Among the many beautiful states of India, the south Indian state of Kerala stands distinct from the others for various reasons. Not only is this state blessed with abundant natural beauty, but is also equally rich when it comes to history and culture. It is one of the most culturally vibrant states of India and its culture is manifested in the form of various dances, songs, music, clothes, food, festivals and celebrations. Among the many forms of culture, the dances of Kerala are the most prominent and grand. Kerala dances are perfect amalgamation of music, drama and dance and carry thousands of years of legacy with them. These dances are usually associated with some sort of legend or an important temple festival and incorporate various ancient legends, gods and goddesses and their activities. They are an elaborate and grand representation of various mythical stories and mythological characters. They are performed during traditional festivals, the popular temple festivals, and nowadays even in different theatres all over the world. Some of the most popular forms of Kerala dances are Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Chakyarkoothu, Ottanthullal, Koodiyattam, Krishnanattam, Thiruvathiakali etc. They are performed by both men and women and is usually performed on songs that are sung by the performers themselves or another set of musicians. They mostly use traditional instruments of different types to perform these dances. Their costumes are very elaborate and they use different kinds of props for their performance. They are very expressive and the artists are masters of expressions. It is a perfect amalgamation of both bodily movement and facial expressions giving it a perfect form and presentation. Among the many dance forms of Kerala, the Kathakali is the most important one. This is one of the oldest forms of dance that originated in Kerala and incorporates various forms of opera, ballet, masque and pantomime. Today these dances have surpassed the boundaries of the state and have become famous on an international stage.
