Karakattam dance

Description

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Context: The Kerala Nattukala Kshema Sabha (KNKS), an outfit that works for the promotion of local art forms in the state, has demanded that Karakattam (also known as Kumbakkali in certain parts) be recognised as the agricultural art form of Kerala.

About Karakattam:

It is a form of folk dance performed at festivals, conferences, roadshows and primarily at Mariamman festivals.
It is one of the many creative traditions that owe their existence to Mariamman, the rain goddess.
The dance form has undergone radical change and adaptation in recent years.
Karakattam and agriculture link: Mariamman pooja is held in the month of Medam after Makarakkoythu (harvest season) in Kerala, and Mariamman is considered to be the goddess of rain.
Social significance: It is also about reversing the caste dominance. Men and women perform Bharatanatyam on tall stages and receive applause from the elite class.
Prominent regions: It is mostly famous in Tamil Nadu, it’s performed in different parts of Kerala as well.
Highlights of Karakattam:
- Performances are characterised by a lot of swaying movements and joyous banter. It requires a lot of practice and dedication. Three tiers of flower arrangements of different colours sit on top of a container filled to the brim with either water, rice, or soil. All of this is balanced on the head of a Karakattam dancer while he or she dances.
- Other highlights include blowing fire, inserting needles into eyes, and keeping balance while holding a bottle parallel to the ground on the performer’s back.