Kathakali (literally translated as story-play) is a highly stylised classical drama which evolved to its present form sometime in the 16th-17th Century CE, around the same time that Shakespeare was writing his plays in London. The switch in storytelling from Sanskrit to Sanskritized Malayalam took Kathakali to the masses and it spread far and wide, and today it is synonymous with the cultural heritage of Kerala.
Thus did Kathakali as an individual style of dance-drama emerge as ‘people’s theatre’ from the traditional dances of the past. The plays were performed by the Rajah’s own company of actors not only in temples and courts but from village to village and house to house. The new art form (called ‘Ramanattam’ - ‘”Rama” from the Ramayana and ”attam” meaning dance) soon became very popular all over the Malayalam speaking area. The feudal chieftains of Malabar (as the area was then called) began to vie with one another in their efforts to produce the best Kathakali troupes, and this competition contributed to the rapid development of the art in a very short period. One important result of this development was the composition by the Rajah of Kottayam, in North Malabar, of four plays in verse based on stories from the more colourful Hindu epic, Mahabharata. These are regarded by many connoisseurs as the best examples of Kathakali literature.”
(The above excerpt is from the book “A Guide to Kathakali” by David Bolland.)
The bright and colourful make-up, flowing costumes, percussion music, coordinated hand and eye movements of the artistes, have always appealed to both locals as well as tourists. However, most viewers tend to disconnect once the performance has started. This is largely because of the lack of understanding of: 1. The Language - which is Sanskritized Malayalam 2. The Story - from the Hindu epics like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata Purana.
The real thrill of watching a Kathakali performance however is when it is conducted open-air. They start late in the evening and continue until dawn. As night falls, the shadow effect created by the lone, tall, oil lamp and the reverberation of the music and the open air setting makes for a thrilling experience. The stories on which Kathakali is performed has also evolved. In recent times “The life of Jesus Christ” and “Shakespeare’s Othello” was performed by Kathakali artistes. This is a very good trend and will help Kathakali become a more global art form.
The Kathakali artistes don’t speak heir dialogues they only communicate through mudras (hand gestures) and facial expressions what the singers sing in the background. The artiste uses the mudras to explain each and every word sung by the singer, which we can pick up if we pay close attention. The make-up of the character also reveals the role played and helps in connecting with the story-line, see images and accompanying text above.
Kathakali had been an all-male art form for a very long time, with even women characters being portrayed by men. In a State which is known for its high female to male ratio, matrilineal lineage and high literacy rates, entry barriers for women into the Arts were high.
Our Women of Kathakali in Kochi, Kerala, is a special interest tour that offers an unique opportunity to meet a group of highly spirited women Kathakali artistes who broke through the male bastion, excelled in the art and made a mark for themselves. They share with us their inspiring journey of starting an all women Kathakali troupe while alongside explaining the different elements of this fascinating art form- its stories, language, costumes, music, training, mythology, et al. The interaction ends with a brief lecture-demonstration without any make-up or costume.
For more details write to us at [email protected] or call +91 99404 58435.