Kolam Tullal

Kolam Thullai Dance
Kolam Thullai Dance

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.