Besides
the famous backwater cruises in Malabar, you could experience
the marvels of culture rich shows like Theyyam, Kalaripayattu
and other local Malabar art forms in their traditional
settings while at Kadavu. These art forms are part of
the festivals that take place in and around the temples
between October to March. Off-site visits are also conducted
to the 'kalari' itself where you may watch the students
of Kalaripayattu in action. An evening tea at a traditional
Hindu home in Kozhikode is also arranged to enable the
guests to enjoy the Malabar culture and hospitality,
true and unspoiled.
Amphitheatre
for the Arts
A
one-of-a-kind amphitheatre carved out from the warm
rust laterite gives the resort something else to talk
about. You may watch the marvels of the rich Mappila
and Hindu cultural heritage of Malabar unfold here with
the grand expanse of the backwaters as a backdrop.
Oppana
It
is a culture rich dance form essential to the wedding
entertainment and festivities of the Malabar Muslims.
Maidens and young female relatives sing and dance around
the bride, clapping their hands. The songs of Mappilappattu,
are first sung by the leader and are repeated by the
chorus. The themes are often teasing comments and innuendoes
about the bride's anticipated nuptial bliss.
Theyyam
The
Ritual Worship of Heroes and Ancestral Spirits
Theyyam, also known as Kaliyattam, is the oldest ritualistic
temple art form in India, and one of the most spectacular
in its artistry and symbolism. Dressed in magnificent
costumes and tall headgear, the dancers dance to repel
evil spirits and transport you into another world through
culture rich mime, dance, and music.
Kalaripayattu - Mother of Martial Arts
This
form of armed, hand-to-hand combat is known as the mother
of all martial arts. It is an intricate blend of physical
agility, discipline of mind and spirit, and Ayurvedic
medicine.
At one time a graduate student of Kalaripayattu could
render an enemy motionless through the mere pointing
of
an
index finger. This practice is forgotten today due to
the tough discipline required. Believed to have been
introduced by Lord Parasurama who is said to have retrieved
Kerala from the sea, this martial art was taken across
to China by a South Indian Buddhist monk, Bodhi Dharma
who incidentally, invented Zen Buddhism
