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Kerala - God's own Country

Home >> About Kerala >> Arts and Culture of Kerala

Arts & Culture - Kerala 

Velakali

It is one of the most elaborate and spectacular martial folk arts of Kerala. This ritual art form is usually presented within the temple premises and is called Thirumumbil vela when performed before the deity and Kulathilvela when performed near the temple pond. 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. A few fighting techniques of Kalaripayattu are also displayed in the course of the performance.

THIRUVATHIRAKALI

Thiruvathirakali is a classical dance form, which is a pointer to the old customs followed in the Nair tharawads (joint families). In this dance form, the women of the house dance elegantly around the ceremonial lamp or floral decoration on festive occasions to the accompaniment of the Thiruvathira pattu (song).

KALIYOOTTU

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

KANNIYARKALI

Kanniyarkali (Deshathukali) is a ritual art dance from, which is performed to the accompaniment of devotional folk songs and the resounding beats of drum. It is usually performed in Bhagavathy temples.

KAVADIYATTAM

Kavadiyattam is a ritualistic dance form performed by devotees. The group of devotees wearing bright yellow or saffron costumes with ash smeared all over the body dance in a frenzy carrying kavadis on their shoulders. Kavadis are colourful bow shaped wooden structures rising six to ten feet tall. The ambalakavadi is structured and decorated like a temple. The pookavadi has clusters of colourful, paper, cloth or plastic flowers arranged on them. The resounding beats of percussion instruments like udukku and chenda and the nadaswaram are characteristic of the kavadi procession. It is usually offered in Subramanya temples

KOLKALI

Kolkali is a group dance form of the farming community in Kerala. Twelve to twenty four dancers move rhythmically in a circle around the ceremonial lamp, tapping the two feet long wooden sticks held in their hands.

Arts & Dance - Kerala

Koodiyattam || Mohiniyattam || Velakali || Thiruvathirakali || Kaliyoottu

Kanniyarkali || Kavadiyattam || Kolkali || Kalaripayattu

  Bharathanatyam