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Cochin Cultural Centre, Kochi, Kerala, India

Cochin Cultural Centre is one of the prime organization Working in the field of Art, Culture and Entertainment industry for the Preservation, promotion and propagation of our rich culture, tradition and heritage through ethnic performing arts of Kerala.

Kathakali (from katha story and kali, play, in Malayalam) is a form of dance theatre originating from the state of Kerala in southern India.

It was established more than five centuries ago from traditional forms such as Krishnanattam and Kutiyattam.

It is a spectacular combination of drama, dance, music and ritual. The characters, with elaborate make-up and refined costumes, reenact episodes taken from the Hindu epics, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and from the life of Krishna.

The shapes and colours of the make-up are all coded, according to the interpretation of the character represented on stage (virtuous prince, demonic character, gender, hierarchy and quality).

Entering the Cochin Cultural Centre

The stage

Panorama of the stage

  • A Kathakali repertoire is an operatic performance where an ancient story is playfully dramatized. Traditionally, a Kathakali performance is long, starting at dusk and continuing through dawn, with interludes and breaks for the performers and audience. Some plays continued over several nights, starting at dusk every day. Modern performances are shorter. The stage with seating typically in open grounds outside a temple, but in some places, special theatres called Kuttampalam built inside the temple compounds have been in use.
  • The stage is mostly bare, or with a few drama-related items. One item, called a Kalivilakku (kali meaning dance; vilakku meaning lamp), can be traced back to Kutiyattam. In both traditions, the performance happens in the front of a huge Kalivilakku with its thick wick sunk in coconut oil, burning with a yellow light. Traditionally, before the advent of electricity, this special large lamp provided light during the night. As the play progressed, the actor-dancers would gather around this lamp so that the audience could see what they are expressing.
  • The performance involves actor-dancers in the front, supported by musicians in the background stage on right (audience's left) and with vocalists in the front of the stage (historically so they could be heard by the audience before the age of microphone and speakers). Typically, all roles are played by male actor-dancers, though in modern performances, women have been welcomed into the Kathakali tradition.

Preparation of actors

Actors putting on makeup on stage

  • Of all classical Indian dances, Kathakali has the most elaborate costuming consisting of head dresses, face masks and vividly painted faces.
  • It typically takes several evening hours to prepare a Kathakali troupe to get ready for a play.
  • The makeup follows an accepted code, that helps the audience easily identify the archetypal characters such as gods, goddesses, demons, demonesses, saints, animals and characters of a story.
  • Seven basic makeup types are used in Kathakali, namely Pachcha (green), Pazhuppu (ripe), Kathi, Kari, Thaadi, Minukku and Teppu (red).
  • These vary with the styles and the predominant colours made from rice paste and vegetable colors that are applied on the face.

Facial expressions

Nine facial expressions (Navarasas)
There are nine facial expressions called Navarasas, which each actor masters through facial muscle control during his education, in order to express the emotional state of the character in the play.

  • The theory behind the Navarasas is provided by classical Sanskrit texts such as Natya Shastra, but sometimes with different names, and these are found in other classical Indian dances as well.
  • The Navarasas express nine bhava-s (emotions) in Kathakali as follows:
  1. Sringara expresses Rati (love, pleasure, delight)
  2. Hasya expresses Hasa (comic, laugh, mocking)
  3. Karuna expresses Shoka (pathetic, sad)
  4. Raudra expresses Krodha (anger, fury)
  5. Vira expresses Utsaha (vigor, enthusiasm, heroic)
  6. Bhayanaka expresses Bhaya (fear, concern, worry)
  7. Bibhatsa expresses Jugupsa (disgust, repulsive)
  8. Adbhuta expresses Vismaya (wondrous, marvel, curious)
  9. Shanta expresses Sama (peace, tranquility).
  • Yellow is the code for monks, mendicants, and women. Minukka (radiant, shining) with a warm yellow, orange or saffron typifies noble, virtuous feminine characters such as Sita, Panchali and Mohini. Men who act the roles of women also add a false top knot to their left and decorate it in a style common to the region.
  • Pachcha (green) with lips painted brilliant coral red portrays noble characters and sages such as Krishna, Vishnu, Rama, Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Nala and philosopher-kings.

The Prince

Prince Jayanta
Jayanta is a deity in Hindu mythology. He is the son of Indra, the king of heaven, and his consort Shachi (also known as Indrani).

  • Jayanta is often depicted as a dutiful son who assists his father Indra in various tasks and battles against demons.
  • As the son of the king of heaven, Jayanta possesses considerable warrior abilities and is often shown participating in divine battles.
  • Like many deities in Hindu mythology, Jayanta embodies wisdom and compassion, often acting as a mediator or counselor.
  • Being a celestial being, Jayanta is depicted as eternally youthful and vibrant.
  • He is known for his unwavering loyalty to his father and the celestial kingdom, often showing great courage in the face of danger.

The Woman

Minukka, the feminine character

  • Minukka characters are known for their bright and radiant makeup, which includes a white base with red and yellow highlights.
  • The dance movements of Minukka are graceful and delicate, reflecting her gentle and compassionate nature.
  • Minukka characters use subtle facial expressions to convey emotions such as love, compassion, and sorrow.
  • The costumes for Minukka characters are elaborate and colorful, often adorned with jewelry and traditional attire.
  • Minukka characters often play the roles of heroines or divine women in Kathakali performances, embodying virtues like loyalty, devotion, and purity.

The play

NARAKASURAVADHAN

«A scene from the story Narakasuravadham, a story played all night.

Jayantha, the son of the King of heaven, is sitting in the garden of heaven, cheerful and enjoying a good breeze. Suddenly, a beautiful woman slowly approaches him. They look at each other and the young man appreciates their beauty. He asks this question: Is she a woman from heaven or to what world does she belong? She immediately confirms that it is just from heaven. Then she proposes to him and invites him to enjoy the nectar of life. He appreciates her suggestions and says that she can only marry with her father's prior consent. She expresses her anxiety, extreme passion and longing for sexual contact and speaks in a very loving way. When she talks freely about passion, love, sex, etc., she expresses her regret and says that living without him is impossible. He emphatically refuses her offer and asks her to stay away from heaven. The disappointed maiden tries to grab him by force and hug him. In this attempt she fails. Now the mystery comes to light. Who is she? She is none other than a demon disguised as a beautiful lady and suddenly changes her form to her original form, a demon, with which she obtains enough strength to transport the young man wherever she wants and make the most of it. The disgusted and furious young man draws his sword and cuts off her thick chest and nose and disfigures her, sending her flying into the sky.

The moral of the story is that “In all circumstances, evil must be punished.”»


Narakasuravadham (The Slaying of Narakasura)
Narakasuravadham (The Slaying of Narakasura) is a traditional Kathakali play authored by Dharma Raja in Malayalam. It is based on the Bhagavatam and narrates the story of the demon king Narakasura.

  • In the story, Narakasura sends his servant, the demoness Nakrathundi, to heaven to capture some divine damsels.
  • This leads to a series of events where Nakrathundi gets involved with Indra's son, Jayantha, and ultimately, Narakasura attacks heaven and dethrones Indra.
  • The play concludes with Krishna defeating Narakasura.

See Also

Source

Location

Location: Sangamam, Manikkath Ln, Ravipuram, Perumanoor, Ernakulam, Kochi, Kerala 682016, India