Thiruvathirakali Dance- Kerala

Thiruvathira is essentially women's festival. Ladies on this day worship Lord Shiva and pray for conjugal harmony and marital bliss. First Thiruvathira after marriage is called Puthen Thiruvathira or Poothiruvathira. It holds great importance for the women and is celebrated in style with lot of gaiety and mirth. The other very interesting facet of the festival is the enchanting Thiruvathirakkali dance performed by women on this day.

Thiruvathirakali also known as Kaikottikkali is a very popular group dance form of Kerala. It is performed by the women of Hindu community during the festive season like Onam and the Thiruvathira day in the Malayalam month of Dhanu (December- January). The dance is performed in order to attain everlasting marital bliss. The dance is performed around a nilavilakku a ceremonial lamp or a floral decoration. The dancers move in a circular pattern, accompanied by rhythmic clapping to the tunes of Thiruvathira Pattu. One of the performers sings the first line while the rest repeat in chorus. The songs are often the narrations from the popular folk epics.