Southern India - 12 February 2012 (3)

Kochi - Kathakali Dancing and Dinner

Applying Make-Up for Kathakali Dance

At 1800, we set off for a show of Kathakali dancing, where they were performing a scene from the epic Narakasuravadham.  When we got there, the two dancers, who were both men, were sitting on the stage and applying their makeup.  When they were done, someone came on and explained the story which they were dancing – although we had already been given a paper telling us the same.  Then he introduced another dancer.  Together they explained and demonstrated the different facial expressions, the nine emotions, the alphabet of the dance and how concepts like a beautiful girl and fish swimming were portrayed.

Applying Make-Up for Kathakali Dance

Then the actual performance started.  A stage hand and the interpreter held up a blanket and the two dancers came on in their costumes.  I was sitting at the far right, so I could see them before the blanket was dropped.  The costumes were quite fantastic.  The older dancer played the hero, but his costume resembled a dress.  The other dancer played the beautiful woman who was really an evil demon in disguise.  She didn’t seem that evil to me – she just seemed to be guilty of loving the hero.  But he broke through her disguise and cut off her breast, which wasn’t a nice thing to do.  As well as the two dancers, there was a drummer and a singer who were both very good.

Hero Flirts with Demon

After the dancing, we walked on to the Hotel Cochin Fort and went to the Thandoor restaurant, which was next door to the one we had been to the evening before.  The restaurant was full, but two tables were set out in one line so we could sit together.  I sat next to Andrew and we chatted quite a bit.  I don’t think I impressed as he went to sit with Diane and Guilland as soon as he was able.

Hero Recognises Demon

Service was slow as the restaurant was busy, but the billing wasn’t bad and the waiter made sure he got things right.  He had a sheet of paper with grids for each place setting and wrote our orders in the corresponding blocks.  Simple but effective.

Then we walked back to the hotel.  Bella came in for a few minutes with her scissors.  She cut my fringe so it didn’t keep going into my eyes, which was a big relief.