Hindu Arts

• Kathakali
  Kathakali
  Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
  
  
• Koodiyattom
• Theyyam
  Theyyam
  Theyyam or Theyyattam or Thira is a popular Hindu ritual form of worship of North Malabar in Kerala state, India, predominant in the Kolathunadu area Theyyam or Theyyattam or Thira is a popular Hindu ritual form of worship of North Malabar in Kerala state, India, predominant in the Kolathunadu...
  
  
• Thira
• Theeyaattam
  Theeyaattam
  Theeyaattam also known as Theeyaattu is a traditional dance form performed by the peoples of Theeyaattunni and Thiyaadi Nambiar,a sub-caste of Ambalavasi community in Kerala of southwestern India....
  
   (Thiyyattu)
• Mohiniyattam
• Kutiyattam
• Kerala Natanam
  Kerala Natanam
  Kerala Natanam is a new style of dance that is now recognised as a distinct art form evolved from Kathakali a form of Indian dance-drama...
  
  
• Panchavadyam
  Panchavadyam
  Panchavadyam, literally meaning an orchestra of five instruments, is basically a temple art form that has evolved in Kerala. Of the five instruments, four -- timila, maddalam, ilathalam and idakka -- belong to the percussion category, while the fifth one, kombu, is a wind instrument.Much like any...
  
  
• Thullal
• Ottamthullal
  Ottamthullal
  Ottamthullal or Ottanthullal is a type of performing art from Kerala, India. The art form was created during the 18th century by legendary Malayalam poet Kalakkaththu Kunchan Nambiar...
  
  
• Garudan Hanging
  Garudan Hanging
  Garudan Thookkam is a ritual art form performed in Kali temples of south Kerala, south India. The people who dress up as Garuda perform the dance. After the dance performance, the hang-designate dangle from a shaft hooking the skin on his back...
  
  
• Kolam Thullal
  Kolam Thullal
  Kolam Thullal is a ritual dance form prevalent in south Kerala, southern India. It is customary in houses and temples of Bhagavathy, a female deity. It is performed at temple festivals and to drive away evil spirits from the "possessed" bodies. Its origins lie with the Tinta group of the Kaniyar...
  
  
• Poorakkali
  Poorakkali
  Poorakkali is a traditional dance ritual performed by men during the nine-day Pooram festival in Bhagavathy temples across North Malabar in Kerala State of south India....
  
  
• Mudiyett
  Mudiyett
  MudiyettuMudiyettu is ritualistic dance drama performed after the harvest of summer crops in Kerala.In 2010, Mudiyettu included in UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists...
  
  
• Kummattikali
  Kummattikali
  Kummattikali or Kummatti Kali is the famous colorful mask-dance of Kerala, South Malabar in particular. During the festival of Onam, Kummattikali performers move from house to house collecting small gifts and entertaining people. Kummatti dances are rampant in the Thrissur district during Onam...
  
  
• Kuthiyottam
  Kuthiyottam
  Kuthiyottam is one of the main offering at the Chettikulangara Devi Temple.It is a ritualistic symbolic representation of human bali .KaliGoddess KaliMain article: Kali...
  
  
• Thiriyuzhichil
  Thiriyuzhichil
  Thiriyuzhichil is a dance ritual performed by Pulluvas in Kerala to alleviate the fear of snakes, to appease the snake and to be blessed with babies. This is more popular in the districts of Trichur, Calicut and Palghat and it is performed in Hindu Temples and shrines meant for snakes. By...
  
  
• Kalaripayattu
• Mangalamkali
  Mangalamkali
  Mangalamkali is a dance ritual related to marriage functions as a form of entertainment. Usually Pulayas perform this. Certain music instruments too are used like Para and Kannupara. The dance is very fast.Margam Kali is an art form popular among the Syrian Christian community of the erstwhile...
  
  
• Marathukali
  Marathukali
  Marathukali is a variant of Poorakkali. Poorakkali is a traditional dance ritual performed by men during the nine-day Pooram festival in Bhagavathy temples across Northern Kerala , south India. Marathukali is a form of Poorakali performed by two parties competently. The ordinary play lacks the...
  
  
• Malayikuthu
  Malayikuthu
  Malayikkuthu is a dance ritual performed by the people of Malayi sect in Kerala, South India. Devakanni and Narada are two characters that comprise Malayikkuthu. Davakanni's costume consists of gold and silver ornaments, pleated cloths and doted dresses. Narada wears silver ornaments and other...
  
  
• Charadupinnikkali
  Charadupinnikkali
  Charadupinnikali or Urikkali is a dance form practiced in South Kerala. The play is performed holding the cords hung at the place of performance. At the end of play, the cords become a rough form of uri and later the uri is undone. This makes a part of Thiruvathira....
  
  
• Kothammuriyattam
  Kothammuriyattam
  Kothammuriyattom is a village folk art form of North Kerala, India. It is in fact Godavariyattom. Basically it is a theyyam with the image of a cow-face attached to mid part of the body. Usually a boy is selected to do this. Special hair work, face pack, and costumes accompany this. And paniyas too...
  
  
• Chakyar Koothu
  Chakyar koothu
  Chakyar Koothu is a performance art from Kerala, South India. It is primarily a type of highly refined monologue where the performer narrates episodes from Hindu epics and stories from the Puranas...
  
  
• Nangiar Koothu
• Sopanam
  Sopanam
  Sopana Sangeetham is a form of Indian classical music that developed in the temples of Kerala in south India in the wake of the increasing popularity of Jayadeva's Gita Govinda or Ashtapadis.-Etymology:...
  
  
• Thacholikali
  Thacholikali
  Thacholikali is a folk art performed during the 'Mandala Utsavam', forty-one day annual festival at the Lokanarkavu Bhagavathy Temple. Lokanarkavu temple is situated 5 km from Vatakara, a small town in Kerala state of south India...
  
  
• Sarpam Thullal
  Sarpam Thullal
  Many ancient family houses in Kerala have special snake shrines called Kavu. Sarpam Thullal is usually performed in the courtyard of houses having snake shrines. This is a votive offering for family wealth and happiness. The dance is performed by members of a community called Pulluvar...
  
  
• Pulluvan Paattu
  Pulluvan Paattu
  At olden times in kerala, the people were divided into different castes . A Pulluvan is a male member of low caste group called Pulluvar. The term pullu means a bird of omen. The term pulluvan must have meant ‘a person who predicts from the sound of birds’. There are many sub-divisions within the...
  
  
• Poothan and Thira
  Poothan and Thira
  Poothan and Thira is a ritualistic art form found in the South Malabar region of Kerala in India, in which people dance in costumes representing Poothan, Shiva's lieutenant, and Thira, the goddess Kali, to the accompaniment of drummers....
  
  
• Yakshagana in Kasaragod

Muslim Arts

• Oppana
  Oppana
  Oppana is a popular form of social entertainment among the Mappila community of Kerala, south India, prevalent all over, especially in the northern district of Malappuram.. The Oppana Pattu might have come from Tamil culture. The Malayalam word Oppana Pattu is the derivation of Tamil word 'Oppanai...
  
  
• Mappila Paattu
• Kolkali
  Kolkali
  Kolkali is a folk art performed in North Malabar region of Kerala State in south India. The dance performers move in a circle, striking small sticks and keeping rhythm with special steps. The circle expands and contracts as the dance progress...
  
  
• Duff Muttu
  Duff Muttu
  Duffmuttu is an art form prevalent among Muslims in Kerala state of south India using the traditional duff, or daf, also called Thappitta. Participants dance to the rhythm as they beat the duff. The tradition method of playing this is by standing in a u shape, then singing byth i.e...
  
  
• Arabana muttu
  Aravana
  Aravana muttu or arabana muttu is an art form prevalent among Muslims in Kerala state of south India, named after the musical instrument of the same name, which is a drumlike instrument or made of wood and animal skin, similar to the daff but a little wider and smaller.This is a more difficult art...
  
  

Arts Promotion Bodies

• Kerala Kalamandalam
  Kerala Kalamandalam
  Kerala Kalamandalam , lately renamed as Kalamandalam Deemed University of Art and Culture, is a major centre for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the southern state of India, with the special emphasis on Kerala. It is situated in the village of Cheruthuruthy in...
  
  
• Kerala Lalitakala Academy
  Kerala Lalitakala Academy
  Kerala Lalit Kala Akademi or Kerala Academy for Fine Arts is an autonomous body which was established in 1962 to promote art and artistic heritage, based at Thrissur in Kerala.Though the Kerala Government provides funding and support for the academy, the administration of the academy is designed to...
  
  
• Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy, Thrissur
  Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy, Thrissur
  Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi is located in Thrissur city, of Kerala, in India.It was established on 26 April 1958, inautgurated by then Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Its aim is to foster and develop Kerala dance, drama and music and to promote the cultural unity of Kerala...
  
  
• Kerala Folklore Academy
• RLV College Thripunithura
• Ammannur Chachu Chakyar Smaraka Gurukulam
• [Margi]
• Mani Madhava Chakyar Smaraka Gurukulam
• Painkulam Rama Chakyar Smaraka Gurukulam
• Unnayi Warrier Smaraka Gurukulam
• Kottakkal Kathakali Sangham

See also

• Music of Kerala
  Music of Kerala
  The Music of Kerala has a long and rich history.It is not the same as malayalam poetry although most of it is poetry driven. Kerala has a rich tradition in Carnatic music.Songs formed a major part of early Malayalam literature, which traces its origin to the 9th century CE...
  
  
• Triumvirate poets of modern Malayalam
  Triumvirate poets of modern Malayalam
  N.Kumaran Asan, Vallathol Narayana Menon and Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer are regarded as the triumvirates of modern Malayalam literature....