PADAYANI: A KERALIYA PERFOMING ART

 

Padayani is a ritual art form performed at Bhadrakali temples located on the banks of river Pampa. According to the mythology, this ritualistic dance commemorates the dance performed by Lord Shiva and the other Gods to appease Goddess Durga, whose anger could not be quenched even after annihilating the demon, Darika.  Popular places where Padayani is performed are Kadammanitta, Kottangal, Othara, Kunnanthaanam and many other temples in south Kerala. It also deals with the unity of all people of different caste and religion. There is no caste discrimination in performing this art form. The theme is victory of good over evil. It is also said that the destructive anger of Goddess Kali turned into the goodness for the cultivation in paddy fields.

Though traditionally, it lasted for nearly two weeks, now-a-days, it is held for durations that are as short as a single day. Kolamthullal is the major portion of Padayani performance.  Kolam is a masque made by drawing images on the leaves of the arecanut palm. Wearing this Kolam, padayani dancer performs the ritual dance in devotion.These Kolam are representations of spiritual forces or divine characters, and are depicted with terrifying and spectacular face masks and head gear, painted in vivid colours like deep red and black, using natural powders.  They include the GanapathiKolam, the YakshiKolam, the Pakshikolam, the MaadanKolam, the KaalanKolam, the Pishachu Kolam, the Gandharvan Kolam and the Mukilan Kolam. Padayani is essentially a communal activity where villagers are actively involved in collecting arecanut palms and participate in the making kolam. Kolam thullal starts on the same day as the Kappoli. For the thullal, the thappu is the main instrument. The Chenda and the Kaimani are also used.  Padayani songs are very attractive.  Only those who have undertaken rigorous physical training and discipline in the traditional ways can take part in the Padayani ritual. A special diet regimen that allows for physical and spiritual cleansing is also to be followed prior to the event.

Usually padayani is performed in 7 days. On the first day, it starts with a ritual called chootuveppu.  In this ritual, lightening of chootu and beating of thappu, an instrutment used for Padayani, it is brought near the srikovil for the procession of Goddess Kali to the arena where the ritual is performed. After chootuveppu, the performance starts. On every night, the Goddess Kali is ascended from the srikovil and after the performance; the Goddess is descended to the srikovil. On the second day, it is believed that the bhoothaganas of Lord Shiva will come to attend the padayani. So they are welcomed by people. On the third day, they perform the Ganapathi kolam. Though it is really a Pishachu kolam but it is called Ganapathi kolam because it arrives first in all of the kolams. On the fourth day, there is a group of five kolams and they are Maruthaa kolam, Maadan kolam, Yakshi kolam, Pakshi kolam and Kaalan kolam. On the fifth day, it is adavi kolam. Adavi means forest. On this day, people cut trees and branches of trees are brought to the arena where they create a small ambience of a forest and the kolam climbs on the trees and breaks the branches. It is believed that by doing so all our sins of one year is washed away. After that a deepasthampam is lightened and trees are burnt. On the sixth day, it is called eda padayani. In this day, there are only few kolams. On the seventh day, it is the veliya padayani. On this day, there will be all the rituals and all the kolams like Yakshi, Pakshi etc. On the last day, it is Bhairavi kolam or MangalaBhairavi kolam. It is a concept of Shri Bhadrakali. After kolam thullal, from the kolakalam they go to the kuruthikalam and keep the kolam there. After that there will be a kuruthi. After kuruthi is performed, the padayani ends and the Goddess will be returned to her srikovil.

 Padayani in olden days were played by a group of people called kaniyanmars. They used to play padayani at houses as in those days padayani was not played at temples. Ganapathi kolam was played at those times to overcome evils that haunted children. In Maruthaa kolam, Maruthaa means another mother [maru thaai] with some evil character. Maruthaa is the little ones and they are like a drama. They are dancing to make fun along with the songs. The kolam is performed by men as well as children. Kaalankolam is the major attraction in padayani. This is about a child who is begging for his life with lord Siva, while death comes on his 16th birthday. At that time Kalan, the god of death, comes and he is trying to take the life of Markandaya, the boy. In ancient times, Yakshi was mainly worshipped as Goddess especially in kavu [small temples in villages]. In Yakshikolam, there are different types. They are Sundra Yakshi, Ambala Yakshi, Kaalan Yakshi etc. Yakshi kolam has more kolams. There is more to study about Yakshi kolam than other kolams. Pakshi kolam is to remove bad signs that come from birds. Bhairavi kolam is the dance to worship the goddess. It is the biggest kolam and uses many laths of the areca tree. The kolam is headed by more than one person due to its heavy weight.

 The kolams are made up with the laths of arecanut trees. Ganapathi kolam has only one lath. Kaalan kolam is of 16 laths. Bhairavi kolam is of 68 laths. Yakshi kolam is of 32 laths.

Colours used for the decoration of the laths are natural. No artificial colours are used. For yellow, they use turmeric powder. For red, they use red bricks. For black, they burn the leaves of mango tree and use the ash. Green and white are there in the laths. Normally they do not have facial make up because their faces are covered with decorated masks made of laths. But they have facial make up only for Kaalan kolam because the face is only covered up to the forehead. The colours used on the face are black and green.

The artists who perform padayani should take a fasting of 40 days before their performance. The thalam of padayani song is adantha otta. Padayani starts when the night falls down. Padayani is performed in the light of lightened chootu. The instruments used in padayani are chenda, thappu, thudi and kai mani. Earlier the instruments used were thira, perumbara, shankhu, chammatti, veena, thavil, udukke, thudi, para, madhalam, chenda, thappu, kaimani, kombu, kumbum, kuzhal, villu and kinnam. Padayani ends only at early morning.

 Padayani, as it is known today, has, apart from its artistic function, the function of relieving the social group of ‘spirits’ that malign body and soul. Each Kolam has a purpose and a meaning; its function is not individual but social.

Beyond the time being, the growing believes, rituals and behaviour  are the things which still sustain padayani. Padayani is the mirror of madhyathiruvithamkoor who believe in the purity of hereditary and tradition. With the challenges facing from the modern society, this art form should be conversed so that the tradition will live a longer life.