Traditional music, theater and dance
Kerala music is dominated by the ragas and talas of lyrical and religious karnatic music. Karnatic music was popularized by Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, the 19th-century composer and king of Travancore. Kerala also has traditional music genres such as sopanam, used as a soundtrack in Kathakali performances. Percussive music played at religious festivals or temples is called melam, and revolves mainly around a percussive instrument called chenda. These performances can involve up to 150 musicians and last over 4 hours.
The traditional 5-instrument percussion ensemble is called panchavadyam, and is regularly used at festivals and important religious ceremonies.
Indian dances are a treasure trove for mankind, and Kerala is particularly fertile ground for some of the most splendid, such as Kathakali and Theyyam. The latter, like all Indian dance, derives from the four Vedas - the body of "revealed knowledge", the sacred texts on which Hinduism is based - and the Natya shastra, a sacred compendium, somewhat regarded as the fifth Veda, in which drama, poetry, dance, song and music are codified.
The living jewel of Kerala, Kathakali is a danced drama, a staging of Hindu mythology - especially the two epics that are the Rāmāyana and the Mahābhārata - whose gesture falls somewhere between dance and silent theater. One of its distinctive features is the complex make-up worn by the actors, a code indicating the personality, gender and status of the characters. For example, green conveys nobility and virtue, while red implies a diabolical dimension. Moreover, given their richness, the make-ups (made from rice noodles) require several hours' work before each performance. Physically very demanding - endurance is a must, as a show can last a whole night - the acting is particularly focused on facial expressions, looks and hand positions.
Kochi is the city of Kathakali, and is home to the Kerala Kathakali Centre, a magnificent stage dedicated to the genre. In the same town, the Kochi Cultural Centre, the Greenix Village and the See India Fondation (one of Kochi's oldest theaters) give Kathakali performances every day (or almost every day).
Another of Kerala's major arts, Theyyam is one of the oldest. Remarkable for its bright red or orange make-up, this dance is performed in temples or sacred groves to the hypnotic rhythms of percussion. Here, dancers enter a trance to invite the temple deity to possess them. Theyyam can also be performed as part of a ceremony (wedding, end of harvest, etc.), in which case it is said to bring good luck.
In Kerala, the Parassinikadavu Muthappan temple is the only one where the performance of a Theyyam is a daily offering. Non-Hindus are welcome, but videos and photos are forbidden. The ritual is intense and the dance a true experience. Alternatively, Calicut's Malabar Mahotsavam festival of traditional Malabar arts is an excellent place to see Theyyam.
Another famous classical Kerala practice, Mohiniyattam is the "dance of the enchantress". It's a name that's immediately obvious from its supple, delicate movements and graceful, not to say sensual, head and hand gestures. The expressiveness of the face and eyes is particularly important in bewitching the spectator. It is generally performed in the white garb with gold trim typical of Kerala.
Kutiyattam, the typical Sanskrit theater of Kerala, is one of India's oldest theatrical traditions, dating back over 2,000 years. Here, too, eye expression and gestures play a vital role in focusing attention on the main character's thoughts and feelings. The performance must narrate a situation in minute detail, so much so that an entire play can last up to 40 days! A national treasure, Kutiyattam was proclaimed a Masterpiece of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2001.
Less common but still important, Mudiyettu is a Kerala ritual dance drama based on the mythological story of a battle between the goddess Kali and the demon Darika. It's a community ritual in which the whole village participates, regardless of caste, thus strengthening the bonds within the community. Over time, this practice remains an important vehicle for transmitting traditional values and moral codes to future generations.
Although originally from the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu, Bhârata natyam is considered the country's oldest dance. Originally destined to be performed in temples (as an offering to the deities), it is now produced on theatrical stages (always as a soloist). A link between classical dance and the martial arts, its complex movements require a long and difficult apprenticeship.
Musical traditions include the Sopana Sangeetham, a sung soundtrack to Kathakali or Mudiyettu performances, played on a small drum. More ritualistic is the Pulluvan Pattu, a practice of the lower and upper castes, closely linked to snake worship and performed by a pulluvar in temples.
A major festival featuring elephant processions, UtsaVam (in Kochi) is an excellent venue for folk dance performances and traditional music.
Classical music
The two great currents of Indian classical music are Hindustani music, associated with North India, and Carnatic music, from the South, striking for the gentle beauty with which it moves from one note to the next. A delicate current running through the music, no doubt explained by the fact that the compositions are always intended to be sung, even when performed by instruments, the latter working to "imitate" the voice.
As the cradle of Carnatic music, Kerala was the birthplace of many of the genre's legends, such as Swati Tirunal (1813-1846), maharaja of the kingdom of Travancore and the first great composer of Carnatic music, Irayimman Thampi (1782-1856), author of Omanathinkal Kidavo, one of the most popular lullabies in Malayalam, V. Dakshinamoorthy (1919-2013), who composed some 1,400 works in a career spanning more than sixty years; K. J. Yesudas, a Kerala icon; Palghat Mani Iyer, a great mridangam (drum) musician; Manjapara Devesa Ramanathan, renowned for his singular style; and Neyyattinkara Vasudevan, who combined tradition and modernity.
