Mohiniyattam, the female semi-classical dance form of Kerala .The dance of the enchantress, Mohiniyattam was mainly performed in the temple premises of Kerala. It is also the heir to the Devadasi dance heritage like Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi. The word 'Mohini' means a maiden who exerts desire or steals the heart of the onlooker. There is a well known story of Lord Vishnu taking on the guise of a 'Mohini' to enthrall people, both in connection with the churning of the milk ocean and with the episode of slaying of Bhasmasura. Thus it is thought that Vaishnava devotees gave the name of Mohiniyattam to this dance form.

    The theme of Mohiniyattam is love and devotion to god. Vishnu or Krishna is more often the hero. The spectators could feel his invisible presence when the heroine or her maid details dreams and ambitions through the circular movements, delicate footsteps and subtle expressions. The dancer in the slow and medium tempos is able to find adequate space for improvisations and suggestive bhavas. Mohiniyattom is very similar to Bharatanatyam. The movements are graceful like Odissi and the costumes colorful and attractive. It is essentially a solo dance, but in present times it is performed in groups also.

    The repertoire of Mohiniyattam follows closely that of Bharatanatyam. Beginning with Cholkettu,the dancer performs Jathiswaram,Varnam,Padam and Thillana in a concert.Varnam combines pure and expressional dance, while Padam tests the histrionic talent of a dancer and Thillana exposes her technical artistry.The basic dance steps are the Adavus which are of four kinds:Taganam,Jaganam,Dhaganam and Sammisram.These names are derived from the nomenclature called Vaittari.Mohiniyattam maintains a realistic makeup and simple dressing. The dancer is attired in the beautiful white and gold bordered Kasavu saree of Kerala.

    Mohiniyattam like many other forms,follows the Hastha Lakshanadeepika, as a text book for Mudras,or hand gestures. The style of vocal music for Mohiniyattam as is generally seen, is classical Carnatic. The lyrics composed by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal and Irayimman Thampi are in Manipravalam (a mixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam). Till recently,Thoppi Maddalam and Veena provided the background music of Mohiniyattam. These have been replaced in recent years by Mridangam and Violin.

    Kathakali, a well-developed dance-drama, is a performance where the actors depict characters from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata and from the Puranas (ancient scriptures). The dancers adorn themselves in huge skirts and head-dress, wearing a most intricate style of make-up.Kathakali draws heavily from drama and is danced with elaborate masks and costumes. Kathakali recitals are generally long ,emotive and narrative. It combines dance with dialogue to bring myth and legend to life in the temple courtyards of Kerala.

    The dancers use their stunning costumes and make-up, with the accompaniment of drums and vocalists, to create various moods and emotions.So strong is the identification of the dancers with the characters they play, and so absolute their conviction, that, they seem to surpass themselves, becoming one with the legendary heroes and heroines they depict.Kathakali performance usually runs to days together and finds much popularity among tourists and during temple festivals.

     Krishnanattam is a ritual dance in honor of one of the most famous gods of the Hindu pantheon, Sree Krishna.This group performance, based on the Sanskrit text Krishna Geetha, spans over eight nights. A dance with great importance for movements. The costume and makeup of Krishnanattam bear traces of resemblance to Kathakali and folk arts like Thiyattam, Mudiyettu and Theyyam.

    Musical instruments like maddalam,elathalam and chengila lend flavor to the performance.Krishnanattam is an important dance performed in the Guruvayoor temple.Krishna Attam is a cycle of eight plays which are performed for eight consecutive nights to unfold the entire story of Lord Krishna. The style is almost similar to Kathakali.

    Thiruvathirakkali is a beautiful dance form which is usually performed on specially put up stages in connection with temple festivals and the Thiruvathira Naal.In this, eight to ten girls perform,forming a circle by themselves. They sing and dance to the rhythm of clapping hands. Well-versed padams of Kathakali and Mohiniyatttam come alive in Thiruvathirakkali with a folk accent.

    The music and movements of Thiruvathirakkali has a native simplicity and lyrical grace. This graceful systematic group dance is performed also on festivals like Onam.Legend says that Parvati performed severe mortificatory penance to win Shiva as her husband. Very much pleased with her penance,Shiva appeared before her and promises to take her as his wife. This promise was made on the day of Thiruvathira star of the month of Dhanu.Therefore on this day, married and unmarried woman perform dance as a ritual. The married, for the well being of their husband and the unmarried, for acquiring a good husband.

     Also known as Kaikottikkali, this dance has a semi-religious significance, it's a kind of ritual performed to ensure happy and harmonious marital life.On the day of Thiruvathira, the women folk takes an early bath and gets dressed in their traditional attire. They take noyambu (fast) on that day by having only non-rice food. In the evening they perform the dance and adorn their hair with Pathirapoovu.Essentially a Kerala dance, hence the danseuse wear the typical dress of Kerala (Mundu and Veshti) with their hair bedecked with jasmine flowers.

    The dominant sentiment of this rustic dance is unalloyed joy. The footwork and movements of this form have grown naturally from the grace, simplicity, dignity, boldness, sense of beauty and such other qualities that are abundant in the woman of Kerala. This dance form has an amazing lasya charm of devotion and erotic sentiment. Moving in circle, clock wise and anti clock wise, the dancers bend side ways also for clapping together in beautiful gestures. The songs of the dance have sprung up from the everyday life of rustic generation, particularly from the simple amusement of women folk. For this reason, their tunes and rhythm are closely associated with the social life and natural beauty of Kerala. Some other forms are also prevalent of this folk dance known as kolattam and Kummi.

    Theyyam is the most outstanding of the folk arts of Kerala, especially in the northern regions. Also called Thirayattam, (because every thira or village performed this ritualistic art at the village temple).This primitive ritualistic art demands long hours of preparation.

    The Theyyam or Kolam, represents a mythological, divine or heroic character. There are over 350 Theyyams in northern Kerala. The hood, headdress, face painting, breast plate, bracelets,garlands and fabric of attire of each of these kolams are distinct and meticulously crafted according to the character presented.

    The instruments used are chenda and veekuchenda (drums), elathalam and kuzhal (horn).This art form is mostly performed in Bhagavathy temples. Performances are carried out between October and May. Thira is the major subdivision of Theyyam.The Theyyams are the representations of folk and tribal deities worshipped in various forms.Any object inspiring reverence, awe and fear was made into Teyyam by the folk and tribal communities and worshipped with appropriate rituals which included dance, drama, music and poetry.

    The Theyyam is danced to propitiate the Goddess for the well-being of the community.Apart from the costume, the performer wears a profusion of ornaments and, in most cases, a distinctive crown . The Theyyam stories are sung and danced, dramatised and enacted in various colourful festivals associated with various village shrines.

    Thullal is another version of Koothu and is characterised by simplicity of presentation, wit and humour. The inventor of this art form is Kunjan Nambiar. The dancer himself sings the lead to the accompaniment of the maddalam and elethalam.Thullal has from its very inception, enjoyed a ready appeal with both the commoner and the connoisseur ,since it requires no initiation to intelligently respond to it.

     One can easily react and enjoy Thullal without any prior exposure or sophisticated understanding.As this is composed in the language of the layman, it is known as the 'poorman's Kathakali'.The word Thullal belongs to the Dravidian family of languages and literally means 'jumping', this however can be extended to mean 'to leap about' or to 'cut a caper'.Belief prevails that Thullal, both as a form of dance and as an evolved literary expression, owes itself to the genius of one man. Kunchan Nambiar.

     The poet, social critic and humorist who lived two centuries ago was the pioneer behind this dance form and he wrote the text of Thullal and choreographed the play. He tried to bring out through this dance form, the social conditions of his time, the distinctions of class and weaknesses and whims of the rich and the great. Thullal often reflects the literary, artistic and cultural life of the medieval Kerala. Here, the stories from Epics are retold in Malayalam poetry with the sylised singing of the lines depicting the beauty of the Dravidian metres.

    The legend says that Kunjan Nambiar, a member artist in the court of Chembakasseri Raja at Ambalapuzha was once playing Mizhavu for a Chakyarkoothu. During the performance, Nambiar fell asleep and could not play the drum in time.Chakyar well known for his humour and sarcasm ridiculed Nambiar in front of a big gathering. Nambiar felt insulted and immediately left the stage. Overnight, he composed a new play, Kalyanasaugandhikam and designed a new art form to present side by side with Chakyarkoothu the next day. The new form known as Thullal attracted the laity and drew a large crowd leaving nobody to listen to the Chakyar.

    In its presentation, Thullal is conceived as a solo dance. The dance is supported by two musicians, who stand a little behind them. One of them plays the Maddalam, a drum and the other small cymbals. Both musicians are also expected to sing along with the dancer. No stage or any other formal arrangement is required for the performance. Unlike Kathakali or Koodiyattam, Thullal uses no curtain for entries, exits or scenes, nor is there a formal seating arrangement. As is the practise with all the Kerala's performing arts, a lighted brass lamp is installed in front of the dancer, even if the performance is held during the day.

    Thullal presentation generally lasts two hours and are rendered at a pitch and pace that keep onlookers thoroughly gripped. The dancer dances and sings simultaneously and this entails a long period of rigorous training, an agile body and a communicative voice. The dancer must also be gifted with a sharp memory, for he must remember long poems some of which have over 1000 couplets. The emotions pertain mainly to valour, humour, pathos, anger and devotion. Sringara, the erotic element, is virtually absent, but is rarely missed, for the burden of the songs and the nature of the dance are hardly conducive to tender passions.

    In make-up and costumes, Thullal has the traces of colour and the gorgeousness of Kathakali. The face is painted with yellow arsenic mixed with blue. The eyes are blackened and lips reddened. The dancer wears a breast-plate adorned with golden pearls, necklaces and colourful tassels. The white waist clothes resemble skirts. The head-gear is small, made of light wood, studded with bright stones and decorated with golden paper. The bracelets, amulets and waistlets are almost the same as in Kathakali.

    Thullal is of three kinds: Ottan, Parayan and Seethangan. The distinction between them lies mostly in the make-up and costumes and to some extend in metres and ragas of the text. Of these Ottan Thullal is the most popular.Time has effected improvements in the Thullal performance. It has now become a popular entertainment in the cultural programmes in kerala.

    Kuthiottam is a ritual exclusive to Devi temples of South Kerala. A group dance with songs including those in praise of goddess Durga and other deities,padapattu or war songs and kalaripattu or martial songs. Instruments used are mainly percussions, ganjira, bells and chaplankatta. Faces decorated with paints and red curtains are used as partitions on the stage, to enhance the frightening effect.

    Kavadiyattam is a ritualistic dance in Subramanya temples. The devotees wear colorful dresses. Kavadis are colorful bow-shaped wooden structures from six to ten feet tall, carried on their heads by the dancers.The Ambalakavadi is looks like and is decorated like a temple.

    The Pookavadi has stuck to it bunches of colorful paper, cloth or plastic flowers. The resounding beats of percussion instruments like udukku and chenda and that renowned wind instrument of south India, the nagaswaram, characterise the a kavadi procession is the traditional privilege of Chakyars and Nambiars (temple-castes of Kerala). Chakyars enact the male roles and the Nangiars (women of Nambiar) take female roles. The actors and actresses render verbal acting in stylised Sanskrit and Prakrit (a colloquial form of Sanskrit) respectively.

    The make-up and dressing is less exuberant and more stylised. Mizhavu and Edakka provide the background music to Koodiyattam. Through sound modulation, the percussion instruments augment the effect of acting in this dance drama.Vidooshaka (Royal clown) in Koodiyattam tells the audience in the local language, Malayalam, with running humour, the thematic development of the text.

    All the main characters in Koodiyattam customarily enact Nirvahana; a recollection of past events in the story, to form a background for stepping into the present. This is always a long drawn out affair and may take anywhere from a few days to a number of weeks.

    Arattu (holy bath) is a ritual connected with the closing of a festival in temples. The idols of deities are carried in a procession to the river by the head preist for the holy bath and escorted back accompanied by a grand elephant pageant, panchavadya, nadaswaram and chendamelam.This occassion is a colorful and devine experience to the devotees.

    Cherumarkali is a harvest dance normally during rice harvest ,in which dancers,both men and women, move in a swift rhythm, linking arms and donning red and white costumes.

    Ezhunnallathu is the ceremonial procession of the idols of a temple during temple festivals. Usually accompanied by various cultural art froms, temple music and elephant pageants.The elephants are usually adorned with elegant ornaments and the idols are carried on top of th elephants.

    Chakyarkoothu also known as Koothu, is one of the oldest classical theatre arts of Kerala. This is a solo dance performing at the koothambalams of temples with instruments like mizhavu and elathalam. The performance begins with an invocation to the presiding deity of the temple. The narration is enlivened with the thandava dance movements, gestures and facial expressions developed according to the rules of the Natya Sastra. Koothu is noted the way the artist takes digs at current events and personalities, adding to its dramatic character. Any theme can be presented under this art. The costume is colourful, bordering on the bizarre, with a strange headgear.

    A ritual performed in many Hindu homes as part of a festival. the para (wooden/brass measure) full of paddy is arranged in front of the house along with a lighted lamp and other offerings like fruits, jaggery etc. The offering is collected by a procession of elephants carrying the idol of the presiding diety.

    Thalappoli is a ceremonial procession of girls or women in traditional attire, holding the thalam in their hands, around the temple. The thalam (usually a silver or brass plate) contains rice, flowers, fruits and a lighted lamp - all of which symbolise prosperity.

    Pancharimelam / Pandimelam is the traditional temple percussion music accompanying almost all art forms. Main instrument used are the Nadaswaram,mridangam and thakil.

    Literally, an orchestra of five instruments. Traditional temple music accompanying processions and pageants. The five instruments are chenda, kuzhal, wakka, elathalam and timila.

    Kaalavela is a spectacular procession of huge, gaudily decorated motifs of bulls (Kaala). This is a folk art, noted for the procession of huge, colorfully decorated /images of bulls.

    Kalampattu also called Kalamezhuthu pattu, is an ancient folk-artform of northern Kerala. This 600 years old artform is performed by a group five to fifteen people in Bhadrakali and Ayyappa temples. The ritual is performed around a kolam - an elaborate picture, usually of goddess Bhadrakali, drawn on the floor with five colors, and under the light of blazing torches. The singers are neatly dressed, the women wearing their hair on the side of the head. A series of special songs, kalampattu, are sung to the accompaniment of nanthuni and elathalam, two traditional musical instruments.

    Kaliyoottu is an eight day long colorful folk ritual which re-enacts the mythical combat between goddess Durga and the demon Darika. This folk ritual has various stages. On the last and eight day, a ritual called Paranettu - is performed on a specially designed 100 feet high stage on which both the actors work themselves to a frenzy for the climactic end.

    Kanniyarkali is a ritual art form with swift dance performed to the accompaniment of devotional folk songs and resounding beats of drum. This art form is usually performed in Bhagavathy temples.

    Kolkali is a group dance of the farming communities in Kerala. Twelve to twenty four dancers move rhythmically in a circle around the ceremonial lamp,tapping together the two-feet long wooden sticks that they hold.

    Kummattikali is a temple art, also known as the mask dance.

    Kumbhamkali / Kumbhamthullal is a folk ritual dance of devotees of Lord Krishna, who carry pots on the head.

     Mamangam ,a huge and wonderful festival is a replication of the cultural extravaganza that used to be held every 12 years by the Zamorins (ancient rulers of Kozhikode) in the middle ages. Royal families,principalities and chieftains from all over Kerala used to participate in this great cultural event which was held on the grounds of the Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple at Ponnani in the present day Malappuram district.

    Maylitattom is a ritual art performed by artistes in peacock costume. It is performed in subramanya temples.

    Oppana is a traditional muslim bridal group dance performed on the day before the wedding day.The oppana at the groom's side will be performed by male artists and the bride side will be performed by female members.Oppana has unique costumes and songs and is very popular in the northern and central kerala regions.

    Padayani is a colorful ritual art which is symbolic of the victory march of goddess Kali after she defeated the demon Darika. The art form has some resemblance to Theyyam.Padayani or Padeni in colloquial speech, is one of the most colourful and spectacular folk arts associated with the festivals of certain temples in southern Kerala.

     The word Padayani literally means military formations or rows of army, but in this folk art we have mainly a series of divine and semi-divine impersonations wearing huge masks or kolams of different shapes, colours and designs painted on the stalks of arecanut fronds. The most important of the kolams usually presented in a Padayani performance are Bhairavi (Kali), Kalan (god of death), Yakshi (fairy), Pakshi (bird) etc.

    The Kolam consists primarily of a huge headgear with many projections and devices with a mask for the face or a chest piece to cover the breast and abdomen of the performer. The whole performance consisting of the dancers or actors who wear the kolams, the singers who recite a different poem for each Kolam, and the instrumentalists who evoke wild and loud rhythm on their simple drum called Thappu and Cymbals, etc., takes the form of a procession of Kali and her spirits returning after the killing of the Asura chief Darika.

    Patakam is an art form is very similar to Koothu on gestures and movements, but the narration is through prose and song sequences. The costume is predominantly red - a red head dress and a red silk wrist band. The performer also wears heavy garlands around the neck and thick lines of sandal paste smeared across the forehead. Patakam is also performed outside the temples.

    Pooram is the great elephant pageant typical of certain temples in Kerala. Bejewelled tuskers, numbering ten to hundred, line up for this exotic spectacle with mahouts sitting atop them carrying the muthukuda (tinsel covered silk parasols) sand waving the venchamaram (white tufts). The pageant is accompanied by the panchavadyam which gradually works up to a crescendo. the most fascinating feature of the pooram is the Kudamattam ritual, the ceremonial synchronised changing of the colourful parasols.

    Poothamkali (pootham) is a folk art ore commonly performed in the Bhagavathy temples of Malappuram. Pootham is the character who accompanied Durga in her combat with Darikasura. The performers, usually three in number, undergo a week of austerity before the presentation Colorful and intricately designed masks carved out of wood are the highlights of the attire. The fifteen minute performance starts slowly and works up to a frenzy towards the end. The thudi provides rhythm to the dance which is usually rendered at night.

    Pulikali is also known as Kaduvakali, it is a traditional art form in Kerala during festive seasons.Performers paint their bodies in bright yellow, red and black spots and lines to resemble tigers, and dance to the loud beats of percussion instruments like udukku and thakil. It is a common art form during Onam season.

    Sarppa Pattu or Snake song/dance is performed to satisfy the snake gods,mainly the cobra.The cobra is divine in hindu mythology and is regarded as the protector against evil.

    Thidampu Nritham is a 700 years old ritualistic art form of north Kerala. The dancer moves to the rhythmic beats of the chenda carrying the thidampu on his head.Seven artists accompany him on percussion instruments while two others hold aloft the ritualistic lamps. The artists wear lots of jewellery and a decorated turban known as Ushnipeetam.

     Thattumelkoothu is a devotional dance performed on a special platform carried around the temple by devotees, even as the performance goes on.

     Theyyam/Thira is one of the most outstanding folk arts of Kerala and the oldest in India. The theyyam (a form or shape) represents a mythological, divine or heroic character. There are over 350 theyyams in northern Kerala. The hood, headdress, face painting, breast plate, bracelets, garlands and fabric of attire of each theyyam are distinct and meticulously crafted. Musical accompaniments are chenda and veekuchenda, elatbalam and kuzhal. Performances are on between October and May.

     Thiyyattu is a devotional offering to Bhadrakali and Sree Ayyappa. The performance usually starts at dusk.The artists sing and dance to the rhythmic music of the chenda, elathalam and chengila.

     Tholpavakoothu originated in the 18th century and is also known as pavakootbu (puppet play) or nizhalattam (shadow play). Puppets (pavakal), usually representing four characters from the Ramayana, are arranged behind a long white screen, in front of bright wick lamps. The puppets made of deer skin are made to dance to songs from the Tamil version of the Ramayana. The performance start late at night and continues up to daybreak.

     Velkali is one of the most elaborate and spectacular marital folk arts of Kerala. Fifty or more performers in the traditional attire of soldiers, bearing colourful shields and swords or long canes dance with war-like steps in perfect orchestration with the resounding rhythm of the thakil, suddha maddalam, elathalam, kuzhal and trumpets. A few fighting techniques of kalaripayattu (the marital art) are also displayed in the course of the performance.