The Performance

• The arangu keli, a period of invocatory drumming, played by the maddalam player, standing in front of the lamp
• The todayam, which essentially is a rite performed to propitiate the gods, but is loosely translated as 'beginning'.
• The purappadu, meaning 'going forth', an introduction in pure dance which in its original form was intended to introduce the main character of the play being performed
• The melappadam, a display of drumming by the two drummers accompanied by the gong and cymbals which lasts for over half an hour and enables the drummers and the singers to demonstrate their skills

Mural painting of different Kathakali characters exhibited at our theatre.