KOCHI: Anyone who wants a taste of Kerala’s traditional culture should pay a visit to the ‘Greenix Village’ at Fort Kochi. This four-year-old village organises mock weddings for foreigners where they get a chance to wear the customary ‘set’ sari and mundu, followed by a sumptuous sadhya, with varieties of payasam and other goodies. The village also organises performances in Kalaripayattu, Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Theyyam, Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi, and concludes with a fusion performance. Art enthusiasts can see the elaborate makeup being put on a Kathakali artist. He is seated on a paaya (grass mat).“The artist, an expert himself, paints his own face, while a chuttikuthal (a white mask attached to the jawline) is put up by a makeup man,” says Sadanam Mohankumar,a Kathakali performer.Meanwhile, for those who have no idea of these art forms, a peep into the cultural museum would enable them to understand the Navarasas and the 24 Mudras. Along the stone corridors there are paintings by Onyx Paulose, an artist from Mattancherry. Another interesting place is the Kalari Square. Fenced on all sides, it is 40’ long, and 21’ wide. The Kalari player enters through a wooden entrance called the Kalari Kavadam. It is considered a sacred place.Mithulesh R K, a Kalari performer for the past three years in the village, says, “All movements has their origin in birds and animals. It starts with basic exercises, followed by the cane stick fight and the use of sharp weapons like daggers, urumi, swords, and shields.”Theyyam, a colourful performance, has its origin in ‘Kaliyattam’ a dance practiced by the tribal community of North Kerala. You can also see performances like Koodiyattam, a temple opera, and Mudiyettu, a ritualistic dance drama based on the Puranic story of Darikavadham.Tourists can also experience a herbal touch at ‘Thatva’, an Ayurvedic spa. Shopping at its curios shop and munching snacks at its restaurant are the other delights. T V Appu who makes pots, and K N Manoharan and V S Gopi who make bamboo articles charm their guests with their talents. Many films and advertisements have been shot here, the latest being a scene for the song ‘Mazhaneer Thullikal’ for the Malayalam movie, ‘Beautiful’. [email protected]
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