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Indian Performers Stage Kathakali Dance In Nepal On 79th Independence Day Of India

Indian artists led by N. Ramankutty perform Kathakali, a traditional dance performed especially in the Indian state of Kerala, in Lalitpur, Nepal, on August 15, 2025, on the occasion of the 79th Independence Day of India. Kathakali, as a dance form popular today, evolves from many social and religious theatrical forms that existed in the southern region of India in ancient times. Kathakali is a blend of dance, music, and acting and dramatizes stories, which are mostly adapted from the Indian epics. It is a stylized art form where the four aspects of abhinaya--angika, aharya, vachika, satvika--and the nritta, nritya, and natya aspects are combined perfectly. The dancer expresses themselves through codified hasta-mudras and facial expressions, closely following the verses that are sung. Kathakali derives its textual sanction from Balarama Bharatam and Hastalakshana Deepika. Kathakali is a visual art where aharya, costume, and make-up are suited to the characters, as per the tenets laid down in the Natya Shastra. The characters are grouped under certain clearly defined types like the pacha, kathi, thadi, kari, or minukku. The face of the artist is painted to appear as though a mask is worn. The lips, eyelashes, and eyebrows are made to look prominent. A mixture of rice paste and lime is applied to make the chutti on the face, which highlights the facial make-up. Kathakali dance is chiefly interpretative. The characters in a Kathakali performance are broadly divided into satvika, rajasika, and tamasika types. Satvika characters are noble, heroic, generous, and refined. In pacha, green color dominates, and kirita (headgear) is worn by all. Krishna and Rama wear special crowns decorated with peacock feathers. The noble characters like Indra, Arjun, and the Devas are some of the pacha characters. The kathi type depicts anti-heroes. Though they are of the rajasika category, they are sometimes great warriors and scholars such as Ravana, Kamsa, and Sisupala, to name a few.

Photo Details

Photo ID	#12646501
Date Taken	15 August 2025
Location	N/A
Photographer	Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto
Category	Human Interest
Copyright	© 2025 NurPhoto - Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto

Related Keywords

Indian artists N. Ramankutty Kathakali traditional dance Kerala Lalitpur Nepal 79th Independence Day India 15 August 2025 dance form social forms religious forms southern India ancient times blend of dance music acting dramatizes stories Indian epics stylized art abhinaya angika aharya vachika satvika nritta nritya natya hasta-mudras facial expressions Balarama Bharatam Hastalakshana Deepika visual art costume make-up Natya Shastra pacha kathi thadi kari minukku mask rice paste lime chutti interpretative satvika rajasika tamasika noble characters heroic generous refined green colour kirita headgear Krishna Rama peacock feathers Indra Arjun Devas anti-heroes great warriors scholars Ravana Kamsa Sisupala.

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