Kathakali (IAST: Kathakaḷi ) is a traditional form of Indian Classical Dance, and one of the most complex forms of Indian theatre. It is native to the Malayalam-speaking state of Kerala and is almost entirely practiced by the Malayali people.

It is a play of verses. These verses are called Kathakali literature or Attakatha. Mostly played in the courts of kings and temple festivals. Hence it is known as suvarna art forms. This performance uses the navarasas from the Natya Shastra text, authored by sage Bharata. Makeup and costumes are unique and large. It represents one of Kerala's traditional theater artforms.

thumb|Kathakali is one of the eight classical dances of India

Overview

The fully developed style of Kathakali originated around the 16th century, but its roots are in the temple and folk arts (such as Krishnanattam and religious drama of the kingdom of the Zamorin of Calicut) of the southwestern Indian peninsula, which are traceable to at least the 1st millennium CE. A Kathakali performance, like all classical dance arts of India, synthesizes music, vocal performers, choreography and hand and facial gestures together to express ideas. However, Kathakali differs in that it also incorporates movements from ancient Indian martial arts and athletic traditions of South India. The vocal performance has traditionally been performed in Sanskritised Malayalam. In 2011, a performance expressing Christian doctrine was staged for the first time in Kerala.

Etymology and nomenclature

The term Kathakali is derived from katha () which means "story or a conversation, or a traditional tale", and kaḷi () which means "performance" or "play". The dance symbolises the eternal fight between good and evil.

History

Elements and aspects of Kathakali are taken from ancient Sanskrit texts such as the Natya Shastra. The Natya Shastra is attributed to sage Bharata, and its first complete compilation is dated to between 200 BC and 200 AD, but estimates vary between 500 BC and 500 AD.

The most studied version of the Natya Shastra text consists of about 6000 verses structured into 36 chapters. The text, states Natalia Lidova, describes the theory of Tāṇḍava dance (Shiva), the theory of rasa, of bhāva, expression, gestures, acting techniques, basic steps, standing postures–all of which are part of Indian classical dances including Kathakali. are a form of expression of spiritual ideas, virtues and the essence of scriptures.

The roots of Kathakali are unclear. Jones and Ryan state it is more than 500 years old. Kathakali emerged as a distinct genre of performance art during the 16th and 17th centuries in Kerala. The roots of Kathakali, states Mahinder Singh, are more ancient and some 1500 years old.

According to Farley Richmond and other scholars, Kathakali shares many elements such as costumes with ancient Indian performance arts such as Kutiyattam (classical Sanskrit drama) and medieval era Krishnanattam, even though a detailed examination shows differences. Kutiyattam, adds Richmond, is "one of the oldest continuously performed theatre forms in India, and it may well be the oldest surviving art form of the ancient world". Kutiyattam, traditionally, was performed in theatres specially designed and attached to Hindu temples, particularly dedicated to the Shiva and later to Krishna. The designs of these theatres usually matched the dimensions and architecture recommended as "ideal" in the ancient Natya Shastra, and some of them could house 500 viewers. Krishnanattam is dance-drama art form about the life and activities of Hindu god Krishna, that developed under the sponsorship of Sri Manavedan Raja, the ruler of Calicut (1585-1658 AD).

Despite the links, Kathakali is different from temple-driven arts such as "Krishnanattam", Kutiyattam and others because unlike the older arts where the dancer-actor also had to be the vocal artist, Kathakali separated these roles allowing the dancer-actor to excel in and focus on choreography while the vocal artists focused on delivering their lines. These plays are written in a particular format that helps identify the "action" and the "dialogue" parts of the performance.

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. It typically takes several evening hours to prepare a Kathakali troupe to get ready for a play. Costumes have made Kathakali's popularity extend beyond adults, with children absorbed by the colors, makeup, lights and sounds of the performances. These three Guṇas are ' (goodness, constructive, harmonious, virtuous), ' (passion, aimless action, dynamic, egoistic), and ' (darkness, destructive, chaotic, viciousness). All of these three gunas (good, evil, active) are present in everyone and everything, it is the proportion that is different, according to the Hindu worldview. The interplay of these gunas defines the character of someone or something,

Makeup

In Kathakali, the makeup known as Chutti (ചുട്ടി) is both symbolic and artistic. It goes beyond mere decoration; the colors and patterns are carefully designed to represent and distinguish various character types

  • Green (പച്ച): This base color represents noble and heroic characters who embody virtue, such as kings, divine beings, and idealized heroes.
  • Red and Black Accents (കത്തി and കരി): These are used to depict villainous or demonic characters. Kathi (knife) characters are anti-heroes or arrogant villains, while Kari (black) denotes demons or forest-dwelling evil beings.
  • Soft Yellow or Orange (മിനുക്കു): Typically applied to female characters or sages, this coloring signifies gentleness, spirituality, and inner peace.

Acting

thumb| Sringara, one of the nine facial expressions mentioned in Natyasastra

Like many classical Indian arts, Kathakali is choreography as much as it is acting. It is said to be one of the most difficult styles to execute on stage, with young artists preparing for their roles for several years before they get a chance to do it on stage. The actors speak a "sign language", where the word part of the character's dialogue is expressed through "hand signs (mudras)", while emotions and mood is expressed through "facial and eye" movements. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and William Shakespeare.

Styles: Sampradayam

Kathakali has lineages or distinctive schools of play interpretation and dance performance called Sampradayam. These developed in part because of the gurukula system of transmission from one generation to the next. By the 19th-century, many such styles were in vogue in Kerala, of which two major styles have crystallized and survived into the modern age.

The Kidangoor style is one of the two, that developed in Travancore, and it is strongly influenced by Kutiyattam, while also drawing elements of Ramanattam and Kalladikkotan. It is traditionally attributed to Nalanunni, under the patronage of Utram Tirunal Maharaja (1815-1861).

The Kalluvazhi style is second of the two, which developed in Palakkad (Olappamanna Mana) in central Kerala, and it is a synthesis of the older Kaplingadan and Kalladikkotan performance arts. It is traditionally attributed to Unniri Panikkar, in a Brahmin household (~1850), and became the dominant style established in Kerala Kalamandalam – a school of performance arts.

Training centres and awards

thumb|[[Kerala Kalamandalam is a major centre for Kathakali studies.]]

Kathakali has traditionally been an art that has continued from one generation to the next through a guru-disciples (gurukkula) based training system. Artist families tended to pick promising talent from within their own extended families, sometimes from outside the family, and the new budding artist typically stayed with his guru as a student and treated like a member of the family. A typical course work in Kathakali emphasizes physical conditioning and daily exercises, yoga and body massage to tone the muscles and sculpt the growing body, along with studies and dance practice.

Awards for Kathakali artistes

  • Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardees - Kathakali (1956–2005)
  • Nambeesan Smaraka Awards — For artistic performances related kathakali (1992–2008)
  • International Centre for Kathakali Award

The theory and foundations of Kathakali are same as other major classical Indian dances, traceable to Sanskrit texts such as the Natya Shastra, but the expression style in each is very different and distinctive. Kathak traditionally has included female actor-dancers, unlike Kathakali which has traditionally been performed by an all-male troupe. Kathak deploys much simpler costumes, makeup and no face masks. Both dance forms employ choreography, face and hand gestures traceable to the Natya Shastra, but Kathak generally moves around a straight leg and torso movements, with no martial art leaps and jumps like Kathakali. Kathak uses the stage space more, and does not typically include separate vocalists. Both deploy a host of similar traditional Indian musical instruments.

Kathakali-style, costume rich, musical drama are found in other cultures. For example, the Japanese Noh (能) integrates masks, costumes and various props in a dance-based performance, requiring highly trained actors and musicians. Emotions are primarily conveyed by stylized gestures while the costumes communicate the nature of the characters in a Noh performance, as in Kathakali. In both, costumed men have traditionally performed all the roles including those of women in the play. The training regimen and initiation of the dance-actors in both cultures have many similarities.

Kabuki, another Japanese art form, has similarities to Kathakali. Jīngjù, a Chinese art of dance-acting (zuo), like Kathakali presents artists with elaborate masks, costumes and colorfully painted faces. Balinese dance as well as tibetan art forms also shares similarities.

See also

  • Koodiyattam
  • Krishnanattam
  • Mohiniyattam
  • Chakyar koothu
  • Nangiar koothu
  • Garudan Thookkam
  • Ottan Thullal
  • Koothambalam
  • Kerala Kalamandalam
  • Panchavadyam
  • Kabuki
  • Peking Opera
  • Noh
  • Bugaku

Notes

References

Sources

  • Alice Boner (1935), "Kathakali", Journal of the Indian Society of Oriental Art, June 1935, pp 1–14.
  • , Table of Contents