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DESTINATIONS |
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KERALA - GOD'S OWN COUNTRY
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CULTURE |
| Dance |
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| Kathakali The special dance form of Kerala has its origins in the Theyyam, a ritual tribal dance of North Kerala, and kalaripayattu, the martial arts practiced by the high-caste Nayars, going back 1,000 years. In its present form of sacred dance-drama, Kathakali has evolved over the last 400 years. The performance is usually out of doors, the stage is bare but for a large bronze oil-lamp (now helped by electric lighting), with the drummers on one side and the singers with cymbal and gong, who act as narrators, on the other. The art of mime reaches its peak in these highly stylized performance which always used to last through the night, now they often take just three to four hours. |  |
| This classical dance requires lengthy and hard training to make the body supple, the eyes expressive. 24 mudras express the nine emotions of serenity, wonder, kindness, love, valour, fear, contempt, loathing and anger. The gods and mortals play out their roles amid the chaos brought about by human ambition, but the dance ends in peace and harmony restored by the gods. |
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| Every 12 years the North Malabar village communities of Kannur and Kasaragod organize a Theyyam festival. The term itself is a corruption of deivam, or God. A combination of music and dance, the festival brings together all castes and religions, but is a development of a pre-Hindu cult. Many folk gods and goddesses continue to hold a place in the festival. |
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| Thullal, again peculiar to Kerala,is another classical solo dance form which comes closer to contemporary life, and is marked for its simplicity, wit and humour. |
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The sensuous Mohiniyattam, performed by women, is known as the dance of the charmer or temptress. It evolved through the influence of Tamil dancers who brought Bharata Natyam to the Kerala royal courts. It is performed solo as in Bharata Natyam with a similar core repertoire and musical accompaniments but with the addition of idakkai, a percussion instrument.
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See our Ayurveda Tour |
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Martial arts Kalaripayattu, possibly developed as a form of military training during the 11th century wars with the Cholas, is still practiced in Kalaris or gymnasia. The four disciplines give training in self-defence and attack. Maithozhil comprise exercise to develop fitness, coordination and stamina with high vigorous kicking, followed by squatting the basic movements. Kolethari use sticks in training to hit without being hit, while in Angathari, swords, spears, shields and daggers are introduced for training in dueling. Verumkai, the last discipline, comprises training in unarmed combat. |
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ELEPHANT MARCHES
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 | Elephants are both the most striking of the Mammals and the most economically important. The Indian elephant (Elephants Maximas), smaller than the African, is the World's second largest land mammal. Unlike the African elephant, the male rarely reaches a height of over 3 metres; it also has smaller ears. Other distinguishing features include the high domed forehead, the rounded of the back and the smooth truck with a single 'finger' at the end. Also the female is often tuskless (makhnas). The Indian elephant has 5 nails on its front feet and 4 on the back (compared to the African's
4 and 3 respectively). There are approximately 6,500 elephants living in the wild in northern West Bengal, Assam and Bhutan there are a further 2,000 in Central India and 6,000 in the three South Indian states of
Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
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BOAT RACE
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| Snake boats at
Alappuzha |
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| Alappuzha (pronounced Alappoorra) has a large network of canals passing though the town and is a major centre for backwater cruises and the venue for the spectacular 'snake' boat races. |
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| Along the back waters traditional punted boats or motorized ferries provide one of the most delightful tours in India. The typical journey on a motor boat between Kollam and Alappuzha lasts over eight hours but some people find this too long. A shorter trip is possible, either by doing a round trip from Kollam, or by picking up or getting off the boat closer to Alappuzha (for example Changanacheery or Kottayam). Nearer Kochi too, a quiet half-day can be spent on a traditional dugout or you can have an exclusive upmarket overnight trip in a kettuvallam style houseboat.
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