Margomkali Dance- Kerala

Margomkali is an ancient folk art form performed by Syrian Christians of Kottayam and Thrissur districts in central Kerala. The Margamkali is a ritual folk dance in which twelve people dance around a traditional oil lamp (Nilavilakku). The players stand around the lamp, at a distance of about three feet away from it. Their feet are positioned in V shape and hands are joined together in a prayerful gesture. Their eyes are intently focused on the lamp. They represent the twelve apostles and Christ himself is represented by the lamp. They perform the dance wearing the traditional white dhoti and a peacock feather on the turban. Earlier it was performed only by men but now a day it is performed by female dancers as well wearing white dhoti, chatta and neryathu – the three piece traditional Syrian Christian attire. The palms of these women dancers are reddened by applying henna.

The songs are not accompanied by music and the lyrics date back to years before the Portuguese invasion. The song is sung by the leader of the troupe called “Asan”, the rest of the performers lend the chorus. The Margomkali Dance is considered to be a religious dance of Christians and is almost a compulsory performance in Syriac Christian weddings.