THAVALA KALI
Thavalakali
is a tribal dance in which a number of participants, usually
boys, jump one above the other in succession, imitating the
leaps of the frog.
KOORAN KALI
Koorankali is
another tribal dance which is similar to Mankali. Hear one man
takes the role of a wild bear with another enacting the role
of hunting dog. The movements are perfectly timed to the rhythmic
beats of primitive drums. While this is going on, the large
number of onlookers who form a circle round the two dancers,
shout wild cries of joy with the occasional clapping of hands
and jerky dances.
EDAYA NRITHAM
Edaya Nritham is
the dance of the tribal shepherds. Both men and women participate.
One of the shepherds sing. This is repeated in chorus by all
the rest. As the singing is going in, one of them imitate
the special sounds of shepherds driving their sheep. The dance
as such consists of someone of the group crying successively
to imitate the wild animals that try to attack the sheep and
also the thief who tries to robe them while the other members
of the group very adeptly bring out the terror on the faces
of the lamps and their mournful walings.
NAIKAR KALI
Naikar Kali is
popular among the tribes in Wyanad and Malappuram districts.
It is more ritualistic than entertainment oriented. This is
performed as pooja to family deities and during marriages.
When the instruments, Thappu and Kuzhal start playing, the
naikars begins their performance. With jingling anklets round
their legs, they dance round in clock-wise and anti-clockwise
movements to the accompaniment of the instruments. In between
they shout 'Hoy Hoy'. Thappu and Kuzhal are the musical instruments
used.
MUDIYATTOM
Mudiyattom,
also known as Neelilyattom, is a tribal dance in which only
women partake. The women stand on small wooden blocks and the
dance begins with slow and simple movements of the body which
culminate in graceful movements of the head. The uncombed hair
of the participants flow down and swing in rhythmic waves. The
instruments used are Karu, maram, para, kakkaro etc.
GADHIKA
Gadhika
is a ritual dance performed by Adiya tribes of Wayanad district.
The art from is meant to care ailments. The performance is
also done as part of a ritual for having a safe delivery of
child. Gadhika begins with the principal performer invoking
lord Siva for his help to cure the patients. Central to the
ritual is the belief that a person falls sick when the gods
are angry. The prayers are in a strange dialect, which has
a pronounced Kannada diction. Once Lord Siva was brought down
to earth and he was pleades by the invocations of the worshippers.
The other gods, goddesses were enrolled by the performance.
These gods include Chamundi, Maniamma, Malankali (Siva) and
Karinkali. Simultaneously other actors dressed in colourful
costumes also move centralistic which is titled with a small
structure that resembles a temple. The participants include
men dressed as women whose function is to welcome the gods
and goddesses arriving in response to the summons from Siva.
Gadhika is usually performed during the month of Mithunam,
which falls in June-July period. The participants go to houses
from which they had received invitations, conduct rituals,
collect the oblations and offer them to gods at a ceremony
conducted on the banks of a river.
