Kathakali -Classical Dance from South India (kerala)

Kathakali-(katha for story, kali for performance or play) is an expressive form of Indian dance-drama. Once I got a chance to watch this great performance in kerala with one of my friend there. It originated in the South Indian state of Kerala, which dates from the 17th century and is rooted in Hindu mythology.Kathakali has a unique combination of literature, music, painting, acting and dance.Characters with vividly painted faces and elaborate costumes re-enact stories from the Hindu epics, Mahabharatha and Ramayana.

Costumes:
The headgear worn by the various characters in Kathakali are excellent
specimen of intricate wood carving, an ancient speciality of the region.
Even the shiny finishing with trinkets take hours of painstaking labour by expert
craftsmen. Most of the ornaments donning each character are made in this fashion too.
Make-up:
The make-up, called Chutty in the bibliography of Kathakali,is also an art form in itself.The colourful faces are the results of hours of painstaking handiwork by expert artists.Their work is,by no means subordinate to portrait painting.The basic materials used for the make up are very crude items like raw amorphous Sulphur,Indigo, Rice paste, Lime, Coconut oil etc.
Music:
One of the major distinguishing features of Kathakali is the absence of oral communication. A considerable part of the script is in the form of lyrics, sung by vocalists. The only accompaniments are percussion instruments. Chenda(Drum played with sticks) Maddalam(Drum played with fingers), Chengila(Gong) and Ilathalam(Cymbals). The style of music traditionally accepted is Sopana, where the range is limited to one and half octaves.