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Basic
standing position of
a female character
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Basic
standing position of
a male character
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Kathakali
Dance
Kerala
is the home of several traditional
dance and dance - drama forms,
the most notable being Kathakali.
Kathakali,
as a dance form popular today,
is considered to be of comparatively
recent origin. However, it
is an art which has evolved
from many social and religious
theatrical forms which existed
in the southern region in
ancient times. Chakiarkoothu,
Koodiyattam, Krishnattam and Ramanattam are
few of the ritual performing
arts of Kerala which have
had a direct influence on
Kathakali in its form and
technique. Legend has it
that the refusal of the Zamorin
of Calicut to send his Krishnattam troupe
to Travancore, so enraged
the Raja of Kottarakkara,
that he was inspired to compose
the Ramanattam.
In
the temple sculptures in
Kerala and the frescoes in
the Mattancheri temple of
approximately the 16th century,
dance scenes depicting the
square and rectangular basic
positions so typical to Kathakali
are seen. For body movements
and choreographical patterns,
Kathakali is also indebted
to the early martial arts
of Kerala.
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Kathakali
is a blend of dance, music
and acting and dramatizes stories,
which are mostly adapted from
the Indian epics. It is a stylised
art form, the four aspects
of abhinaya - angika, aharya, vachika, satvika and
the nritta, nritya and natya aspects
are combined perfectly. The
dancer expresses himself through
codified hastamudras and facial
expressions, closely following
the verses (padams) that
are sung. Kathakali derives
its textual sanction from Balarama
Bharatam and Hastalakshana
Deepika.
The attakkathasor stories are selected from
the epics and myths and are written in a highly Sanskritised verse
form in Malayalam. Many Malayalam writers have also contributed to
the vast repertoire of Kathakali literature.
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Kathakali
is a visual art where aharya,
costume and make-up are suited
to the characters, as per the
tenets laid down in the Natya
Shastra. The
characters are grouped under
certain clearly defined types
like the pacha, kathi, thadi, kari or minukku.
The face of the artist is painted
over to appear as though a
mask is worn. The lips, the
eyelashes and the eyebrows
are made to look prominent.
A mixture of rice paste and
lime is applied to make the chutti on
the face which highlights the
facial make-up.
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Kathakali
dance is chiefly interpretative.
The characters in a
Kathakali performance
are broadly divided
into satvika, rajasika and tamasika types.
Satvika characters
are noble, heroic,
generous and refined.
In pacha,
green colour dominates
and kirita (headgear)
is worn by all. Krishna
and Rama wear special
crowns decorated with
peacock feathers. The
noble characters like
Indra, Arjun and the
Devas are some of the pacha
characters. |
Shri
Krishna with
Duryodhan
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Kalasam |
The kathi type
depict
anti-heroes.
Though
they are
of the
rajasika
category,
they are
sometimes
great warriors
and scholars
such as
Ravana,
Kamsa
and
Sisupala
to name
a few.
The moustache
and the
small knob
called chuttippu fixed
on "the
tip of
the nose
and another
in the
centre
of the
forehead,
is peculiar
to the kathi character.
The characters
of the thadi (beard)
category
are the chuvanna
thadi,
(red beard), vellathadi (white
beard)
and the karutha
thadi (black
beard). Vellathadi or
the white
bearded
character
is generally
that of
Hanuman,
the dancer
also wears
the costume
of a monkey. Kari are
characters
whose make-up
have a
black base,
they wear
black costume
depicting
a hunter
or forest
dweller.
Apart from
these,
there are
minor characters
like minukku which
are the
women and
sages.
Kathakali
costumes
and make-up
are elaborate
and designed
so as to
give a
super human
effect.
The make-up
of Kathakali
can be
classified
into the teppu, chuttikuthu and uduthukettu.
The teppud
done by
the actor
himself.
Each character
has a distinct teppu.
The second
stage is
done by
experts
who specialise
in make-up.
The wearing
of huge
bellowing
skirts
is called uduthukettu.
A
simple
stage is
used. A
large oil-fed
lamp is
placed
in front
of the
stage and
two people
hold a
curtain
called Tirasseela on
the stage,
the main
dancers
stand behind
it before
the performance.
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In
no
other
dance
style
is
the
entire
body
used
so
completely
as
in
Kathakali.
The
technical
details
cover
every
part
of
the
body
from
facial
muscles
to
fingers,
eyes,
hands
and
wrists.
The
facial
muscles
play
an
important
part.
The
movement
of
the
eyebrows,
the
eye-balls
and
the
lower
eye-lids
as
described
in
the
Natya
Shastra
are
not
used
to
such
an
extent
in
any
other
dance
style.
The
weight
of
the
body
is
on
the
outer
edges
of
the
feet
which
are
slightly
bent
and
curved. |
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Kalasams are
pure
dance
sequences
where
the
actor
is
at
great
liberty
to
express
himself
and
display
his
skills.
The
leaps,
quick
turns,
jumps
and
the
rhythmic
co-ordination
make
kalasams,
a joy
to
watch.
A
Kathakali
performance
begins
with
the kelikottu,
calling
the audience
to attention
followed
by the todayam.
It is
a devotional
number
performed
where
one or
two characters
invoke
the blessings
of the
gods. Kelikottu is
the formal
announcement
of the
performance
done
in the
evening
when
drums
and cymbals
are played
for a
while
in the
courtyard.
A pure
nritta
piece
known
as the purappadu comes
as a
sequel
to this.
Then
the musicians
and drummers
hold
the stage
entertaining
the audience
with
an exhibition
of their
skills
in melappada. Tiranokku is
the debut
on the
stage
of all
characters
other
than
the pacha
or minukku.
Thereafter,
the play
or the
particular
scene
of the
chosen
play
begins. |
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Kathakali
music
follows
the traditional sopana
sangeet of
Kerala.
It is
said
to be
the ritual
singing
of the Ashtapadis on
the flight
of steps
leading
to the sanctum
sanctorum.
Now,
Kathakali
music
also
uses
Carnatic
ragas-the
raga and tala conforming
to the bhava, rasa and dance
patterns (nritta
and natya).
The orchestra
which
is also
used
in other
traditional
performing
arts
of Kerala,
normally
comprises
the Chenda, Maddalam, Chengila, Ilathalam, Idakka and Shankhu.
Ilakiattam is
that part
of the performance
when the
characters
get an opportunity
to demonstrate
their excellence
in abhinaya.
For the most
part of the
performance
the dancers
engage themselves
in chodiattam which
means acting
in strict
conformity
to the words
in the padams sung
by the accompanying
musicians.
Thanks
to the
service
done
by the
poet
Vallathol,
this
classical
dance
form
received
a new
impetus
and today
many
innovations
are also
being
made
to suit
the needs
of a
changing
society. |
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Under
the aegis of Ministry
of Culture,
Government of India
15-A, Sector - 7, Dwarka, New Delhi - 110075
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Centre for Cultural Resources and Training
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Telephone:(011)
25088638,
47151000
Fax: 91-11-25088637,
Gram: CENCULT
E-mail:- dg.ccrt@nic.in
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