The

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

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 Ca ...

is well known for its diverse forms of performing arts. The various communities in Kerala contribute to its rich and colourful culture.The most important traditional art forms of Kerala are Kathakali, Kalaripayattu, Koodiyattam, Theyyam, Mohiniyattam, Thullal, Padayani, Pulikali, Thiruvathirakali, Chakyarkoothu,kalaripayattu etc.

Performing arts of Kerala

Kerala Hindu Arts

* Ayyappan Vilakku * Shastham Paatu *

Kathakali Kathakali ( ml, കഥകളി) is a major form of classical Indian dance. It is a "story play" genre of art, but one distinguished by the elaborately colourful make-up and costumes of the traditional male actor-dancers. It is native to the M ...

Chakyar Koothu Chakyar Koothu (pronounced ) is a performance art from Kerala, India. It is primarily a type of highly refined monologue where the performer narrates episodes from Hindu epics (such as the ''Ramayana'' and the ''Mahabharata'') and stories from ...

Nangiar Koothu ''Nangiar koothu'' or ''Nangyar Koothu'' is an allied traditional art of Kutiyattam, an age-old Sanskrit drama tradition of India. It is performed traditionally by the women of the Ambalavasi Nambiar community of Kerala, known as ''Nangyaramma' ...

Mohiniyattam Mohiniyattam, ( ml, മോഹിനിയാട്ടം), is an Indian classical dance form that developed and remained popular in the state of Kerala. Kathakali is another classical dance form of Kerala. Mohiniyattam dance gets its name fr ...

Thirayattam Thirayattam is a ritual performing ethnic art form of the South Malabar region in Kerala state, India. It blends dance, theatre, music, satire, facial and body painting, masking, martial art and ritualistic function. This vibrant art form has ...

Thirayattam, Moorkkanad Peethambaran, Kerala bhasha Institute, TVM, *

Padayani Padayani, also known Padeni (from the Malayalam word for military formations), is a traditional folk dance and a ritual art from the central portion of the Indian state of Kerala. A ceremonial dance involving masks, it is an ancient ritual p ...

* Thiyyattu * Koodiyattam *

Kerala Natanam Kerala Natanam (കേരള നടനം) (Kerala Dance) is a new style of dance that is now recognised as a distinct art form evolved from Kathakali, a form of Indian dance-drama. The Indian dancer Guru Gopinath (ഗുരു ഗോപിന ...

Panchavadyam Panchavadyam (Malayalam: പഞ്ചവാദ്യം), literally meaning an orchestra of five instruments, is basically a temple art form that has evolved in Kerala. Of the five instruments, four — timila, maddalam, ilathalam and idakka ...

* Thullal *

Tholpavakoothu Tholpavakoothu (Malayalam:തോൽപാവകൂത്ത് , Tamil:தோல்பாவைக்கூத்து) is a form of shadow puppetry that is practiced in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, India. It is performed using leather puppets and is pe ...

* Ottamthullal *

Garudan Thookkam Garudan Thookkamis a ritual art form performed in certain Kali temples in some Central Kerala districts in south India. The people who dress up as Garuda perform the dance. After the dance performance, the hang-designate dangle from a shaft hooki ...

* Kolam Thullal *

Kakkarissi Nadakam Kakkarissi Natakam is a folk art form of Kerala state, India, originally from Tamil Nadu. This art form is more popular in the southern regions of Kerala. It is a form of musical drama and the language used is a blend of Tamil and Malayalam ...

* Poorakkali *

Mudiyett Mudiyettu is a traditional ritual theatre and folk dance drama from Kerala that enacts the mythological tale of a battle between the goddess Kali and the demon Darika. The ritual is a part of the bhagavathi or bhadrakali cult. The dance is perf ...

Kummattikali Kummattikali or Kummatti Kali is the famous colorful mask-dance of Kerala, prevalent in Thrissur District, Palakkad District and parts of South Malabar. During the festival of Onam, Kummattikali performers move from house to house collecting sma ...

* Kuthiyottam *

Thiriyuzhichil Thiriyuzhichil is a dance ritual performed by Pulluvas in Kerala ( South India) to alleviate the fear of snakes, to appease the snake and to be blessed with babies. This is more popular in the districts of Trichur, Calicut and Palghat and it i ...

Kalaripayattu 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 i ...

Mangalamkali ''Mangalamkali'' is a dance ritual related to marriage functions as a form of entertainment. Usually '' mavilas'' (a tribe in kasaragod and kannur districts Kerala (state of south India) perform this. Certain music instruments too are used like ...

Marathukali Marathukali is a variant of Poorakkali. ''Poorakkali'' is a traditional dance ritual performed by men during the nine-day Pooram festival in Bhagavathy temples across Northern Kerala (formerly known as Kolathunadu), south India. Marathukali is a ...

Malayikuthu Malayikkuthu (''Malayikuthu'', ''Malayikkuth'') is a dance ritual performed by the people of Malayi sect in Kerala, South India. Devakanni and Narada are two characters that comprise Malayikkuthu. Davakanni's costume consists of gold and silver ...

* Mukkanchathan * Charadupinnikkali * Kothammuriyattam * Sopanam * Thacholikali *

Sarpam Thullal Sarpam Thullal (Dance of Snakes) or Nagakalam Pattu, is a unique form of mystical ritual associated generally with ancestral temples or tharavadus predominantly in state of Kerala. From ancient times many family houses in Kerala have special snake ...

* Pulluvan Paattu *

Poothan and Thira Poothan and Thira is a ritualistic art form found in the South Malabar region of Kerala in India, in which people dance in costumes representing Poothan is the lieutenant of Kali, and Thira, the goddess Kali, to the accompaniment of drummers. ...

Yakshagana Yakshagaana is a traditional theatre, developed in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Shimoga and western parts of Chikmagalur districts, in the state of Karnataka and in Kasaragod district in Kerala that combines dance, music, dialogue, ...

in Kasaragod *

Kanyarkali Kanniyar Kali (Malayalam: കണ്യാർകളി) is a folk dance ritual performed in Temples of villages in Alathur and Chittur Taluk of Palakkad district of Kerala. The event is usually a part of Vishu celebrations of the village and ...

in northern Palakkad district * Purattu Nadakam in Palakkad district * Pavakoothu * Kaalakali *

Thiruvathira Thiruvathira or Thiruvathirai or Arudhra Darisanam is a Hindu festival celebrated in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Thiruvathirai (Arudhra) in Tamil means "sacred big wave". In Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu, the Sri Natarajar temple ...

* Krishnanattam * Koodiyattam *

Vadyakala Vadhyakala are the basics of temple performing arts of Kerala. It uses various instruments including chenda, madhalam, idakka, thimala, thalam, eena, Udukku, Villu, and Pulluvakkudam. Chenda The Chenda is a cylindrical percussion instrument use ...

* Villadicham pattu *

Theyyam Theyyam (/ t̪eːjjəm/; romanised: ''teyyam'') are Hindu ritualistic dance forms practiced in northern Kerala and some parts of Karnataka. Theyyam is also known as Kaḷiyāṭṭaṁ or Tiṟa. Theyyam consists of traditions, rituals and c ...

* Onapottan * Pettathullal File:Kathakali 0287 by Joseph Lazer.jpg,

File:Mohiniyattam5.JPG,

File:Padayani Bhairavi Kolam.jpg,

File:Koodiyattam001.JPG, Koodiyattam File:Theyyam at kadachira Mandothum Kavu 3.jpg,

Kerala Muslim arts

* Oppana * Mappila Paattu *

Kolkali Kolkali is a folk art performed in Malabar region of Kerala, India. The dance performers move in a circle, striking small sticks and keeping rhythm with special steps. The circle expands and contracts as the dance progress. The accompanying musi ...

Duff Muttu Duffmuttu (also: Dubhmuttu) is an art form prevalent in the Malabar region of the states of Kerala and Karnataka in south India. It derives its name from the duff, a percussion instrument made of wood and ox skin. The word duff is of Arabic or ...

* Arabana muttu * Muttum Viliyum * Vattapattu

Kerala Christian arts

* Margam Kali *

Chavittu Nadakam Chavittu Nadakam (Malayalam:ചവിട്ടുനാടകം) is a highly colorful Latin Christian classical art form originated in Ernakulam district, Kerala state in India. Commonly believed that Fort Kochi is the birthplace of Chavittu ...

* Parichamuttukali * Slama Carol * Othiyattam * Ayanippattu * Poovirukkam

Others

Kadhaprasangam Kadhaprasangam (''lyrical narrative'' or ''story telling performance'') is a performing art of Kerala, India. Performance It combines speaking, acting, and singing to present a story. Costumes, make-up, or settings are not used. The main ar ...

* Nadodi Nrittham *

Puli Kali Puli kali (Meaning: Leopard Dance) is a recreational folk art from the state of Kerala, India. It is performed by trained artists to entertain people on the occasion of Onam, an annual harvest festival, celebrated mainly in the Indian stat ...

Fine arts of Kerala

* Murals of Kerala

Arts promotion bodies

Kerala Kalamandalam Kerala Kalamandalam, deemed to be University of Art and Culture by the Government of India, is a major center for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the Southern states of India, with the special emphasis on K ...

* Kerala Lalitakala Academy *

Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy, Thrissur Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy is located in Thrissur city, of Kerala, in India. It was established on 26 April 1958, inaugurated by then Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The academy started a cultural centre at the Bahrain Kerala ...

Kerala Folklore Academy Kerala Folklore Academy is an autonomous center for cultural affairs constituted by the Government of Kerala and works under the Department of Cultural Affairs. It was established on 28 June 1995 to promote and project the traditional art forms ...

* Guru Gopinath Nadana Gramam

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Arts Of Kerala Culture of Kerala