The Healing Art of Kathakali in Kerala
12th July, 2024In the lush, slow-moving landscapes of Kerala—often celebrated as “God’s Own Country”—nature and culture exist in perfect harmony. Serene backwaters reflect endless rows of coconut palms, mist drifts gently over the Western Ghats, and life unfolds at an unhurried, almost poetic pace. This is a land where ancient healing traditions like Ayurveda thrive, where temple rituals and classical arts are woven seamlessly into everyday life, and where every experience feels immersive and deeply restorative. For the discerning traveler, Kerala offers not just a destination, but a refined journey into tranquility, authenticity, and timeless heritage.
At the heart of this rich cultural tapestry lies Kathakali—one of India’s most visually striking and spiritually layered art forms. More than a performance, Kathakali is an extraordinary synthesis of storytelling, discipline, and devotion, where elaborately costumed performers bring to life epics, legends, and mythological tales through intricate expressions and precise gestures. Every movement of the eyes, every subtle shift of the face, and every Mudra carries profound meaning. Beyond its dramatic spectacle lies a lesser-known dimension—an intricate language of hand gestures that not only narrate stories but are also believed to enhance physical and mental well-being. In Kathakali, art transcends performance, becoming an experience that engages the body, mind, and spirit in equal measure.
Think Kerala and this iconic image of a Kathakali dancer immediately come to everyone’s mind. The extraordinary splendor of a performer in a brilliant costume and a mask-like face-do, who brings to life Gods and Goddesses, Demons and Spirits, swirling around with amazing energy in a dark and somber stage. Accomplished Kathakali dancers can move their eyeballs in 17 different ways, their eyebrows in 8 different ways, and their eyelids in another eight. For the uninitiated, Kathakali is a dance form indigenous to Kerala, colorful and dramatic in content and character. Scenes from Indian epics and mythology are the themes for the dance. But here is the interesting twist – each Mudra (ritual hand gesture) of Kathakali has a specific health benefit. And today I am going to talk about 10 such Mudras with terrific health benefits which Sarath Kumar, a Kathakali Maestro taught me during my trip to Cochin some years ago.“Eat light and you would need to wear a Mundu,” he had warned me. Just so you are aware Kathakali has over 1000 Mudras. There is a lot to take away from this interactive session; concepts behind the Mudras (ritual hand gestures), Eye & Facial movements as well as the colorful costumes of Kathakali and its distinctive face painting. I leave you with some photographs of my amazing 2 hours with the Maestro. Try it out. They are very simple and can be done by anyone, anywhere; in the bus, in the car while waiting for the traffic light to go green, on the train to work, while on the flight, office, or at home.
Mudras- Ritual Gestures of Kathakali and their health benefits:
Hamsasya hasta
The ‘Hamsasya Hasta’ in Classical Dance represents the shape of a ‘Swan’ and is also similar to ‘Gyan Mudra’ in Yoga which increases the memory power, enhances concentration, and prevents insomnia.
Trishula Hasta
The ‘Trishula Hasta’ depicting ‘Trishula/ Trident’ matches with ‘Varun Mudra’ which is claimed to balance the water content in the body and prevent pain caused by inflammation or shrinkage of muscles.
Mayura Hasta
The ‘Mayura Hasta’ symbolizes the ‘Peacock’ resembles ‘Prithvi Mudra’ that improves the complexion of the skin and helps to increase weight.
Simhamukha Hasta
The ‘Simhamukha Hasta’ typifying a ‘lion head’ is similar to the ‘Apana Mudra’ which regulates diabetes and helps to cure constipation and piles.
Kartarimukha Hasta
The ‘Kartarimukha Hasta’ represents ‘Scissors’ and tallies with the ‘Prana Mudra’. It removes vitamin deficiency and fatigue, improves immunity and power of eyes, and reduces eye-related diseases.
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