Kathakali, a classical dance form originating from Kerala over 300 years ago, has been performed for decades by artists from Ayroor Village in Pathanamthitta on the banks of the Pampa River. Their performances retell stories from Hindu puranas and even the Bible, making them a hit among the Christian community. After a 12-year effort, the village is now named 'Ayirur Kathakali Gramam', indicating the village's significance to the art form.
Raj, the third generation of a family of Kathakali artists and connoisseurs, started a District Kathakali Club in 1995, which prompted the Grama Panchayat to pass a resolution in 2010 for the village's name change. The process was cumbersome but was unanimously approved by members of the Kerala Names Authority in 2018, although the spelling of the village's name caused some delay.
The club's popularity grew as they taught school children dance mudras and held a seven-day festival every year to prepare and display Kathakali performances. The club is now setting up a Kathakali museum using a piece of land they had given up, costing around Rs 1.5 crore. The museum will showcase the dance form's exquisite costumes, makeup styles and how they are made. Artificial intelligence will also be used to show Kathakali's performances on demand to visitors.
In summary, Ayirur Kathakali Gramam's efforts have preserved the art form and made it accessible to a broader audience, making it a significant cultural landmark in India.
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