On account of Dusshera, the institute was closed for 9 days. Dejected by the unexpected change in the plan I was wondering how we would spend 2 days in a remote location which did not have much else to do. Earlier, when we were on our way to Kalamandalam following directions of Google maps, we had almost got stuck in a narrow alley (it was a lesson not to trust google maps blindly to get to any destination). While we struggled to reverse our hatchback, We had notices loud drum beats coming from the vicinity. Knowing there was no point in waiting in front of the closed gates, we decided to go in search of the source of percussion sounds we had heard earlier. In pursuit of the drum beats, we had anticipated reaching a neighborhood temple. But the place we reached caught us by a pleasant surprise.

They say, Serendipity strikes when you least expect it. That proved so true in our case.

Just when we were brooding over our lost opportunity to visit the Kerala Kalamandalam, we found ourselves stood in front of another school of performing arts. As we entered the gates, we saw about a hundred people seated in an open auditorium enjoying a performance on the stage. Their heads nodding as if in a trance to the rhythm of the beats from Chenda (a cylindrical percussion instrument used in southern states of India) as the students performed on stage. The entire arena reverberated with the percussive beats.

A banner posted on a nearby wall indicated there were many programs planned for the day. Though we could not read the diction in Malayalam ( the language spoken in Kerala), we realized from the collage in the banner that there was a Kathakali performance that day. Hoping to find someone who would know English or one of the Indian languages we spoke, we went in search of the office. Many people we met in the auditorium smiled and welcomed us and tried to communicate in the local language which we did not understand. Finally, we met someone in the office who could understand and speak a bit of English. With hand signs and the little English he could manage to speak and understand, we learned that there was a Kathakali performance planned later during the evening on the same day. When I asked if we could see the elaborate process of makeup for Kathakali, we were asked to return at 2.00 pm when they would start with the makeup. 

 The time was around 10.00 in the morning giving us about 4 hours to wait in our hotel which was just 10 mins drive away. Instead, we headed out to roam along the country roads surrounded by lush green paddy fields and coconut trees. Those 4 hours we spent visiting some interior villages of central Kerala turned out to be immensely satisfying and interesting – not just because of the salubrious nature we roamed amidst but also because we ended up meeting some of the veterans in the ancient crafts of Kerala. I would leave those details to a different post.

That afternoon, we were back at the school right in time to witness the most elaborate makeup for Kathakali. We were directed to the loft of the office building. The entire area felt like a costume storehouse with the traditional costumes of various dance forms hung all around. We were told that 4 students who trained at the school were having their first stage performance that evening. The fact that all the 4 students were females surprised us further because Kathakali was mostly a male-dominated art form to the extent that even female characters in the performance were enacted by men. 

Did you know? The dazzling face of Kathakali that is ever so popular is not a mask. It is actually layers of makeup along with certain extensions attached to face using a cement of rice flour and lime. Also, the red eyes so typical to Kathakali performers is not a result of extreme fatigue. The eyes are deliberately made red by inserting a tiny and harmless seed of Chundapoo (solanum anguivi) beneath the lower eyelid. The seed infact helps in keeping the eyes cool.

 Three of the students were enacting as Paccha character which denoted nobility like kings and diving beings characterized with a green face. The other student was to enact a Minukku character depicting females or sages characterized by yellow face to highlight gentleness and high spiritual standing. The makeup artists were busy mixing natural dyes and herb extracts with coconut oil to create the colors for makeup. All the colors used in Kathakali makeup were made with natural ingredients to ensure there were no allergic reactions to the artist’s skin after staying on for many hours.

The facial makeup for Kathakali mainly consisted of two procedures. Theppu- the art of face painting using a thick paste made with natural ingredients, and Chutti- the art of beard-making. For Paccha makeup, the students lay flat with their backs to the ground as the Theppu artists carefully added layers of thick paste to form the patterns on their faces. They took several minutes to draw the outlines and fill most of the face with base colors of green, red, yellow, and white. The most important and the toughest part of Kathakali’s makeup was accentuating the jawline with a paste made of rice flour and lime and pasting the cuttings of papers to create the typical extensions to the face of characters. The beads of perspiration that collected on the forehead and nose of the girls clearly showed it was not an easy task to stay still with layers of thick makeup applied on the faces but their zeal remained unfaltered. I wondered what they would do if they felt like scratching their nose or jaw. Knowing better to keep the doubt to myself, I continued clicking pictures like a kid in a candy shop trying to take in as much as possible. The makeup for the Minukku character looked a lot easier compared to Paccha. There were no embellishments attached to the face besides thick layers of makeup. 

What followed was Uduthukettu– the elaborate process of adorning the layers of costumes. The space and lighting in the loft were determined not enough for wearing costumes. Also, it would be a challenge for the performers to take the stairs with their bulky costumes. So the battalion had to move to the courtyard downstairs. There were 3 people assisting each of the students in adding layers to their costume. To give the bulky look to the costume, close two dozens stiff cloths, each about the size of the gunny bag were secured to the waist with the help of a very long cotton strip of cloth. For every stiff piece of cloth that was added, the cotton strip had to be tied once around the waist of the student. By the time the two dozen stiffs were added, there would easily be about 30m of the cotton strip tied around their waist.

A layer of white pleated skirt was then spread on top of the stiffs to give it the bulbous look. With all those layers added beneath, the skirt looked like ball gown. I wondered why they did not consider using a crinoline. But then, with the language problem we had, how could I have explained a crinoline to them? Multiple layers of coats and jewelry were added followed by the elaborate headgear. Garlands were the last addition. I was told that most of the jewelry and the crown were made with light wood. However light the wood was, I was sure the whole ensemble weighed at least 20 kgs. The girls showed no distress as they went ahead carrying the heavy costumes with grace. Shortly it was time for them to get on stage for the performance. Close to 20 people had spent about 5 hours getting the 4 girls ready for their Kathakali performance. They all cheered as the girls went on stage.

The Minukku character performed first with a series of well-choreographed steps. As she moved across the stage gracefully carrying the heavy costumes, I wondered how effortless she made it seem. It felt like every muscle in her face dances to the music. Next, it was the turn of the 4 Paccha characters who were enacting the form of lord Krishna. They moved in sync to the rhythmic beats and songs. The result of many years of practice showed in the way their hands, feet, and facial muscles moved with purpose to enact the emotions associated with the character.

Captivated by their performance, I sat in the dimly lit auditorium like a deer caught by headlights. The disappointment that nagged me earlier that day was long gone. No amount of planning and preparation would have given me a chance to witness every detail of behind-the-scene happenings before a Kathakali performance. Neither would I have appreciated the Kathakali performance as much had I not known the effort that goes into making the performance happen. I thanked my stars for the fortuitous turn of events that conjured to make me part of a magical experience that culminated on the stage in front of me.

 That was the story of how I got lucky to get a view of behind the scenes of a Kathakali Performance in a remote town of central Kerala when I least expected. have you ever had such serendipitous events occurring during any of your travels? Do share with me. For, I’m all ears!!