Krishnattam Dance Kerala

Well, you must have heard about the classical dance form Kathakali. But it is interesting to note that the world popular traditional dance drama Kathakali also exists in another form, known as Krishnattam. Like other major forms of traditional dances, Krishnattam also has its origin in temples. As the name suggests, the dance form is dedicated to Lord Krishna. The Guruvayoor Temple of Kerala is the main centre where Krishnattam is practiced and given patronage even today. During the dance performance, the actors or the artists try to represent the various stages of the Lord Krishna’s life.

A Krishnattam performance is comprised of a series of play, which are eight in number. These eight stages of the dance form are as follows.

Avataram	Swayamvaram
Kaliyamardanam	Banayuddham
Rasakrida	Vividavadham
Kamsavadham	Swargarohanam

Each one of the above mentioned stages is dedicated to a particular phase or part of the life of Lord Krishna. Actors performing work extremely hard to depict these stages during the 8-stage play.

Historical Background of Krishnattam

As mentioned above, Krishnattam is practiced at the Guruvayoor Temple in Thrissur. The genesis of the dance form owes its credit to the Bhakti Movement. In the history of dance drama, Krishnattam has marked a revolution. In the earlier days, the dance form was inspired and based on Krishnagiti, a Sanskrit poem sung to glorify Lord Krishna. The ancient poem was penned down by Zamorin King Manavedan around the 17th century. Later, the whole performance was divided into eight specific stages to present different phases of Lord Krishna’s life.

King Manavedan was not only a researcher but also gave great patronage to forms of art. It is due to his devotion and support that Krishnattam is known to us. ‘Chakyars’ were known to enact the dance drama in the earlier days. The attire and the makeup of the artists were done so as to look like the popular Kathakali classical dance form. Krishnattam also absorbed in it many elements of folk art forms including Mudiyettu and Theyyam.

Lord Krishna’s story which is enacted in Krishnattam is actually taken from Hindu epics like Puranas and the Srimad Bhagvata. Music is an essential part of this dance drama. Musical instruments used in Krishnattam are Madalam, Iathalam and Chengila.

The Performance and Artists

Like Kathakali, Krishnattam too is an elaborate performing art. Dancers need detailed makeup to correctly present the gestures and movements. The success of the dance drama depends on how well the dancer(s) expresses these set of movements. Usually, Krishnattam requires a group of performers. The dance is performed to the accompaniment of music. Vocalists need to repeat the lines of the song so as to provide enough time to dancers. Repetition of lines helps dancers to express themselves in a vivid manner.

Books Published on Krishnattam or Krishnagiti

For a detailed study of this traditional dance drama, much has been written. Some popular books offering a deep insight include Krishnanattam (by A.C.G. Raja, 1988), Krishnanattam Krishnagiti (by P.C. Vasudevan), Krishnagiti of Manaveda (by C.R. Swaminathan and Sudha Gopalakrishnan) and Krishnattam (by Martha Bush Ashton-Sikora and Robert P.Sikora).