Margam Kali

Margam Kali

Margam Kali (Malayalam:മാര്‍ഗ്ഗംകളി) is one of the ancient group dance of Kerala practiced by Saint Thomas Christians. It is difficult to trace the exact origin of the dance form and the compilation of the lyrics, but the dance form was practiced by the Saint Thomas Christians before the arrival of Portuguese missionaries in Kerala.[1] There are several different opinions on the origin of Margamkali. Two are:

  • 1. It is derived from the early forms of thiruvathira kali
  • 2. It is derived from Sangam kali and the martial arts dance form parichamuttu kali.


"Margam" means path or way or solution in Malayalam, but in the religious context it is known as the path to attain salvation. The process of conversion to Christianity was known as "Margam Koodal" until recently in Kerala.

The Margam Kali pattu are akin to the old ballads of Hindu Malabar called Payannoor Pattu or the ballads in honor of Aromal Chekavar, who was the famous Ezhava hero. This also has similarity to the miracle plays of Europe, and similar social amusements of ancient Babylonia.

A dozen dancers sing and dance clapping around a lighted lamp ("nilavilakku") wearing the traditional white dhoti ("mundu") and blouse ("chatta"). The lamp represents Christ and the performers his disciples. The performance is usually held in two parts ("padham") and begins with songs and dances narrating the life of St.Thomas, the apostle. It then takes a striking turn with a martial play of artificial swords and shields. Margamkali does not use any instruments other than two small palm size cymbals played by the same person who sings the song. Though the art form was developed in the 16th century during the Portuguese trade and missionary era, the content of the songs date much before the Portuguese invasion. In the early days only men performed Margam Kali. Today women also perform the custom.

Currently both Margam Kali and Parichamuttukali 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. The Margam Kali is performed mainly by the women in cultural shows and by school children in competitions.[1]

  1. ^ a b http://nasrani.net/2009/05/04/margam-kali-history-theme-early-reference-and-modern-developments/

See also



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Nedumpally — or Nedumpalli is a family from Kerala. It has now Hindu, Christian and Muslim branches and the Christian branch is again sub divided into Catholics and Jacobites. Each branch has hundreds of member families.[citation needed] The Nedumpally… …   Wikipedia

  • Kerala — Malayalam is written in a non Latin script. Malayalam text used in this article is transliterated into the Latin script according to the ISO 15919 standard …   Wikipedia

  • Syrian Malabar Nasrani — For other uses, see Nasrani (disambiguation). This article deals with the Nasrani People as an ethnic community, for a detailed article on the religious tradition of the Nasrani people; see: Saint Thomas Christians. Syrian Malabar Nasranis …   Wikipedia

  • Culture of Kerala — The culture of Kerala is a synthesis of Dravidian and Aryan cultures, developed and mixed for centuries, under influences from other parts of India and abroad.[1] It is defined by its antiquity and the organic continuity sustained by the Malayali …   Wikipedia

  • Mangalamkali — is a dance ritual related to marriage functions as a form of entertainment. Usually Pulayas (a tribe in Kerala state of south India) perform this. Certain music instruments too are used like Para and Kannupara. The dance is very fast. Margam Kali …   Wikipedia

  • South India — South Indian redirects here. For other uses, see South Indian (disambiguation). South India …   Wikipedia

  • Chavittu Nadakam — Original Chavittu Nadakam costumes: Queen Brijeena from Brijeena Charitham play Chavittu Nadakam (Malayalam:ചവിട്ടുനാടകം) is a highly colorful Christian classical art form originated in Gothuruth village, Kerala state in India. It is noted for… …   Wikipedia

  • Arts of Kerala — The Indian state of Kerala is well known for its diverse forms of performing arts. The various communities in Kerala contribute to its rich and colorful culture. Performing Arts of Kerala Classified by community Hindu Arts * Kathakali * Theyyam * …   Wikipedia

  • Coastal India — is a geo cultural region in the Indian Subcontinent that spans entire Coastline of India. Coastal India Contents 1 Region …   Wikipedia

  • Coastal South West India — is a geo cultural region in the Indian Subcontinent that spans entire Coastal South Western India. [1]. The region was referred as Sapta Konkan region in the Skanda Purana [1] …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”