Kathakali
Kathakali is a popular classical dance of Kerala. Royal family of Travancore started this form of India Dance Drama during the seventeenth century. The performers of this art have painted faces, elaborate costumes and they take up various roles to re-enact the stories of Hindu epics- The Ramayana and The Mahabharata.
Through the colors of the face masks the characters are identified. For example- the faces of noble males like the kings, divine heroes are painted green, the characters of high ascent but an evil temperament are also painted in green but slashed with red marks on the cheeks, excessively evil characters wear predominantly red make-up and a flowing red beard, forest dwellers like hunters have black make-up base and women / ascetics / hermits have bright yellow color faces.
Traditionally, a Kathakali performance exhibits the beginning of the story in the evening and culminates at the dawn with the victory of good over evil. The percussion instruments used in Kathakali are two drums known as the chenda and the maddalam, along with cymbals and ela taalam. Two singers accompany the percussionists.
Kathakali combines five forms of fine arts namely Literature (Sahithyam), Music (Sangeetham), Painting (Chitram), Acting (Natyam) and Dance (Nritham). The most popular stories enacted by Kathakali are Nala Chitram (the story of a king betrayed by Gods), Kalyanasowgandhikam (the story of Bhima going to get flowers for Panchali, from the Mahabharata), Keechaka Vadham (another story of Bhima and Panchali, from the Mahabharata), Duryodhana Vadham (a story from the Mahabharata), Kiratham (Arjuna and Lord Shiva's fight, from the Mahabharata) and Karna Shapadham (story from Mahabharata).
Here is a list of various theme tours:
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