History of Kathakali has a long tradition and dates back to the 17th century and it is believed that it originated from the dance drama Krishnanattam which was written in Sanskrit. The ruler of Kottarakkara created another form known as Ramanattam in Malayalam which came to be known as Aattakatha and later went on to become Kathakali.
Art
Kathakali
History of Kathakali
Kathakali or story play is a famous dance drama which originated in the South Indian state of Kerala. Kathakali has become the icon of tourism in Kerala because of its large elaborate makeup and costumes. The themes of this play are usually chosen from the episodes of the Puranas like Mahabharata and Ramayana the greatest epics of Indian culture.
How to perform
Kathakali has become a major social event in Kerala and in Temples it starts in the night and end early in the morning. This art is performed by men and the female characters are played by men in women costumes. In the play actors give emphasis on hand gestures known as mudras to tell the story and convey the message to the audience. The costumes are the distinctive feature of Kathakali which is heavy and large. The makeup is more like a mask and done using rice flour, vermillion and soot to project the character.
Famous artists from kerala
- Mahakavi Vallathol Narayan Menon
- Kalamandalam gopi
- Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody
- Kottakkal Sivaraman
- Kalamandalam Kesavan Namboodiri
- Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair
