One of the most popular forms of classical dances of
India is Kathakali dance. Kathakali dance drama originated in Kerala and
it essentially is a musical drama. The classical dance is best known for
its elaborate costumes and glaring make up. The make up and costumes
form an essential part of the art of Kathakali. Often, tourists who
visit the state of Kerala take back clay figurines of the famous
Kathakali mask. Read on to know about the classical dance form of
Kathakali.
The literal meaning of this word means "Story - Play". The
dancers perform and act out scenes from epics like Mahabharata, Ramayana
and also the ancient Indian scriptures. The themes of Kathakali are
usually religious in nature and the text is a mixture of Sanskrit and
Malayalam. Kathakali is performed by only men and if the script requires
female characters, their roles are also performed by men dressed in the
female attires. A Kathakali performance is a major social event if
organized in a community. It is attended by almost everyone in that
community and goes on till the wee hours of night.
The tradition of Kathakali dates back to the 17th century. The refined
and present form we see today was prepared by Mahakavi Vallathol Narayan
Menon, founder of Kerala Kala Mandalam. The dance form requires the
performers to rely heavily on hand gestures and facial expressions to
portray their character and emote the dialogues and messages. The hand
gestures are an essential part of almost all classical dances and are
known as "Mudra".
The costume of a Kathakali dancer is very elaborate and distinctive. It
takes a lot of time for dancers to get into their costumes and apply
make up and it can get very tiring since they usually apply make up by
themselves. The costume itself explains the character a person is
playing. The costumes also vary according to the character and there are
different types of costumes for the hero, villain, female characters,
demons, etc.
The make up of a Kathakali dancer is the most interesting part. The
minutest details are given importance and each color has its own
significance. The make up looks more like a mask than the usual touching
up of features. The materials used for make up are easily available and
don't irritate the skin. The white border is made of rice flour, red is
made from vermilion, black is made of soot, etc. Each color has its own
significance and symbolizes good and evil characters. The music that
accompanies the dance is basically Carnatic music. The instruments vary
from performance to performance and usually traditional instruments like
Chenda, Idakka and Shuddha Madalam.
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Dances of India |
