Kerala Village Known For Kathakali Renamed After The Dance Form

Pathanamthitta
Not just stories from Hindu puranas, but also the Bible have been performed for several decades by Kathakali artists from a small village, located on the banks of Pampa river in this southern Kerala district, earning it the right to link the classical dance form with its name.
After an effort spanning over 12 years, Ayroor village in Pathanamthitta will now be seen on the Indian map as Ayirur Kathakali Gramam an indication of the prominence given to the dance form known for its elaborately colourful make-up and costumes. Kathakali, which originated in Kerala over 300 years ago, combines devotion, drama, dance, music, costumes and make-up to retell the great stories of the past, mostly from Indian epics, using hand and facial gestures and expressions.
The idea is to show a Kathakali performance on demand to tourists or visitors to the museum as it otherwise takes nearly a week to prepare an enactment by artists, he said.