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Kathakali Dance Tours

Kathakali, evident from its name, is a form of dance drama rather than dance recital. It developed in Malabar, coastal Kerala, as late as 16th to 1 7th century where it found the Namoodiri Brahmins as its custodians. Kathakali is admittedly grounded in Bharat's Natya Shastra. But, historically, it is the culmination of Kerala's rich theatrical tradition that could boast of Daivattam, Patakam, Chakkarkuttu, Kuttiyattam and Krishnattam etc. Of all classical dances, Kathakali alone is performed in a ballet form.The Kathakali pieces combine literary and dramatic excellence. The themes are woven round tragedies and comedies of supernatural world.

Performers recreate an unearthly world of demons, Gods, cowards and heroes, monkeys and human beings. There is no individual characterization; all characters are classified according to role types. Each group is distinguished from the other by specific make-up types. Kathakali is full of vir rasa, flavour of gallantry. It is masculine, vigorous and violent. The body movements are limited, but it employs more mudras than any other classical dance.

The actors apply ostentatious make-up on themselves; and their bodies are swathed in overflowing garments. The full orchestra comprises four drums, flutes, time-beater, a pair of heavy cymbals (Manjiras), gong and singers who stand in a semi- circle behind the actors.

From God's own viIIage Kuchipudi(Andhra Pradesh)

Kuchipudi, a village in Divi Taluk, of Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district lent its name to an accredited classical dance. Its earliest practitioners were the male Brahmins, with 15 different surnames. They refined the dance drama that existed in folklore and raised it to the classical status. They turned into a means for propagating'Madhura Bhakti" or devotional love for God.

Kuchipudi preserves the elements of Yakshagana, 'the song of the celestial beings', the mother of all folk drama in Andhra. But Kuchipudi incorporated principles of Natya Shastra and Abhinay Darpana to blossom into complete classical form.

A school of thought holds that Kuchipudi emerged as a response to restore Vachik-abhinay (speech enabled acting) that had been losing its sheen in classical dances. In fact, in Kuchipudi alone the performer speaks. In other dances, commentary is delivered from the background.

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