Kanyarkali
Encyclopedia
kaniyarkali is a festival usually celebrated in March or April in many of the Kurumba Bhagavathy temples or Tharas (local meeting places) in the Palakkad district
of Kerala
, India
.
Though performed by Nairs, Kanyarkali depicts the life of the Malayalams
, who were one-time slaves and dependants of the feudal chieftains and jenmi
es of the Malabar area in Kerala. The accompanying folk songs also throw some light on the ancient feudal relationships. Musical instruments like chenda
, maddalam, elathalam
, and chengala
are used in these dances, and the costumes are very colourful.
Kanyarkali or Kanyaarkali is a performance that incorporates the essence of dance, drama, music, song, and martial skills. This is performed at Bhagavathy temples in the Alathur and Chittur Thaluks of Palakkad district. This art form is always performed by men at temples. Women are sometimes represented by cross-dressing
men who imitate the body language and way of speaking of women.
The Kanyarkali performances are conducted on four consecutive nights preceded by four days of Edakali and one day of pandhal urakkam before the arangu kalikal starts. Arangu kalikal are named for each day: Ponnaanakali, Valuvan or Valloan, Aandikoothu, and Malamakali. The four days of kali are concluded with a Thottam chollal in the praise of the Bhagavathy followed by Vattakkali at the arangu pandhal, deshavaazhi pandhal, and naadu vaazhi pandhal and concluded with a Poovaaral ceremony.
Kannyar Kali participants exhibit this art form for the Kerala groups in the Republic Day parade folk festival presentations in Delhi on January 26 of each year. There is a strict regimen of kanniar kali folk art which are handed down for generations and learned by the young boys and men from elderly proponents called Asaans. All the learning is handed down by practice only and no written records are kept of these contents and practice of art forms. There is gradual erosion of this rich art form as older generations wither away without fully handing over all the lessons of this art form. If no attempts are made to capture these art forms in writing, there is every likelihood that this art form may die out in due course.
, Pallavur
, Mudappallur
, Kakkayur
, Kattusseri (Alathur), Kunissey Vadavannur
, Tathamangalam
, Kozhalmannam
, Pudiyankam
, Nemmara
, Chittlancherry
, Cheramangalam, Ayalur, Athipotta, Vattekkad, Melarcode, Manjalur Kannanore, and Puthucode.
community, there are contributions and participation from all other communities in these celebrations.
The traditional dances start on the auspicious day of Vishu
, the first day of the month of Medam according to the Malayalam calendar
. The dances last for four days and are preceded by three days of Karivela
and Vattakali. The programme for each day is known by a different name: the first day’s program is called Erawakkali, the next is Aandikootu, the third is called Vallon, and the last day is Malama. There are more than forty "steps" or puratts for the four-day program.
The celebrations last for two weeks, and the final three days are the full night celebrations which consist of pooja, vela, caparisoned elephant accompanied processions, fireworks, and a number of staged dramatic events in which the life of various communities in the villages are depicted. These dramatic presentations are enlivened by rustic humour some times embellished with sexual innuendos. The local men of all ages participate in these celebrations. The women are mostly kept out of these activities except as devotees engaged in worship or as spectators of these dramatic presentations.
Palakkad district
Palakkad District is one of the 14 districts of the Indian state of Kerala. The city of Palakkad is the district headquarters. Palakkad is bordered on the northwest by the Malappuram District, on the southwest by the Thrissur District and on the east by Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. The...
of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
The Dance
The Kanyarkali (also known as Desathukali) are fast-moving, militant dances attuned to rhythmic devotional folk songs and asuravadyas. They are said to originate from the pursuit of martial arts when the region was under threat of attack from nearby Konganadu. Kannyarkali arose when dance and comedy were added to the martial training sessions. The dances may be performed in either the ritualistic Vattakkali style or the more relaxed Porattu style.Though performed by Nairs, Kanyarkali depicts the life of the Malayalams
Malayalam language
Malayalam , is one of the four major Dravidian languages of southern India. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India with official language status in the state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry. It is spoken by 35.9 million people...
, who were one-time slaves and dependants of the feudal chieftains and jenmi
Jenmi
Jenmi is the term used to refer to the landlords of the Nair and Namboothiris castes from Kerala. In the past the majority, if not all the land was owned by these Jenmimar , and it was not unusual for an aristocratic family to own up to of land...
es of the Malabar area in Kerala. The accompanying folk songs also throw some light on the ancient feudal relationships. Musical instruments like chenda
Chenda
The Chenda is a cylindrical percussion instrument used widely in the state of Kerala, and Tulu Nadu of Karnataka State in India. In Tulu Nadu it is known as Chande....
, maddalam, elathalam
Elathalam
Elathalam, or Ilathalam, is a metallic musical instrument which resembles a miniature pair of cymbals. This instrument from Kerala in southern India is completely made out of bronze and has two pieces in it....
, and chengala
Chengala
Chengala is a village in Kasaragod district in the state of Kerala, India.-Demographics: India census, Chengala had a population of 13888 with 6956 males and 6932 females....
are used in these dances, and the costumes are very colourful.
Kanyarkali or Kanyaarkali is a performance that incorporates the essence of dance, drama, music, song, and martial skills. This is performed at Bhagavathy temples in the Alathur and Chittur Thaluks of Palakkad district. This art form is always performed by men at temples. Women are sometimes represented by cross-dressing
Cross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
men who imitate the body language and way of speaking of women.
The Kanyarkali performances are conducted on four consecutive nights preceded by four days of Edakali and one day of pandhal urakkam before the arangu kalikal starts. Arangu kalikal are named for each day: Ponnaanakali, Valuvan or Valloan, Aandikoothu, and Malamakali. The four days of kali are concluded with a Thottam chollal in the praise of the Bhagavathy followed by Vattakkali at the arangu pandhal, deshavaazhi pandhal, and naadu vaazhi pandhal and concluded with a Poovaaral ceremony.
Kannyar Kali participants exhibit this art form for the Kerala groups in the Republic Day parade folk festival presentations in Delhi on January 26 of each year. There is a strict regimen of kanniar kali folk art which are handed down for generations and learned by the young boys and men from elderly proponents called Asaans. All the learning is handed down by practice only and no written records are kept of these contents and practice of art forms. There is gradual erosion of this rich art form as older generations wither away without fully handing over all the lessons of this art form. If no attempts are made to capture these art forms in writing, there is every likelihood that this art form may die out in due course.
Locations
Kanyar Kali festivals are largely in locations throughout Palakkad District—in Manjalur, PallassenaPallassena
Pallassena or Pallassana is a village in the Palakkad District of Kerala state, South India, close to Kollengode and Koduvayur. It is beside the river Gayatri, one of the tributaries of Bharatapuza...
, Pallavur
Pallavur
Pallavur is situated in Pallassena Panchayat, Chittur Taluk, Palakkad district of Kerala. It is 20 km away from Palakkad town, on the way to Nemmara. This place is famous for its Siva Temple and the traditional keralite percussion maestros, late Pallavur Trio, who were synonymous with the...
, Mudappallur
Mudappallur
Mudappallur is a village in the Palakkad district of the state of Kerala in India. It is a small locality comes under the Vandazhi-II village. Mudappallur's Postal Index Number is 678705.-Demographics:...
, Kakkayur
Kakkayur
Kakkayur is a small village town between Koduvayur, Pallavur and Kunisseri in Palakkad district of Kerala state, south India.Kakkayur is on the Palakkad Nemmara route about 13 km from Palakkad town. It is part of Koduvayur Grama Panchayat. There is an Upper Primary School run by private management...
, Kattusseri (Alathur), Kunissey Vadavannur
Vadavannur
Vadavannur is a predominantly agricultural village in Chittur Taluk in the Palakkad District of Kerala, India. Vadavannur is also a Panchayat. Neighbouring Panchayats of Vadavannur are Kollengode, Puthunagaram, and Pallasena.- Pictures of Vadavannur :...
, Tathamangalam
Tathamangalam
Tattamangalam is a part of Chittur-Tattamangalam municipality in Palakkad district of Kerala, in South India, spread over an area of 33.57 km2. It was a part of the princely state of Cochin before India received independence from Britain...
, Kozhalmannam
Kozhalmannam
-External links:* * * * *...
, Pudiyankam
Pudiyankam
Puthiyankam is a small village in Alathur Taluk, located in the Palakkad district of Kerala state, southern India. The actual spelling is "Puthiyankam", although name "Pudiyankam" is being used by the Postal Department. This small village is situated about 18km from Palakkad town, on the route to...
, Nemmara
Nemmara
Nemmara is a predominantly rural village in the Palakkad district of the state of Kerala in India. Nemmara and Vallangi form the two parts of this village.-Location:...
, Chittlancherry
Chittlancherry
Chittlancherry, also known as Chittilamchery or Chittlamcherry, is a village in the Palakkad district of Kerala. It is under the administration of Melarcode Panchayth in Alathur Taluk.-Origin of Name:...
, Cheramangalam, Ayalur, Athipotta, Vattekkad, Melarcode, Manjalur Kannanore, and Puthucode.
Festival
Even though this festival is essentially that of the NairNair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
community, there are contributions and participation from all other communities in these celebrations.
The traditional dances start on the auspicious day of Vishu
Vishu
Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala, usually on April 14 of the Gregorian calendar. This occasion signifies the Sun's transit into the Mesha Raasi , according to Indian astrological calculations, and represents the vernal equinox...
, the first day of the month of Medam according to the Malayalam calendar
Malayalam calendar
Malayalam calendar is a solar and sidereal Hindu calendar used in Kerala, India. The origin of the calendar has been dated as 825 CE....
. The dances last for four days and are preceded by three days of Karivela
Karivela
Karivela is a festival in which many volunteers paint in black with charcoal and walk through the streets, this festival is conducted as part of other festivals, like Nemmara Vela, Kuthira Vela etc. These men usually controls the people who come to watch the festival. Kari Vela is usually seen in...
and Vattakali. The programme for each day is known by a different name: the first day’s program is called Erawakkali, the next is Aandikootu, the third is called Vallon, and the last day is Malama. There are more than forty "steps" or puratts for the four-day program.
The celebrations last for two weeks, and the final three days are the full night celebrations which consist of pooja, vela, caparisoned elephant accompanied processions, fireworks, and a number of staged dramatic events in which the life of various communities in the villages are depicted. These dramatic presentations are enlivened by rustic humour some times embellished with sexual innuendos. The local men of all ages participate in these celebrations. The women are mostly kept out of these activities except as devotees engaged in worship or as spectators of these dramatic presentations.
Velichchappad or the Oracle
Velichchappad, or oracle, is an important entity in these celebrations, and it is not unusual for the velichchappad to express the emotions of the gods with the villagers. When the velichchappad expresses his unhappiness or anger with the villagers for their lack of worship activities, additional poojas are conducted on the advice of the oracle's pronunciations. It is assumed that the Bhagavathy or the Goddess enters the bodies of the velichchappad, the pronouncements are those of the Bhagavathy, and, accordingly, great reverence is given to fulfill the "kalpana" (the desires of the Bhagavathy).External links
- links of Live kanyarkali performances recorded
- links of Kanyarkali videos produced by Vinod Vadassery Productions
- Kanniyaar Kali-A Blog
- An article related to Kanniyaar Kali-1
- An article related to Kanniyaar Kali-2
- An article related to Kanniyaar Kali-3
- Kanyar - Porrattu Kali Photos Part 2
- Old (1966) Kanyar Kali Announcement
