KATHAKALI

Subject: Culture

Context : Guru Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair, a recipient of Padma Shri, died here on Monday at the age of 104. He was a seasoned Kathakali actor.

Concept :

Kathakali (Kerala)

Chakiarkoothu, Koodiyattam, Krishnattam and Ramanattam are few of the ritual performing arts of Kerala which have had a direct influence on Kathakali in its form and technique.
Kathakali is a blend of dance, music and acting and dramatizes stories, which are mostly adapted from the Indian epics.
Heavy make-up and stunning costumes (elaborate masks, huge skirts and big head-dresses) are used.
The dancers enact the roles (kings, gods, demons etc.) of the stories with particular make-up and costume, the vocalists narrate the legend and the percussionists play the musical instruments.
Different facial colours indicate different mental stages & character, e.g. green – nobility, black – wicked, red patches – combining royalty & evil.
Hand gestures, facial expressions and eye movements are important.
Weight of the body is on the outer edges of the feet which are slightly bent and curved.
Ramankutty Nair and Kalamandalam Gopi were the prominent artists.