Thiruvathira kali

Thiruvathira kali is famous typical form of dance in Kerala. The other name of this dance is kaikottikali meaning dance by clapping hands. The dance is in accordance with the tune of folk tale music depicting the long awaiting union of Lord Siva and Parvathi.

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The dance is being performed in a circular form. The ladies wear an off white saree with colourful border. And they tie their hair in the form of a bun and neatly adorn with jasmine garlands. Keeping a nilavilakku in centre, they dance in a circular form by clapping their hands. This dance is quite simple with attractive steps. Such beauty and grace can be seen in the dance when it is done evenly.

In ancient days, the neighborhood ladies join together and perform the dance in one of the big gardens of neighborhoods during festivals or other functions. But now this dance has become quite popular that it is being performed by children in school/college cultural meets, competitions and this being one of the main attraction in school / college Annual days. It is quite famous in Kerala.

This dance conveys the message of joy and depicting an emotional love of married woman to their men and a longing to have a caring husband by an unmarried woman.

Thiruvathira is the nakshatra or "star" of Lord Shiva as per our Hindu regional calendar. It is believed that on this day, the Goddess Parvathi finally met Lord Shiva after her long penance.

In Kerala, Thiruvathira is an important traditional festival along with the other popular festivals, Onam and Vishu. This has been celebrated by the Brahmin communities. These communities are those who don't eat non-veg. They are mainly dependent on vegetables only.

It is largely a festival for women; unmarried women observe a partial fast on this day to get good husbands and married women take a fast from the preceding day for the well being of their husband and family.They abstain from eating rice-based food in the fasting period.

They break the fast with a typical meal that includes cooked broken wheat and delightful mix of tuber vegetables. The dessert is payasam, a sweet dish made of arrow root powder, jaggery and coconut milk.

When I was working in school, this dance form was a regular one for our School Annual Day. Even today the dance is quite popular here in almost all the recognized functions i kerala. Some of the information regarding its origin and importance is from Wikipedia reference.