Kathakali dance:  Kathakali is a an ancient form of epic theatre that originated in Hindu temples in Kerala and depicts tales of gods and their adversaries as they are described in epic’s such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.  Combining facets of ballet, opera, masque and pantomime, this ancient form of theatre and dance is performed to the rhythms of Verdic chants and Chanda drums.  Elaborately-dressed actors with extraordinary make-up enact epic tales on a lamp-lit stage. This is a highly-technical skill and performers will have undertaken years of rigorous training.  The pre-dance ritual of putting on the intricate make up which can takes up to an hour, is also fascinating to observe.

Theyyattam: Theyyattam is the oldest ritual art form of Kerala and is practiced during the winter months throughout the temples of Kannur. These dramatic spirit-possession ceremonies have more than 450 manifestations, each having distinctly different costumes, make-up and music. This unique, ancient ritualistic folk art form is also a reflection of religious harmony in these parts, where some of the deities are Moplah Muslim heroes.

Kalaripayattu:  Kalaripayattu is a unique and magnificent art of physical culture and self-defence that is believed to have originated in the Vedic period about 5,000 years ago. It is believed that ancient Indian scholars have contributed six sciences, four Verdas, and 64 arts to mankind.  The art of fighting is an important component amongst these 64 art forms.   Kalaripayattu is the only form of ancient marital arts still in existence.  The CVN Kalari Sangan located in the suburb of Nadakkavu in Kozhikode is well known and gives demonstrations and offers 3-6 month training courses in Kalaripayattu.

Shri Purnatrayisa Temple Festival, Ernakulam:  Situated 12km south of Ernakulam, in the town of Thripunitra, the Shri Purnatrayisa temple hosts a seven-day festival in October/November which features various forms of theatre, music and dance, including all-night performances of Kathakali, the bizarre but beautiful ‘story-plays’ that incorporate all three. Inside the lamp-lit grounds of the temple, massive percussion orchestras playing Chenda melam accompany a majestic procession of elephants, decorated with golden regalia. This is a good opportunity to catch a Kathakali concert.  Although the temple is usually closed to non-Hindus, permission is granted to appropriately dressed visitors (men must wear a sarong and remove their shirt, while women should wear a sari).

Nercha Festival, Pattambi:  In early February, the Nercha festival, held in memory of Aloor Valiya Pookunjikoya Thangal (a Muslim saint of Malabar), is a delicious feast of vivid colours and vibrant music. The entire town of Pattambi, which is situated 60 kms outside Palakkad, is brilliantly illuminated with bright lights and intricate decorations as the stage is set for a magnificent parade of more than seventy caparisoned elephants, one of the largest pageants seen in India. The evening culminates on the banks of the river Bharathapuzha where, with the gathering of colourful floats, musical ensembles strike up, folk artists take to the stage and fireworks fill the sky.

Thrissur Pooram:  The Thrissur Pooram, which is held in the Malayalam month of Medam (April/May), is commonly regarded as one of the defining emblems of cultural Kerala. Introduced during the reign of Sakthan Thampuran towards the end of the 18C, this famous Pooram sees the staging of a contest, which is both athletic and artistic, between the city’s two geographical divisions, Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi. After two long processions in which the rivals attempt to outshine one another with sophisticated sights and sounds, the event reaches its pinnacle when the two trains meet, like armies on a battlefield, at the entrance to the Vaddukanatha temple. Two lines of fifteen majestically-caparisoned tuskers stand face to face, unfazed by the thundering rhythms of Chenda melam. This quintessentially Keralan music, which on this occasion features over a hundred hard-skinned, cylindrical Chenda drums, crashing cymbals and woodwind instruments, not only mesmerises the crowd but also provides the structure around which the whole procession progresses. As drummers drum faster to prove their prowess and trumpeters join the cacophony the noise and tempo builds to the climax: the kudamattan. In a dazzling display of strength, agility and timing those astride the elephants perform the synchronised and highly stylistic removal of headdresses. Amidst such scenes of splendour, celebrations continue well into the night until a spectacular fireworks display takes place in the early hours of the morning.

Southern Kerala:  In Varkala, Kathakali Performances are held daily at the Varkala Cultural Centre. The DTPC tourist office in Varkala also runs shortened versions of Kathakali performances. In Trivandrum, the Margi School of Kathakali dance and Kuttiyattam theatre in the Fort High School are popular venues.  Kalaripayattu performances are held at Trivandrum’s CVN Kalari Sangam at the Sri Padmanabhasvami Temple and at the P.S Balachandran Nair Kalari martial arts gym in Trivandrum.

Central Kerala:  In Fort Cochin, traditional Kathakali and Bharathanatyam dance performances are held at the Greenix Village down Kalvathy Road.  In Munnar, Kathakali dance performances are held at Whispering Glade - Kerala Arts & Cultural Munnar Centre.

Northern Kerala:  Kerala Kalamandalam, in Cheruthuruthy village in the district of Thissur, is the most-respected and leading school for Kathakali dancing in the state. Other indigenous art forms are also taught in the school that was founded by a poet in 1930 on the banks of the river Nila. It has played a crucial role in the revival of interest in Kerala’s ancient arts. A free arts festival takes place for a week every Christmas.  Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy situated in Chembukkavu holds regular expositions of theatre, dance, drama and folk arts.  An extensive library has many titles on the art and dance forms of Kerala.  Malapuram is famous for Hindu Vedic learning and Islamic philosophy and the temples and mosques are well known for their colourful festivals.  Kannur, situated far north on the coastal route, is well known for the ancient spirit-possession ritual of Teyyattam.  Traditional Theyyam performers invoke the temple deity with their frenzied dancing and throbbing temple music in the courtyards of village temples.