ART PERFORMANCE

KAMPADAVU KALI : A war dance which is the legacy of an ancient past. The dance is performed in circles and the dancers utter wild war cries as it gathers momentum. The group formations are many and varied and the power and variety of rhythm exquisite. There is steeping, hopping and squatting; every movement keeps perfect time with the strokes of the sticks which the dancers hold in their hands. Unique for its footwork and the striking of sticks which very closely resmbles the movements of the sword and the shield in ancient duels in Kerala. This dance is also known as kampadi kali and koladikali or kolkali.

AMMANATTOM : Ammana is a hollow metallic ball which contains numerous metallic pieces inside. Women perform the ammanattom dance, using four to twenty-four ammanas which are thrown up and caught deft missing none. The jingling of the ammanas perfectly time with the rhythm of the Brahmani songs sung by the performer.

THOOKKAM : This is a votive offering performed in Bhagavathy temples. The costume of the dancer is as in Velichapppadu Thullal, red scarf on the head and a red flowery clothe at the waist. Anklets are tied to the legs. The performer goes round the deity, dancing to the rhymes set by chenda, maddalam, thimila and elathalam. After worshipping the deity he gets over a one wheeld polatform over which is the pillar like utholakam. There is a hook at one end of the utholakam to which is attached the backside skin of the dancer. This end is then raised up. Hooked to the uthjolakam, the dancer is thus suspend in the air almost horizontally in which posture he executes certain physical feats and dance movements and the whole platform is taken round the temple deity thrice.

Sometimes the make-up of the dancer will be in the shape of garuda, the mythological bird, hence the dance os called garudan thookam.

In another local variation a number of dancers in the costume and make - up of garuda wings pleated skirts assemble before t6he temple deity and dance to the accompaniment of thimila, chenda, maddalam, elathalam etc. The dance is thus known as garudanparava.

AIVAR KALI : Aivar Kali literally means the play of the five sets. This is performed by members of Asari, Moosari, Karuvan, Thattan, and Kallasari communities. It is often staged in connection with temple festivals like Veleda, Thalapoli etc. This is a ring dance in which the dancers with small sticks in their hands perform a vigorous and powerful dance. The twinkling of the bells attached to the sticks adds to the charm of the accompanying music which is skillfully varied to avoid monotony. With the singing, the dancing rises to a crescendo of rhythmic fervor and the dancers swirl round, feet in step and the sticks striking perfect time.

EZHAMATHU KALI : This is a form of social satire performed as domestic entertainment by members of the Variar and pisharady communities. A group of people gather round an oil-lit lam before which is copper potplaced upside down. It is by beating on the vessel with the hand that the rhythm is set. One from the groups stands up and asks a question in the form of a song to another in the group. Those who fail to answer have to enact various roles. Though devoid of much dance element, this humorous play gives plenty of scope for buffoonery and clowning which is done with great agility and gusto. This dance is almost extinct now.

PENTHARUMO NRITHAM : A graceful group-dance of women, performed only very rarely nowadays s. the girls link their arms and form two lines. Facing each other, they move forward and backwards to the rhythm of songs. The head and body sway in perfect unison with the different steps executed. The case of movement and supple grace furnish an experience of rare beauty and enjoyment. The songs are in the form of questions and answers in which one party request the other to give them a girl. The request is promptly refused, but is repeated along with offers of various ransoms and rewards and turned down time and again. In the end a mock trail-of war is executed between the two groups.

SANGHA KALI : Sangha Kali is also known as Sastrakali, Chathirakali or Vatrakali. Essentially a socio-religious dance which was a very favourite and popular pastime of Namboodiris, it was performed as a votive offering. The origin of Sanghakali may be traced to the numerous gymnasia (Known as Kalaris) in ancient Kerala where physical exercises and military training with special stress on physical feats and swordsmanship were given. Periodic celebrations were held in this Kalaris with special displays of skill in weapons and the techniques of combat. With the infiltration and stabilization of Aryan culture in the land, the Namboodiri Brahmins-the Aryan immigrants-entered these gymnasia and their participation and influence gave the celebrations a religious turn.

A number of people with red scarfs on the head and red cloth on the wrist get together and the performance begins with a procession to the gymnasium to the accompaniment of the reverberation of the chenda, maddalam, elethalam and gong. The dance has a number of phases of ritual worship, recital of devotional songs, pure dance, comic interludes, etc. They include the kottichakampookal, kottiyarkal, pana, velichappadu, nalupadam, slokam, neetuvayana, kandappanpurappad, poli kaimalothika samvadam, paradesipurappad etc.

The last phase of the dance is called Kudameduppu. It is martial in character and actually in the form of combat exercise displaying the skill in swordsmanship and the mastery of techniques in the use of other weapons. Of the dance part in sanghakali, the Kurathiyattom is the most graceful and eloquent.

THEEYYATTU : A devotional offering performed in Bhadrakali temples. A set of performers known as Thiyyattunnis alone are entitled to perform it. The theme is usually the king of the Darika by Bhadrakali. The Unnis first draw the picture of Bhadrakali (called Kalam) on the floor, with a five different types of colour powers. A decorated stool called Peedhom is placed in front, facing a traditional oil - lit lamp. Then the dancer in the costume and make - up pf Bhagavathy with special head gears, pleated skirts and painted face dances before the Kalam, to the accompaniment of devotional songs. A small sized chenda, thimila and kaimani are the instruments used.

Sometimes Thiyattu is performed before the deity Ayyappan by a set of people known as Nampis. In the Ayappan Thiyyattu the make up and costume of the dancer is that of Nandikeswara.

BHOOTHAM THULLAL :This is ritual performed in connection with Vela, Pooram, Thalappoli etc., which are special festival in kerala temples. Mannamars are usually allowed to perform this dance, and very rarely panar and pulaya. The concept is that the devil - aides (Bhootham) of load Shiva are coming to see and enjoy the temple festival. The make up of the Bhoothams consists of peculiar customers, at once colourful and captivating. Large headgears, projecting rounded eyeballs, high ridged noses, protruding tongue, flowing back hair behind the pleated skirts and overcoats all conspire to make the dancers appear completely supernatural. Each dancers has a girdle of bell. Anklets are also attached to the legs and each dancers holds a shield and club in his hands. A variety of dancers are executed to the rhythm set by an instrument called thudi.

KOLAM THULLAL : This is a ritual offering usually performed to get rid of the troubles caused evil - spirits. Here a number of characters, with hideous make-up and flat big head - gears dance to the accompaniment of primitive percussion instruments. The costumer of the dancers are highly decorative and rich in colour and brilliance. There is no accompanying song.

PANAR KALI : Panarkali is mirthful dance of the panar of malabar area. Here two characters, a male and a female called Thekken an Thekkethy respectively, stage a mock quarrel as in Kurathiyattom. But the song which are in the nature of questions and answers between husband and wife, show the suspecting husband’s inquisitive queries and the clever replies of an intelligent wife. A jester who criticize and makes fun of the customs and manner of the members of the upper strata of society also participates in the dance at later stage. In some places instead of panars the Kakkalans prform this dance and hence is known as Kakkarissi natakam.

VITHUCHORIAL : This dance, also known as vishuvela, is a ceremonial dance of Parayas held during the sowing season. There are two dancers, one in the make up of Bhootham and the other like a velichappadu with red scarf and sword. They go about from house to house to the accompaniment of percussion instruments and offered a full measure of paddy. This is called parayadeppu. Then they move to temple where the thullal (dance) and kalpikkal (divine ordering) are performed. It is accompanied by songs which seek blessings for an early and bountiful crop. Certain variations of this dance are also seen in palakkad district where it is called Vithiduka or Kathiru.

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