Classical dance-drama of Kerala combining elaborate costume and face paint, percussion, and codified gesture to stage episodes from the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Puranas.
1 min read0 sources17th century
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Kathakali ("katha" = story, "kali" = play, in Malayalam) fuses dance, elaborate costume and facial makeup, hand-gesture vocabulary (mudra), and live percussion to stage narrative episodes, almost always drawn from the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Puranas.
It evolved in the 17th century from Ramanattam — created in Kottarakkara to stage the Ramayana — itself shaped by the older Krishnanattam (patronised by the Zamorin rulers of north Kerala) and Koodiyattam traditions, along with elements of the martial art Kalaripayattu.
