kathakali dancer
Literally meaning "Story Play", Kathakali (Katha-story, Kali-Play). Kathakali is around 300 years old. Today, only 30 plays out of the original 100 plays are being played. Most of the plays explicate the Hindu epics - Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas. Kerala owes its transnational fame to this classical dance form, which combines facets of ballet, opera, masque and the pantomime. Kathakali is usually presented in the Temple precincts after dusk. Singers vocalize the script while the players act out the play with their gestures (mudras and mughabhinaya). Kathakali is heralded by the Kelikottu (the drums) in accompaniment of the Chengila (the gong). The riches of a happy blending of colour, expressions, music, drama and dance are unparalleled in any other art form. Kathakali performers require hours of preparation. Costume is elaborate with the face painted up. Great importance is laid on the Vesham (make-up), which are of five types - Pacha, Kathi, Thadi, Kari and Minukku. Each Vesham denotes the type of role. The pomp and magnificence of Kathakali is partly due to its Costume part of which includes the kireetam (headgear), the kanchukam (the over sized jackets), and a long skirt worn over a thick padding of cushions. The identity of the actor is completely mutilated to create a super human being of larger-than-life proportion. The stories for attakatha (revise text for a Kathakali price) are selected from epics and mythologies and are written in a highly samskritised verse form in Malayalam. It had it's origin in the courts of the kings of Kerala. It is considered to be a synthetic art form combining in itself, the rudiments of it's earlier forms like 'Krishnanathan 'and 'Ramanattam' with a highly classical dance. The actor does not speak, but expresses himself through highly complicated and scientifically ordained mudras and steps, closely following the text being sung from the background of the stage . The donation of Kathakali is peopled by superhuman, go
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Keywords: art, classical, colorful, colourful, cultural, culture, dance, drama, ethnic, historical, kadhakali, kadhakaly, kathakali, kathakaly, performance, performing, skill, skillful, stage, theater, traditional
