Parichamuttukali

Parichamuttukali is a martial dance form of Kerala practiced by Saint Thomas Christians (also known as Syrian Christians or Nasrani) who trace their origins to the evangelistic activity of Thomas the Apostle among Jews and natives in the 1st century. It is performed by men bearing swords and shields and follows the movements and steps of Kalarippayattu.

History

The origin of the art can be traced back to ancient days when Kalarippayattu, a martial art of Kerala, was in vogue.

Performance

The dancers are usually dressed in a white loin cloth with red wrist bands and sing in chorus as they dance. The performers dance with sword and shield on their hands. The group is usually headed by a leader called Asan around whom the rest of the dancers perform. The dance used to be performed as a religious offering but is nowadays gaining popularity as a Syrian Christian entertainment art.

Current situation

Currently both Parichamuttukali and Margamkali are included in the State Youth Festival of Kerala. This makes these art forms a competitive item in the Four-tier system (i.e. School, Sub District, Revenue and State level) Youth festival.

See also

• Margamkali