Kathakali Lamp

A exceptional oil lamp used during Kathakali performances.

Kathakali means a story play or a dance drama rooted in the soil of Kerala. The most outstanding feature of Kathakali is its dramatic quality even though the characters dance drama is rooted in the soil of Kerala, even though the characters never speak. Kathakali uses highly developed hand gesture language which enhances the facial expressions and unfolds the text of the drama. The language of the eyes assumes a vitally important role in Kathakali. The themes of Kathakali are drawn from the two Indian epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, as well as the Puranas.

The lamp is conceived as the vehicle through which the divine can be accessed. Lamps are used in rituals within the domestic realm, as well as religious or temple settings, in order to propitiate the gods. There are innumerable ways in which lamps are employed depending on the specific location and society. Within the more private setting of the home, the lamp is used in Hindu practice to activate the presence of the deity with the arati ritual – the moving of a lamp, held on a plate, in a circular fashion in front of an image. This allows the devotee to acknowledge and to accept blessings.