Mayilpeeli Thookkam also called Arjuna Nritham (the dance of Arjuna) is a ritual art of

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

performed by men of vilkurupp and ezhava mainly and is prevalent in the

Bhagavathy Bhagavatī (Devanagari: भगवती, IAST: Bhagavatī), is a Hindu epithet of Sanskrit origin, used as an honorific title for female deities in Hinduism. It is primarily used to address one of the Tridevi: Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati. ...

temples of south

, mainly in ottayam,_Alappuzha__districts.__In_the_epic_''Mahabharatha.html" ;"title="Alappuzha.html" ;"title="ottayam, Alappuzha">ottayam, Alappuzha districts. In the epic ''Mahabharatha">Alappuzha.html" ;"title="ottayam, Alappuzha">ottayam, Alappuzha districts. In the epic ''Mahabharatha'', Arjuna was the most valiant of the five heroic brothers, the Pandavas, and was also a renowned singer and dancer and is said to have propitiated goddess Bhadrakali by a devotional presentation. Arjuna nritham is also called "Mayilpeeli Thookkam" as the costume includes a characteristic garment made of mayilppeeli (peacock feathers). This garment is worn around the waist in a similar fashion as the "uduthukettu" of Kathakali. The various dance movements are closely similar to

Kalarippayattu Kalaripayattu (; also known simply as Kalari) is an Indian martial art that originated in modern-day Kerala, a state on the southwestern coast of India. Kalaripayattu is known for its long-standing history within Indian martial arts, and is ...

techniques. The dance in mayilpeelithookkam is known as ''Pyattu''.The performers have their faces painted green and wear distinctive headgears. The all night performance of the dance form is usually presented solo or in pairs. The strictly rhythm based songs called as "Kavithangal" and deal with various themes of the

Purana Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...

s (ancient

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

scriptures). Each "Kavitham" is composed to suit a specific rhythm. Before each song, the dancers explain the intricacies of the particular rhythm about to be employed and how this rhythm is translated into dance movements. Percussion instruments like the

chenda The Chenda ( ml, ചെണ്ട, ) is a cylindrical percussion instrument originating in the state of Kerala and widely used in Tulu Nadu of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in India. In Tulu Nadu (Coastal Karnataka), it is known as ''chende''. ...

, talachenda and

ilathalam Elathalam, or Ilathalam, is a metallic musical instrument which resembles a miniature pair of cymbals. This instrument from Kerala in southern India is completely made out of bronze and has two pieces in it. Elathalam is played by keeping one pa ...

(cymbal) form the musical accompaniment.Ronald M. Bernier, Temple Arts of Kerala: A South Indian Tradition (Asia Book Corporation of America, 1982, )

References

2.''Mayilpeelithookam (Arjuna nritham) Thalaperumayute kala'' Sajaneev Ithithanam (spcs2016)

References

See also