Kathakali Performance (Kochi)
കഥകളി
Kerala's classical dance-drama, dating from the 17th century. Performers tell epic tales through exaggerated face paint, hand gestures and eye movements, and Kochi's theaters stage visitor shows with makeup sessions every night.
Kathakali, meaning “story play,” is a classical dance-drama that took shape in Kerala in the 17th century. Performers do not speak. Instead, they convey stories from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana through 24 basic hand gestures (mudras), facial expressions and eye movements, accompanied by drums and singers who narrate. The colors of the face paint distinguish the characters. Green signals noble heroes and gods, red beards mark demons, and black is for hunters and forest dwellers. Applying the elaborate makeup with natural pigments takes 2 to 3 hours, and the headdresses and skirts weigh several kilograms. Traditional performances were staged all night in front of temples, while visitor shows are shortened to 1.5 to 2 hours. In Fort Kochi, the Kerala Kathakali Centre on KB Jacob Road puts on a show nightly, with makeup at 17:00 and performance at 18:00, and tickets costing about 500 rupees. The Cochin Cultural Centre and Greenix Village also stage performances. The first hour before the show lets you go backstage to watch the performers apply their makeup, with English commentary. The performance then follows, with a demonstration of gestures and expressions and a classic story, most often Krishna slaying a demon or Nala and Damayanti. Kalaripayattu, Kerala's martial art, is often performed at the same venue before the show, with tickets sold separately. Tips: sit in the front rows to see the details of eyes and gestures, arrive 15 minutes early, and book ahead in peak season (December to January) and during the Biennale. If you are in Thiruvananthapuram or Thrissur, Margi and Kerala Kalamandalam, the Kerala Art College where you can watch students training, are more traditional venues.
Opening hours
Nightly: makeup at about 5:00 p.m., show at 6:00 p.m.
Nearby sights
- Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica
- Fort Kochi
- Aspinwall House
- St. Francis Church, Kochi
- Indo-Portuguese Museum
- Chinese Fishing Nets, Fort Kochi
- Dhobi Khana, Fort Kochi
- Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace)