Culture of Kerala

Kerala is a southern most state of India. Kerala can largely trace its non-prehistoric cultural
genesis to its membership (around the 3rd century CE) in a vaguely-defined historical region
knon as Thamizhagom ! a land defined by a common "amil culture and encompassing the
Chera# Chola# and $andya kingdoms. %t that time# the music# dance# language (first Dravida
Bhasha ! &'ravidian language&
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! then "amil)# and Sangam (a vast corpus of "amil literature
composed beteen )#+,,-.#,,, years ago) found in Kerala ere all similar to that found in the
rest of Thamizhagom (today/s "amil 0adu). 1ater# Keralite culture as elaborated upon by
centuries of contact ith overseas lands ! yet all through this time# its cultural heritage
remained defined by its anti2uity and organic continuity.
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Performing arts
0ative traditions of classical performing arts include koodiyattom# a form of 3anskrit drama or
theatre and a 40E3C5-designated 6uman 6eritage %rt. Kathakali (from katha (&story&) and
kali (&performance&)) is a +,,-year-old form of dance-drama that interprets ancient epics7 a
populari8ed offshoot of kathakali is Kerala natanam (developed in the .,th century by dancer
9uru 9opinath). :eanhile# koothu is a more light-hearted performance mode# akin to modern
stand-up comedy7 an ancient art originally confined to temple sanctuaries# it as later
populari8ed by :ani :adhava Chakyar. 5ther Keralite performing arts include mohiniyaattam
(&dance of the enchantress&)# hich is a type of graceful choreographed dance performed by
omen and accompanied by musical vocali8ations. Thullal# padayani# and theyyam are other
important Keralite arts.
Kerala also has several tribal and folk art forms.;or e<ample# Kummattikali is the famous
colorful mask-dance of 3outh :alabar# performed during the festival of 5nam. "he Kannyar
Kali dances (also knon as 'esathukali) are fast moving# militant dances attuned to rhythmic
devotional folk songs and asuravadyas. %lso important are various performance genres that are
Islam- or Christianity-themed. "hese include oppana# hich is idely popular among Keralite
:uslims and is native to :alabar. Oppana incorporates group dance accompanied by the beat of
rhythmic hand clapping and ishal vocali8ations.
:argam Kali is one of the ancient round group dance of Kerala practiced by 3aint "homas
Christians.
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6oever# many of these native art forms largely play to tourists or at youth festivals# and are not
as popular among ordinary Keralites. "hus# more contemporary forms ! including those heavily
based on the use of often ris2u= and politically incorrect mimicry and parody ! have gained
considerable mass appeal in recent years. Indeed# contemporary artists often use such modes to
mock socioeconomic elites. In recent decades# :alayalam cinema# yet another mode of idely
popular artistic e<pression# have provided a distinct and indigenous Keralite alternative to both
>ollyood and 6ollyood.
Music
"he ragas and talas of lyrical and devotional carnatic music ! another native product of 3outh
India ! dominates Keralite classical musical genres. 3athi "hirunal ?ama @arma# a )Ath-
century king of "ravancore and patron and composer of music# as instrumental in popularising
carnatic music in early Kerala.
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%dditionally# Kerala has its on native music system#
sopanam# hich is a lugubrious and step-by-step rendition of raga-based songs. It is sopanam#
for e<ample# that provides the background music used in kathakali. "he ider traditional music
of Kerala also includes melam (including the paandi and panchari variants)# as style of
percussive music performed at temple-centered festivals using an instrument knon as the
chenda. 4p to )+, musicians may comprise the ensembles staging a given performance7 each
performance# in turn# may last up to four hours. Panchavadyam is a differing type of percussion
ensemble consisting of five types of percussion instruments7 these can be utilised by up to one
hundred artists in certain maCor festivals. In addition to these# percussive music is also associated
ith various uni2uely Keralite folk arts forms. 1astly# the popular music of Kerala ! as in the
rest of India ! is dominated by the filmi music of Indian cinema.
Martial arts and sports
Kerala also has its on indigenous form of martial art ! Kalarippayattu# derived from the ords
kalari (&place&# &threshing floor&# or &battlefield&) and payattu (&e<ercise& or &practice&).
Influenced by both KeralaDs >rahminical past and %yurvedic medicine# kalaripayattu is
attributed by oral tradition to $arasurama. %fter some to centuries of suppression by >ritish
colonial authorities# it is no e<periencing strong comeback among Keralites hile also steadily
gaining orldide attention. 5ther popular ritual arts include theyyam and poorakkali ! these
originate from northern :alabar# hich is the northernmost part of Kerala. 0evertheless# these
have in modern times been largely supplanted by more popular sports such as cricket# kabaddi#
soccer# badminton# and others. Kerala is home of the football clubs @iva Kerala and ;C Kochin.
Literature
:alayalam literature is ancient in origin# and includes such figures as the )Bth century 0iranam
poets (:adhava $anikkar# 3ankara $anikkar and ?ama $anikkar)# hose orks mark the dan
of both modern :alayalam language and indigenous Keralite poetry. "he "riumvirate of poets
(KavithrayamE Kumaran %san# @allathol 0arayana :enon and 4lloor 3. $aramesara Iyer) are
recogni8ed for moving Keralite poetry aay from archaic sophistry and metaphysics and toards
a more lyrical mode. 1ater# such contemporary riters as >ooker $ri8e inner %rundhati ?oy
(hose )AAF semi-autobiographical bestseller The God of Small Things is set in the Kottayam
ton of %yemenem) have garnered international recognition. ;rom )AG, to early )AA,s# a lot of
:alayalam 0ovelists and story riters contributed to the 1iterature of Kerala. "he contributions
from 5@ @iCayan# C@ 3riraman# " $admanabhan# 3ethu# $erumbatavam 3reedharan# Kovilan
have been remarkable. 3ignificant contributions from poets and song riters such as $.
>haskaran and 50@ Kurup have influenced contemporary literature. Critics such as : Krishnan
0air have added value by providing critical analysis on the books ritten during the recent past.
Calendar
Kerala also has an indigenous ancient solar calendar ! the :alayalam calendar ! hich is used
in various communities primarily for timing agricultural and religious activities.
Elephants in Kerala culture
"he elephants are an integral part of the daily life in Kerala. "hese Indian elephants are given a
prestigious place in the state/s culture. Elephants in Kerala are often referred to as the /sons of the
sahya'. "he elephant is the state animal of Kerala and is featured on the emblem of the
9overnment of Kerala.
Sarpa Kavu (Sacred Grove of the Serpent)
3arpa Kavu (meaning Sacred Grove of the Serpent) is a typically small traditional grove of trees
seen in the Kerala state of 3outh India. "hese pristine groves usually have representations of
several aga Devatas (serpent gods)# hich ere orshipped by the Coint families or taravads .
"his as part of agaradhana (snake orship) hich as prevalent among keralites during past
centuries. It had been practised by E8havas# 0airs# %rayas and many other tribal# non-tribal and
costal communities all over :alabar Cost in south India.
Temple Festivals
Kerala has a large number of temples. "he temples celebrate annual festivals hich are not only
uni2ue to the region but sometimes have features that are uni2ue to each temple.