Kathakali – Rashmi Kamath, Grade 11
Kathakali is a classical dance-drama originated in Kerala in the 17th century. The word “Kathakali” stands for the performance (kali) of a story (katha). It is a group presentation, and the story is depicted in these plays through the combination of Sahithyam (literature), Sangeetham (music), Chithram (painting), Natyam (acting), and Nrithyam (dance). The stories enacted in the plays are taken from the Ramayana & Mahabharata. Music is an important factor in the play.
Unlike most other dramas, Kathakali lacks oral communication. Therefore, the lyrics of the songs sung live by vocalists form a crucial part of the play. The instruments used the Chenda (the drum with sticks), Maddalam (drum played using fingers), Chengila (the gong), and Ilathalam (cymbals). The musical style commonly used is called Sopana, but the singers modify the style because of their links to Karnatic classical music. The songs are sung in a mix of Malayalam & Sanskrit. The lead singer, the Bhagavathar, manages the play and by controllig the beats and.
The makeup is called Chutty, which has also become its individual art type. Only expert artists can do the job of coloring the faces of the Kathakali dancers for hours of tedious handiwork. The chemicals used for painting are raw sulfur, indigo, rice paste, lime, coconut oil, and many more natural ingredients. The makeup is extremely ornate, and each character has a specific prototype for makeup. The most eminently used colors are red, black, yellow, orange, and green. These colors represent the 3 gunas: satvik, rajasik, and tamasik. There are five main aspects of makeup: Pacha (green), Kathi (knife), Kari (black), Thaadi (beard/jaw), and Minukku (polish). These also deteremine the colors used in the makeup. Noble characters, such as Rama, have green faces. Evil upper class characters, such as Ravana, have green faces with red stripes. Fuming or extremely evil characters have red faces and red beards. Those that reside in the forest have black makeup, and women have yellow faces. Expert artists carve the large headresses worn out of wood. The ornaments are also beautiful and intricately designed. The makeup and costumes provide the audience a fantastic feeling, showing the characters’ transcendence of mortality.
Most of the play is acting rather than dancing. Kalasams (dance-only parts) are intertwined with the acting scenes. Kathakali is based on the Thandava form of dance, which means the movements are very powerful and rigorous. The characters communicate the story through the use of hand gestures (mudras), facial expressions (navarasams), and body movements. The navarasams are the 9 basic emotions. There are 24 mudras and over 470 symbols. Kathakali dancers require a lot of practice, muscle control, flexibility, and strength. The emotions are overly exaggerated, but the acting does require concentration and stamina.