Kathakali is believed to be originated in Kerala and is very famous dance there. In Malayalam language, the word ‘katha’ means story and ‘Kali’ means play. So, Kathakali is a form of narrating story while performing (playing) dance. The word Kathakali has been derived from the dramas based on ancient epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata composed in Sanskrit and Malayalam languages.

Males perform this dance. They wear beautiful plaited attires and artistic crowns. They show various facial expressions and the audience understands the characters that the dancers are playing. In this dance, the stage is lit only with an earthen lamp. So, the dancers come near the lamp and show various expressions. So that people can see their movements and recognize the characters they are playing.

Poet Shri Vallathod (founder, Kalamandal Kathakali) of Kerala, Kalamandalam, Krishnprasad and Shivaraman, etc. have earned great national and international fame in Kathakali dance.