THE HANDS - SIGN LANGUAGE:
The sign Language used in Kathakali is very important and is called MUDRAS –an ancient sacred sign language that originated in the Hindu temple ritualsthousands of years ago and later adapted into the dramatic language ofKathakali.The Mudras are representative actions; emotional gestures and an actual signlanguage complete with an alphabet and sentence structure.
There are 24 basic Mudras used in Kathakali to tell the story – AsamyuthaMudras – using one hand and Samyutha Mudras – using both hands.
Just as letters of the alphabet become words when put together, these primaryhand shapes only develop into an actual language when put into context, withthe appropriate facial expression and a series of hand, arm and bodymovements.
With various combinations of the basic Mudras over 700 "words" are available tothe actor to tell a story.
THE TRAINING: KATHAKALI
The training of a Kathakali actor begins at an early age when young boys leavetheir homes to dedicate the entire lives to Kathakali.The rigorous training necessary for a Kathakali actor begins at 4.00am with eye and facial exercises followed with body exercises and the learning of the Kathakali plays.
In the monsoon season the actors undergo a daily painful session, whichinvolves body exercises followed by a special oil massage, called Uzichil. This makes the actor supple and physically prepared for the characters that he will eventually have to portray on stage.
There is a saying that summaries the Kathakali acting technique….
"Where the hands move, there the eyes follow,Where the eyes move the mind follows.Where the mind goods, the mood follows where the mood goes, there the Rasa [flavour] arises."
DRUMMERS, SINGERS, MAKE UP ARTISTS AND COSTUMERS all undergo years of specialised training guided by a Guru – Ashan. Eventually they will perform as a complex team of experts each bringing their own specialist contribution to the performance.
THE CHARACTERS: KATHAKALI
The characters are categorised into symbolic "personalities" ranging from the most
sanctified [Gods] to the most evil.
The characters represent the evolution of humanity and the sensitive relationship between
the individual, spirituality and society.
Situations are acted out where desperation and cruelty give way to truth and compassion. The
plays communicate on a deep and personal level intended to offer an example of how to
survive when enormous hardship is faced.
KATHAKALI CHARACTER TYPES are easily identified by specific make up, costumes and body language.
Two different characters belonging to the same category may "appear" visually the same, even
though performing in two separate plays. However, the story, slight changes in the make up
or costume will indicate the exact character on stage.
CHARACTERS
The characters are categorised into symbolic "personalities" ranging from the most
sanctified [Gods] to the most evil.
The characters represent the evolution of humanity and the sensitive relationship between
the individual, spirituality and society.
Situations are acted out where desperation and cruelty give way to truth and compassion. The
plays communicate on a deep and personal level intended to offer an example of how to
survive when enormous hardship is faced.
KATHAKALI CHARACTER TYPES are easily identified by specific make up, costumes and body language.
Two different characters belonging to the same category may "appear" visually the same, even
though performing in two separate plays. However, the story, slight changes in the make up
or costume will indicate the exact character on stage.
CHARACTERS
Pacha Katti(Pure- Green face) Represents good, divinity, The gods and heroic Characters.
E.g: Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, Arjuna, Bhima and King Nala.
Kati(Knife) - They are heroic but have lust, arrogance, a desire for power and cruelty.
Eg: Kichaka, Ravana, Duryodhana .
Red BeardCruel, evil, distructive, arrogant and a killer. E.g: Baka, Jarasandan,
Veerabhadra.
Kalisymbolises anger, cruelty and evil. Similar to Red Beard but a different
combination of colours.
Black Beard: Black Berad - Represents Humour, violence. Primitive life E.g A forest dweller.
Kari: An evil Demoness
White Beard: Hannuman - the devoted Monkey God.
Female( Minikku) Minikku: Soft and natural make up for the female character, Humans, Brahmins,Sages, Messengers, Narada Radiant and Priests.
Hamsam: The Golden Swan and Garuda both have special make up.
Lord Krishna or Lord RamaBACKGROUND OF KATHAKALI
Kathakali is ancient and classical in nature and holds centuries of tradition and culture. It is not simply a dance-drama but an act of devotion featuring the universal struggle between good and evil.
Kathakali takes place in a variety of places from a beautifully constructed Kootambalam – story temple – or in a simple temporary canopy made from coconut leaves covering a platform made of earth in a village temple or a garden. The dressing room would be close to the stage with the walls made from coconut leaves also.
The actual Kathakali performance usually starts between 9 and 10 pm with Arrangu Keli - a drumming piece played on the Madalam drum to ask the Gods for their blessings and to invite them to watch the performance. [To perform Kathakali is a great honour and performed to the Gods as an act of devotion.]
A large brass oil lamp called a Valika, is placed at the front of the stage. Lighting the lamp is highly symbolic act and when lit, it illustrates that there is divine prescence.
Todayam– is a dance ritual that is performed behind a large brightly coloured satin curtain held up by two men at the front of the stage and called a Tereshiela. Two junior actors perform a composition of pure dance accompanied by the SUDDHA MADALAM drum- solo Madalam.
Todayam is the first item to be learned by a young Kathakali student to test his ability to balance, keep classical positions, maitain rhythm, use Mudras and understand facial expressions.
The Vandana slokam is a prayer and follows Todayam to bless the stage and to receive the Gods. The first actors make their way to the stage but before leaving the dressing room they will go to all the senior artists, touch their feet and ask for their blessings, pray to the Valika – lamp – situated in a corner of the green room and finally go onto the stage that is now a holy place.
The actors make their journey from this world into the world of the Gods with dignity and humility.
Purappad
- means starting point and represents the beginning of the Kathakali performance, traditionally performed by students to develop their skills. The actors represent the main characters of the story - Krishna or Balarama and is performed as a piece of pure dance, sometimes accompanied by the relevant female partners.
Melepadam- is a musical master piece where senior singers and drummers are given an opportunity to perform their outstanding skills.
The singers express dedication and appreciation to Jaya Deva who wrote the great poemsof the Geetha Govindam in the 11th century. Singing his poems creates a melody of exquisite beauty. People travel many miles to see the top artists perform Melepadam as a piece of vibrant music in its own right.
The Kathakali play- the actual Kathakali story starts when Melepadam finishes. The audience have been stimulated by powerful drumming, bathed in superb singing and inspired by rituals and ceremonies. The whole experience is in preparation for the full impact of a Kathakali play to descends on to the stage and depict stories from the great Hindu epics.
Normally two or three plays are performed throughout the night starting with a love story or one featuring every day life, saving the last story for an almighty battle when good conquers evil. Just before the sun rises in the cool early morning sky this victory symbolises a new beginning as the light blesses the earth.
The temples hold annual festivals where the community is encouraged to live with more compassion and care for each other.Throughout the night the audience and artists have engaged in a universal journey where goodness prevails over evil to illustrate the path to a better life.
Danasi
Danasi is a dance ritual performed as the sun rises by one of the good characters in the story, usually Lord Krishna or Lord Siva. He asks for blessings on the audience and gives salutation to the Gods for the night that they came to earth.
After the performance it is a social time for the artists where everyone winds down, takes a bath in the temple tank or river, eat breakfast and move onto the next temple performance. It is extremely hard work to perform throughout the night and results in a close family atmosphere within the Kathakali group.
Many years of quality training and experience is required to create a Kathakali artist. Each one is respected for the specialised skills that they bring to the stage to present one of the most moving and unforgettable experiences of all.
DRAMA
Kathakali is very different from other classical Indian – drama styles and performed as a group with a variety of characters. A Kathakali performer is known as an actor and not a dancer and a performance is called a play. Kathakali plays are about complex human relationships with each character representing a different symbolic level of consciousness from the Gods to the most evil.
The actor translates the story through stylised body language, gesture and deep emotion.
Source: kathakali.net
Performances of Kathakali
Kathakali performances are not confined to a temple's courtyard; they are held in the open under the sky. Before a performance begins, chendakkaaran the instrumental musician, beats the drum to announce the news that a dance -drama will be held shortly. This nervous and insistent tattoo' is called Ke'likottu. The village folk-men, women and children begin to assemble and crouches on the land in a circle around chendakkaaran. The night's 'stadium' has the covering of a clear, star-studded sky; cool breeze rustling through the jagged patterns of palm fronds, children wandering back and forth aimlessly or running to a hawker or pestering their mothers or aping a character of a previous play; people discussing a role-type, an actor, a character, a story or a matter of current or religious interest. And those among the audience who are tired from the day's hard work on their fields go back and sleep until they are awakened by a relative or a friend or by the noise from the stage, to witness the favorite hero play or a climatic battle scene.
In its indigenous form, Kathakali has no stage in the modern sense. The centre of the stadium is the stage provided with a huge brightly polished brass lamp of coconut oil. The audience sits in darkness.
There are no back-curtains, no stills, no sceneries. But behind the lamp there is a simply designed 'tirasila', a rectangular silk curtain, held by two members of the troupe. Actors who have to appear first stand hidden behind it. During scenes the curtain is dropped to the ground and removed by the two men. The job over, these men go about on other errands of the stage, like pouring oil in the lamp-well ,adjusting the thick wicks which constantly threaten to gutter and burn out, arranging the banana tree trunk support against the wicks gliding down in the well, and assisting the actors on odd jobs. The stage is also provided with a small stool. This is used for many purposes. For instance, in the 'curtain look' the actor stands on it; on other occasions an actor may rest on it.
Musicians stand in a half circle behind the actors. They number four to twelve. Musicians do not wear any special costume. They are normally bare-chested. The actors are profusely dressed mostly in billowing skirts, crowned with massive head-dresses and provided with the accessories of the face and finger nails. The 'actresses' are adolescent boys, for they are nearest to feminity and have simple dress.
In the repertoric of its technique Kathakali has seven items to be presented in the following sequence:
1. To'dayam- the basic nritt;
2. Purappaadu- debut of the hero and the virtuous character;
3. Tirano'kku- 'curtain look' by evil characters and demons;
4. Kummi- permeable for the female character's appearance
5. Kathakali- the main play
6. Kalaasham- a passage of vigorous dance which serves as a hyphen between two pieces of verse-play and
7. The concluding benediction dance
The dance drama begins with the call of the drum which has rent the air at night. The audience is alerted.
Tirasiila is drawn by two men. Music begins. Drummers display their cleverness. Religious songs are sung. They purify the atmosphere. And dancers are behind the curtain. The preliminary dance behind the curtain is commonly refused to as Purva-ranga by Bharata in the Naatya saastra, in the language of Kathakali it is called To'dayam. The basic technique of Kathakali lies in To'dayam.
Purappaadu or the debut, signifies the first appearance of a character on the stage. It is a piece of a preliminary dance. It serves to announce the virtuous qualities of the hero. If a demon is to appear violent drumming of high pitch drums is incessant. The curtain is drawn as high as the arms of the attendants can stretch. The whole atmosphere is surcharged with earth-shaking and hair raising activities. The sound of quick and heavy foot steps can be heard from behind the curtain. Its synchronisation with the sound effect of the drums heightens the climax. The entire climate forebodes that a terrific personality is about to appear. Suddenly a coloured canopy appears over the curtain and a rumbling growling noise is heard. Drums burst into shattering sounds. Here is a shrick, and there a groan. But before the eyes can catch the character, fingers are seen rising in the centre of the curtain. The left hand fingers are covered with long thimbles. The two hands are kept about three feet apart. They clutch the curtain. Fingers glide across its top.
There is deafening drumming; but no singing.
To the accompaniment of the drums, the anti-hero shakes the curtain violently, and breathless the audience catches an occasional glimpse of the top of a glittering head-dress, which seems to be gyrating madly in some internal whirlwind. He pulls the curtain towards him; then plugs forward and fans flames. With gusto, the fire illuminates the character's face and enables the audience to spot him out by his weird makeup.
The feverish pitch of excitement over, the curtain is dropped and the whole figure of the character emerges after a great deal of suspense. The curtain is pulled off the stage from its right wing. Thus develop tirano'kku or 'curtain look'.
For male anti-heroes Tirano'kku is prescribed and for female characters there is another standard dance called Kummi. In it gestures and movements are modified and smoothened to lend gentleness and elegance. so much necessary for feminine characters. Paces are slow; roles are passive and subsidiary.
Kalaasams are pure dance passages performed in pure taandava style. They punctuate two verses; two scenes. It is here that in Kathakali an important role of nritta is discovered.
From the sequence detailed Kathakali's basic characteristic of a dance-cum-drama is unfolded. How the various limbs of sangiitha have been synthesized to bring about an underlying unity of all Indian dramatic arts in Kathakali is unique. It is the only form of the histrionic arts in India, which adumbrates in principle, the three essentials of the Sanskrit drama, naatya, nritya and nritt.
Kathakali performances are not confined to a temple's courtyard; they are held in the open under the sky. Before a performance begins, chendakkaaran the instrumental musician, beats the drum to announce the news that a dance -drama will be held shortly. This nervous and insistent tattoo' is called Ke'likottu. The village folk-men, women and children begin to assemble and crouches on the land in a circle around chendakkaaran. The night's 'stadium' has the covering of a clear, star-studded sky; cool breeze rustling through the jagged patterns of palm fronds, children wandering back and forth aimlessly or running to a hawker or pestering their mothers or aping a character of a previous play; people discussing a role-type, an actor, a character, a story or a matter of current or religious interest. And those among the audience who are tired from the day's hard work on their fields go back and sleep until they are awakened by a relative or a friend or by the noise from the stage, to witness the favorite hero play or a climatic battle scene.
In its indigenous form, Kathakali has no stage in the modern sense. The centre of the stadium is the stage provided with a huge brightly polished brass lamp of coconut oil. The audience sits in darkness.
There are no back-curtains, no stills, no sceneries. But behind the lamp there is a simply designed 'tirasila', a rectangular silk curtain, held by two members of the troupe. Actors who have to appear first stand hidden behind it. During scenes the curtain is dropped to the ground and removed by the two men. The job over, these men go about on other errands of the stage, like pouring oil in the lamp-well ,adjusting the thick wicks which constantly threaten to gutter and burn out, arranging the banana tree trunk support against the wicks gliding down in the well, and assisting the actors on odd jobs. The stage is also provided with a small stool. This is used for many purposes. For instance, in the 'curtain look' the actor stands on it; on other occasions an actor may rest on it.
Musicians stand in a half circle behind the actors. They number four to twelve. Musicians do not wear any special costume. They are normally bare-chested. The actors are profusely dressed mostly in billowing skirts, crowned with massive head-dresses and provided with the accessories of the face and finger nails. The 'actresses' are adolescent boys, for they are nearest to feminity and have simple dress.
In the repertoric of its technique Kathakali has seven items to be presented in the following sequence:
1. To'dayam- the basic nritt;
2. Purappaadu- debut of the hero and the virtuous character;
3. Tirano'kku- 'curtain look' by evil characters and demons;
4. Kummi- permeable for the female character's appearance
5. Kathakali- the main play
6. Kalaasham- a passage of vigorous dance which serves as a hyphen between two pieces of verse-play and
7. The concluding benediction dance
The dance drama begins with the call of the drum which has rent the air at night. The audience is alerted.
Tirasiila is drawn by two men. Music begins. Drummers display their cleverness. Religious songs are sung. They purify the atmosphere. And dancers are behind the curtain. The preliminary dance behind the curtain is commonly refused to as Purva-ranga by Bharata in the Naatya saastra, in the language of Kathakali it is called To'dayam. The basic technique of Kathakali lies in To'dayam.
Purappaadu or the debut, signifies the first appearance of a character on the stage. It is a piece of a preliminary dance. It serves to announce the virtuous qualities of the hero. If a demon is to appear violent drumming of high pitch drums is incessant. The curtain is drawn as high as the arms of the attendants can stretch. The whole atmosphere is surcharged with earth-shaking and hair raising activities. The sound of quick and heavy foot steps can be heard from behind the curtain. Its synchronisation with the sound effect of the drums heightens the climax. The entire climate forebodes that a terrific personality is about to appear. Suddenly a coloured canopy appears over the curtain and a rumbling growling noise is heard. Drums burst into shattering sounds. Here is a shrick, and there a groan. But before the eyes can catch the character, fingers are seen rising in the centre of the curtain. The left hand fingers are covered with long thimbles. The two hands are kept about three feet apart. They clutch the curtain. Fingers glide across its top.
There is deafening drumming; but no singing.
To the accompaniment of the drums, the anti-hero shakes the curtain violently, and breathless the audience catches an occasional glimpse of the top of a glittering head-dress, which seems to be gyrating madly in some internal whirlwind. He pulls the curtain towards him; then plugs forward and fans flames. With gusto, the fire illuminates the character's face and enables the audience to spot him out by his weird makeup.
The feverish pitch of excitement over, the curtain is dropped and the whole figure of the character emerges after a great deal of suspense. The curtain is pulled off the stage from its right wing. Thus develop tirano'kku or 'curtain look'.
For male anti-heroes Tirano'kku is prescribed and for female characters there is another standard dance called Kummi. In it gestures and movements are modified and smoothened to lend gentleness and elegance. so much necessary for feminine characters. Paces are slow; roles are passive and subsidiary.
Kalaasams are pure dance passages performed in pure taandava style. They punctuate two verses; two scenes. It is here that in Kathakali an important role of nritta is discovered.
From the sequence detailed Kathakali's basic characteristic of a dance-cum-drama is unfolded. How the various limbs of sangiitha have been synthesized to bring about an underlying unity of all Indian dramatic arts in Kathakali is unique. It is the only form of the histrionic arts in India, which adumbrates in principle, the three essentials of the Sanskrit drama, naatya, nritya and nritt.
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