instruments, dance steps, vocal recitations, peculiar makeup and costumes.
Mudiyettu
This is a traditional folk and ritual dance that is performed to enact the scene of the mythological event of Goddess Kali killing the demon Darika. This ritual belongs to the bhadrakali cult prevalent in some parts of Kerala. Kuruppanmar, a certain set of people perform this ritual dance form in temples called Bhagvati Kavus, which are temples dedicated to the Mother Goddess. Mudiyettu finds its place in 2010 UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Martial Arts & Sports of Kerala
It is very well known that Martial Arts and Sports occupy an important place in the life of people of Kerala, the Malayalis. The Malayalis believe in holistic development of the body, mind and soul and hence there is a culture of martial arts training right from early childhood. Martials arts are teams with several other sports events like rowing competitions which take place on certain festivals like Onam and Vishu. There are many forms of Martial arts in Kerala, famous amongst them are Kalaripayattu, Parisa Kali, Velakanni, Valeru and Kunderu. Let us have a look at the few most important among these.
Kalaripayattu
It is certainly a matter of pride for the Malayalis and for our country on the whole as Kalaripayattu is the oldest martial art in the world. The masters and practitioners of Kalaripayattu believe that this art form is about 1500 years old. Kalari- an ancient place of learning of subjects like medicine, philosophy, architecture, astrology and geometry was also a place where martial arts took birth. Hence, Kalaripayattu means ‘the fighting art of the kalari’. When translated in English, Kalaripayattu means training in the art of combat. There are two forms of medicine which are involved in forming the basis of Kalaripayattu. This martial arts form derives its forms and exercises from the science of Yoga and its medical treatments on the science of Ayurveda. This specific marital art form of the state of Kerala has progressed to incorporate the Indian fighting traditions from the north and south alike and has transformed into a martial art form that respects and integrates the spiritual practices of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islamic Sufism. A special performance of Kalaripayattu is organised by several Tourism providers to create a real special experience for the tourists.
Parisa Kali
The Parisa Kali martial art form involves tremendous and rigorous physical training and knowledge of the use of arms. It belongs to the North Malabar region of Kerala.
Velakanni
This is another illustrious martial art form of the Travancore region of Kerala. This specific martial art form is used to represent the classic battle fought between the warring cousins, the Pandavas and the Kauravas at Kurukshetra. It involves enacting small scenes from the epic battle between the right and the wrong as well as an overview of the entire battle. Velakanni is usually played out during the temple festivals at Cherthala and Ambalapuzha. The spectacular show put up by Velakanni performers at the Shree Padmanabhaswamy temple at Thiruvananthapuram enthrals the audience present during the temple festival.
Valeru
Valeru, among all the other marital art forms of the state of Kerala, is very different and worth a thousand mention. It is a unique art of sword throwing.
Kunderu
This martial art form is performed in temple festivals in Kerala in certain seasons. It is a martial art form that involves tightrope walking.
There are some lesser known martial arts like Njaninmel Kali which also involve tightrope walking. However, such regional martial art forms are now degenerating into the basis of circus training in South India. In fact the Kannur and Thalassery regions of Kerala are now known as the ‘home of circus in India.’