Folk Dances from Kerala

In Kerala the basic martial art is called Kalaripayettu. The influence and elements of this martial tradition are found in many dances and theater forms of Kerala. In some forms of dance and theater the elements of Kalaripayettu is obvious, in others though not so evident, it is not also totally transformed. Kerala had a very long and rich martial tradition. The heroic warrior displayed prowess, heroism, courage and other traits display the ethos that shaped Kalaripayettu and it became a dominant aspect of medieval Kerala culture. The main aspects of this martial art are: (a) A distinctive kind of oil massage of the whole body to make it supple and extremely pliable. (b) Typical exercises to make the body stronger and pliable. (c) Practicing some yoga – like postures named after animals like horse, cat, elephants etc (d) Wielding of weapons like sword, shield, spear, etc, together with the techniques of attack and defense with appropriate stepping, jump, turn etc.

These aspects, either all of them or partly, are found in several forms of dance and theatre including Kathakali, the classical theatre form of Kerala. Some of the main dances that evolved out of Kalaripayettu are : Kolkali, Parichhamuttumkali, Velakali, Oachirakali and Yatrakali.

The Kolam Tullal is another fascinating ceremonial dance of Kerala. Kolam is a highly stylized and colorful mask or headgear or both unified into one. The dancer or actor who wears this, together with appropriate costume is also called a kolam. In Kolam Tullal dancers wearing different kinds of kolams, perform. This dance has a deep association with the Bhagavati cult. The Kolam dancers are brought in a procession by a number of traditionally dressed young girls. Each of them holds a plate of offerings in one hand and an oil-fed lamp in another. The priest wearing jingle bells on his ankles accompany the procession. The Kolams are brought to the stage tastefully decorated with banana stems and lamp steads. It is believed that the kolams are titans sent by Lord Shiva to terminate the evils of the society and bring prosperity. Percussion music is provided by drums, such as, Chenda, Maddalam, Timila and idiophones like gong and cymbals. The percussion music is punctuated by the sound of horns called Kompu. The music is loud and pulsating and the dance is performed with increasing tempo till it becomes frenzied.

It is interesting to note that not only Hindus, but Muslims and Christians also learn and perform Kalaripayettu as well as some of the dances mentioned above. For instance, the Kolkali dance is performed by both Hindus and Muslims. It is a vigorous dance in which dancers wield two feet long sticks and move in circular formation attacking and defending with the sticks. While dancing they sing particular songs in a lusty folk style. The songs are called Bhadarmuni Pattukal, ie. Sword fighting Songs. Generally, middle aged men, who have perfected the techniques participate in the dance. The group consists of twelve to twenty dancers. Small cymbals and smaller kind of Chenda, the drum provide the percussion music for the dance.

Oachirakali is another dance in which mass mock combat is performed. The dance is named after the village named Oachira which has the temple of Lord Parabrahma. A five-day festival is is held every year around the middle of June. The festival is quite popular and thousands attend it either as spectators or as worshipers. It is believed that if worship is done here childlessness and a score of diseases will be cured. Several troupes of Oachirakali come to perform during the festival. Each troupe has a leader and the dance is performed to the leader’s verbal commands called Vayttari. The commands are in the form of nonsensical syllables which the dancers repeat loudly and perform the set movements. The group mock fight is the enactment of a legendary war. According to a local legend Kayamkulam Raja, a medieval ruler of the kingdom in which Oachira village is located, fought a battle with the then king of Tranvancore. The dance is re-enactment of that battle.

In Padayani, elements of theatre dominate and it has ritualistic overtones as it is danced before Devi temples, especially in the districts of Alleppey and Quilon. The performers wear highly stylized masks and towering headgears made out of arecanut fronds and painted with indigenous colors. The dancers wearing appropriate masks, headgears, and costumes represent gods, goddesses, demons, etc. The gods and goddesses mainly represented are : Bhadrakali, Bhairavan, and Kalan (the god of death). About a dozen dancers are needed for the performance. There is no age restriction for participating in the dance. Thappu, an indigenous musical instrument, provides the accompanying music. Because of the dominant theatrical elements Padayam may come under the category of dance-drama.

Parichhamuttumkali (shield-hitting dance) is another dance which is performed by both the Hindus and the Muslims. The dancers hold a stick and a shield in their hands. Most probably in earlier days dancers used sticks in the dance instead of swords. The training of this dance is much similar to that of the Kalaripayettu. The dance is similar to Kolkali, but the songs are different and are sung to the rhythm provided only by the cymbals. The performers strike stick against stick or stick against shield. The deep bends and body extension required in the performance, as also the leaps and turns, have great similarity with those of Kalaripayettu.

The Pookkavadi ceremonial dance is mainly performed by the Kudumbi, Ezhava and Nair communities of Trichur district in Kerala. Pookkavadi literally means floral arches. This dance originated as a component of Ambalakkavadi, a religious procession in which the model of a temple is ceremonially carried. The dancers of Pookkavadi accompany the procession carrying on their heads or shoulders arch – like structures made of colorful paper flowers. The dancers dance in circular formation and in faster tempo. The dance enhances the grandeur of the procession.

At some places in the district of Malappuram, Poothamkali is performed, especially by the dancers belonging to the Mannan community. The Mannans are basically washer men, but they do also practice indigenous medicine. Three dancers are required to present Poothamkali. They wear wooden masks made out of the wood of Pala and Muruku trees. These masks are also highly stylized and colorful. The dancers wear a right fitting sash and tie jingle bells (ghungroo) on their ankles. The dancer who represent Pootham has to undergo some austerities for seven days. It has also elements of theatre.

Tirayattam is a fascinating form of ritual dance of Kerala. According to local myths Bhagavati, the mother-goddess and Lord Shiva take various incarnations to terminate the demonic forces. The dancers impersonate the various incarnations of the god and goddess. When a dancer wears the complete highly stylized make-up and equally colorful costume, he is called by the generic name of kolam. Some of the Shaivite kolams are : Bhairavan, Ghantakaran, Kayatan, etc. Some of the Bhagavati kolams are : Bhadrakali, Bhairavi, Odakali, Rakteshvari, etc. Each important kolam is presented by in 3 stages of development. The childhood phase when presented by a kolam it is called Vellattam. The phase of old age is called Chantattam. The most important phase is the youth which is known as Tirayattam. Before the Tirayattam begins there is a musical prologue. The music of drums and cymbals which is played first is called Tayambaka. Next comes the Kuzhalpoot music of the reeled pipes after which the Tirayattam begins. It is a dance form which has powerful dramatic elements.

In the Alleppey district of southern Kerala, the Nair community traditionally perform the Velakali dance. It is generally performed at the time of temple festivals held from March to May. But the most important and impressive performance of the dance is presented at the time of the ten-day Utsavam festival held in honor of Lord Padmanabhaswami of Thiruvantapuram. Some hereditary families of the Nair community have exclusive rights to perform in front of the temple at the time of Utsavam which is held in the lunar month of Phalguna corresponding to March/April. Velakali is customarily danced under the supervision of Mathu Pamkkar. Before the dancing begins, a flourish of trumpets and kettle-drums gives the call. The dance has elements of theater, since it depicts the fight between the Kauravas and Pandavas of the epic poem Mahabharata. The dancers represent the Kauravas. The Pandavas are represented not by men but by dummy figures. The dancers dance around these dummies flourishing the sword and shield held in their hands. The symbolic fight lasts for about an hour during which the dancers dance and jump vigorously around the dummies. Since the Pandavas were the victors, the dancers at the end of the dance retreat hastily to the steps of the temple. This kind of enactment is riot done in front of smaller temples in the district of Alleppy. There, the dance does not have the grandeur of the Velakali performed in Thiruvantapuram.

Yatrakali is performed by some of the sub-groups of Brahmins who are slightly lower in rank in the hierarchy of caste system. The dance is known through various other names like Sanghakah, Shastrakali, Chattirakali, Panankali etc. Many kinds of martial movements and exercises of Kalaripayettu are performed in this dance.