KATHAKALI

KATHAKALI

Kathakali is the most refined, most scientific and elaborately defined dance form of Kerala. Vellinezhi is the craddle of this classical art form. It is a very exciting art form demanding not only complete control of practically every fibre of the artiste's body, but also intense sensitivity of emotion. It had its origin in the courts of the Kings of Kerala. It is considered to be a synthetic art form combining in itself the rudiments of its earlier forms like 'Krshnanattam' and 'Ramanattam' with a highly scientific dance drama form. It is not folk, but highly classical.

The stories for 'Attakathas' (the verse text for Kathakali) are selected from epics and mythologies. They are written in a highly Sanskritised verse form in Malayalam. The domain of Kathakali is peopled by superhumans, gods and goddesses, demons, animals and other mythological characters who are presented in a larger than life format. What strikes the spectator first and most is the splendour of the costumes, ornaments and facial make-up which transform the actor-dancer into a type rather than a particular character.

Kathakali performances traditionally begin just after sun set and continues all through the night until dawn.The actor does not speak, but expresses himself through highly complicated and scientifically ordained 'mudras' and steps closely following the text, which is being sung from the background of the stage. The vocabulary for the performer is only 'hustamudras' [stylised hand gestures], facial gestures and nritta. Together with the exotic quality of the spectacle and the intricate 'abhinaya' system and the rhetorical text rendered in classical style to the accompaniment of drums, a Kathakali performance transports a spectator to an unworldly atmosphere peopled by gods, demons and other superhumans.

It takes years for a novice to graduate into an actor. It takes more than seven years of full time practice under a meticulous teacher. Kathakali is not simply another form of dancing.Training for professional Kathakali performers begins from an early age. It is extremely rigorous and demanding gymnastics and physical exercises.

One of the most interesting aspects of Kathakali is its elaborate make-up code. Characters are categorized according to their nature. This determines the colours used in the make-up. The faces of noble male characters, such as virtuous kings, the divine hero Rama, etc., are predominantly green. Characters of high birth who have an evil streak, such as the demon king Ravana, are allotted a similar green make-up, slashed with red marks on the cheeks. Extremely angry or excessively evil characters wear predominantly red make-up and a flowing red beard. Forest dwellers such as hunters are represented with a predominantly black make-up base. Women and ascetics have lustrous, yellowish faces.
The technique of Kathakali includes a highly developed language of gesture, through which the artist can convey whole sentences and stories. The body movements and footwork are very rigourous. To attain the high degree of flexibility and muscle control required for this art, a Kathakali dancer undergoes a strenuous course of training, and special periods of body massage.

The dancers wear large head dresses, and the contours of the face are extended with moulded lime. The extraordinary costumes and make-up serve to raise the participants above the level of mere mortals, so that they may transport the audience to a world of wonders. The orchestra of a Kathakali performance includes two drums known as the chenda and the maddalam, along with cymbals and another percussion instrument, the ela taalam. Normally, two singers provide the vocal accompaniment. The style of singing particular to Kathakali is called Sopaanam. The orchestra of a Kathakali troupe is unique and provides not only the background to the dancing, but also serves as a highly expressive special effects team. In the traditional village ambiance, the percussionists also provide publicity for the event by playing outside the venue for some hours before the start of the show.

A traditional Kathakali performance begins in the evening and continues throughout the night, culminating at the auspicious hour of dawn, when Good finally conquers Evil. Today, however, it has been modified for the proscenium stage, and urban audiences can participate in this ritualistic theatre experience in the comfort of a plush auditorium, within the span of a couple of hours. Vellinezhi could produce such master performers like Ramankutty Nair, Padmanabhan Nair and Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair to Kerala Kalamandalam testifies to the pride of place it enjoys in the history of Kathakali.

Vellinezhi the craddle of this classical art form has being lying unknown. We at Thuriya leisure exposes this magical life experience to you by whole heartedly welcoming you to VELLINEZHI GRAMOM through our well knit packages.