Traditional Keralan Arts: Kathakali

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arts, Fort Cochin, hindu, hindu epics, Kathakali, Kerala, Kochi, Mahabarata, photography, Puranas, Ramayana, South India, traditonal Keralan arts, travel

The art of Kathakali crystallized at around the same time as Shakespeare was scribbling his plays, though elements of it stem from 2nd-century temple rituals. The Kathakali performance is the dramatized presentation of a play, usually based on the Hindu epics the Ramayana, the Mahabarata and the Puranas. All the great themes are covered – righteousness and evil, frailty and courage, poverty and prosperity, war and peace.

Drummers and singers accompany the actors, who tell the story through their precise movements, particularly mudras (hand gestures) and facial expressions. Traditionally, performances took place in temple grounds and went from 8pm until dawn; shorter performances locales are also now popular in Kerala.

Preparation for the performance is lengthy and disciplined. Paint, fantastic costumes, ornamental headpieces and meditation transform the actors both physically and mentally into the gods, heroes and demons they are about to play.

You can see cut-down performances in tourist hot spots all over the state, and there are Kathakali schools in Trivandrum and near Thrissur that encourage visitors. There are several places in Kochi where you can view Kathakali. The performances are certainly made for tourists, but they are also a good introduction to this intriguing art form. The standard program starts with the intricate makeup application, followed by a commentary on the dance and then the performance.

We went to the Kerala Kathakali Centre just outside of our Daffodil Home Stay in the evening, reachable within a short walking distance. In a massive new theater where many tourists visit daily, this place specializes in grand, showy performances and provides useful translations in a sheet of paper of the night’s story. If you want to catch the makeup show, you will have to be there by 5pm local time, and then the show starts from 6.30 in the evening till 8.00 at night. It was indeed a magnificent and colorful insight.

Kerala Kathakali Centre | www.kathakalicentre.com;
Phone: 2217552; KB Jacob Rd, Fort Cochin; admission fees Rs 150.

Photos can also be found on Flickr.

Fort Cochin Sights: Chinese Fishing Nets

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Chinese Fishing Nets, Cochi, Fort Cochin, Kerala, memories, photography, Southern India, travel

Serene Kochi has been drawing traders and explorers for its shores for over 600 years, and today stands as a living homage to a vibrant past unlike any other. Nowhere in India could you find such a melange; giant fishing nets from China, a 400 year old synagogue, ancient mosques, Portuguese houses built half a millennium ago, all mixed in with the crumbling residuum of the British Raj. The result is an unlikely blend of medieval Portugal, Holland and an English country village grafted onto the tropical Malabar Coast. It is a delightful place to spend some time, soak in the history, peruse art galleries and nap in some of the finest heritage accommodation in India.

We took a 5 hours flight down to Kochi which is made up of a gaggle of islands and peninsulas that includes mainland Ernakulam; the islands of Willingdon, Bolgatty and Gundu; Fort Cochin and Mattancherry on the Vallarpadam Islands. All are linked by bridges amd ferry services. Upon stepping out of the arrival terminal building, we spotted our driver from the Daffodil Home Stay and off we hopped into the four-wheel drive which took us to our first accommodation situated at the Njaliparambu Junction. Since it was already past evening when we arrived, we decided to unpack our belongings, took a shower, walked out nearby for dinner and called it a day.

Next morning, we took a stroll along the streets which featured many local attractions such as St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilica and of course one could not miss the Chinese Fishing Net village. Since I am not writing each and every one of the places we went, today’s post center around the main attraction – “Chinese Fishing Nets” a hallmark of Cochin, speaks of the first traders, who visited this coast during 1350 – 1450 AD. These nets are built using teak wood and bamboo poles. It is where fishermen carry out their daily routine, also some set up stalls along the shore to sell their freshly caught seafood where we actually bought some fish and squid (yes, still raw) and brought them to a nearby restaurant and the chef prepared us lunch.

Here are mostly black and white photos taken from the site of the locals and their boats, and then followed by the fishing nets and us joining the fun, singing to their folk song ‘Hey Jala’ while having experienced using the traditional fishing method, in colored.

Part II of Kerala will be the traditional Kathakali dance and a few sights around Fort Cochin. Stay tuned for that, and then we will venture to part III in Alappuzha (Alleppey) where there will be photos, of course, of the magnificent Kerala backwaters.

Source: Lonely Planet Guide