The Thiruvathirappattu,
a song typical to Kerala, reminds of the olden days when Thiruvathira
was observed as an occasion to celebrate womanhood. The song accompanies
Thiruvathirakali
a dance performed by women for everlasting marital bliss, on
the Thiruvathira asterism in the Malayalam month of Dhanu (December/January).
The dance is a celebration of marital chastity
and female energy, for this is what brought Kamadeva (Cupid of Indian
mythology) back to life after he was reduced to ashes by the ire
of Lord Siva, the Destroyer, one among the Trinity in Indian mythology.
Friends and relatives join together and the rituals
involve chewing of 108 betel leaves along with lime and grated arecanut,
undergoing fast and taking a dip in the village pond singing the
Thiruvathirappattu.
The sinuous movements executed by the dancers during
Thiruvathirakali around a nilavilakku (the traditional oil-lit wick
lamp made of brass), embody lasya or the amorous charm and grace
of the feminine. The dance follows a circular, pirouetting pattern
accompanied by clapping and singing. Today Thiruvathirakali has
become a popular dance form for all seasons and the rituals linked
with it are hardly observed. Also known as Kaikottikkali it is an
important entertainment folk art of Malayalee women during Onam
season.
Festivals
: Kerala is a land
of colourful festivals, which have a long history and tradition behind them.
Kerala's innumerable festivals however stand out because of their uniqueness.