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Enjoy the Art of Indian Storytelling at a Kathakali Dance Show in Kerala

Published by Kristin Cowles, Editor-in-Chief

Country: India

The Experience

In a country sometimes synonymous with chaos and disorder, it might seem peculiar that Kerala, India is the birthplace of the highly stylized and precise art form known as Kathakali Dance. Originating during the 17th century, Kerala's Kathakali is a dance-drama that recounts various Hindu themes and mythologies, particularly the epics of Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

There are many studios you can visit to enjoy a Kathakali show, but an excellent one is the Kerala Kathakali Centre in Fort Cochin. Here you can enjoy the tradition in an intimate setting and take in the entire process from costumes and makeup preparation, an introduction to the art form, right through to the final performance.

After sunset the Kathakali show preparation begins, so be sure to come early so that you can take it all in. As is tradition, dancers assemble on stage about an hour or so before the show to begin makeup application. The elaborate and colourful makeup donned is carefully self applied. The decoration doesn't stop there though, as many of the characters makeup also involves applying pieces of paper that are cut on the spot and glued to the individuals face, this requires a helping hand. The dancers even go to the extreme of changing their eye colour to be red, done by putting a little bit of chundappoo herb into their lower lids. Following the completion of makeup the dancers scurry backstage to finish their costumes with huge skirts, head-dresses and other embellishments.

In preparation for the Kathakali dance the stage is set and auditorium prepared with flowers and Kalamezhuthu art is drawn on the floor. The percussionists and vocalist enter the stage and a brief introduction to the history of Kathakali dance is given, as well as some background on the meaning behind the highly extensive facial movements and hand gestures (maduras) the dancers use to convey the story. The legend is narrated by the vocalist, accompanied by cymbols and three types of drums - maddalam, edakka and cena. Now although you may not understand the what is being said, or the meaning behind the intricate gestures, fear not, as they do provide a show guide that outlines the basis of the acts and meaning of each particular show.

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When to Go to Kathakali Dance

The best time of year to visit Kerala for a Kathakali dance show is during the winter months running from November through February. March, April and May are also fine, but keep in mind that the temperatures are much more hot and humid.

Odds n' Ends

The cost to attend a Kathakali dance show is only a few bucks and well worth it. Be forewarned that the percussion instruments used are quite loud, so if you're sensitive to loud noises this might be a headache waiting to happen.

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Books and DVDs

Kathakali - Dances of India
The Rough Guide to Kerala
South India Lonely Planet Regional Guide

Elsewhere on the Web

Kerala Kathakali Centre Fort Cochin

Language Guides

Hindi , Portugese , Russian are some of the languages spoken in India. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!

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