Do you know a Kummatti?
Kummatti – A word that I heard for the first time in my childhood. “What is Kummatti?”, I asked myself. Is it some play or sport? Or is it a place name or house name or something else? I couldn’t get an answer till I saw a movie on Doordarshan during the inauguration of some art function at capital city. Kummaattikali is folk dance performed in Malabar districts and Thrissur during Onam season and its performers are known as Kummattis. Nowadays it’s most popular in Thrissur, the cultural capital of the state. Kerala is famous for its distinct art forms world wide like Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Kaikottikali, Kalari payattu, Thumbuthullal, Krishnanaattam, Thullal, Kaduva kali, Thiruvathira kali etc and most of them are more or less related to its state festival, Onam. It’s a traditional art form widely practised now also, though in remote areas. Let me give a small note on Kummatti – something related to Onam celebrations.
Folk arts of Kerala are widely classified into two groups - ritualistic and non-ritualistic. Ritualistic may be purely devotional done to please deities of Hindu mythology while the other one just add some sort of fun. Kummatti belongs to devotional ritualistic art forms of Kerala.
Stories of its origin
It’s believed that Kummattikali originated 150 years ago in a Devi temple of Palakkad district. Its main deity is Bhadrakali and later spread to middle Kerala, particularly the cultural capital, Thrissur. Another story is related to Vadakkunnatha temple of Thrissur. It’s believed that Siva, the main deity instructed his Bhoothaganam to welcome their banished King Maveli with special dance. That’s why the dance form resembles tribal art form a lot, though it’s not a tribal one.
What’s Kummattikali?
Similar to Kaduvakali (Tiger play), Kummattis also use masks to hide their identity. That may be the reason why it’s most popular in Thrissur. Here colourful masks wonderfully painted and depicting faces of characters belonging to Hindu mythology are used. Normally faces of Krishna, Ganapathi, Vishnu, Narada, Siva, Garuda, Narasimha and characters of Ramayana like Rama, Sita, and Hanuman are used. Sometimes, faces of hunters, kathakali and demons of epics like Kirathan, Darakan etc are also selected. Usually toothless faces are preferred most. Then their body will be fully covered with kummatti grass of pleasant smell and some leaves also added to get a bushy appearance of kummattis. Hence this art form is given the name ‘Kummattikali’. Some performers even wear skirts made of plaited kummaatti pullu also known as parpidaka grass– the grass used for its decoration. Even their hands will be fully covered with ‘Kummatti pullu’. The performers of Kummattikali move from house to house performing their folk dance and collecting money or small gifts like rice, jaggery as well as entertaining all people. Its themes are taken from Ramayana and it indicates communal harmony as people belonging to all communities irrespective of castes and religions take part in this folk dance, disguising themselves as Kummattis to entertain both kids and adults.
Significance of Kummatti
Kummatti has a great importance in Onam festival. They are going to home by home to know about his subjects just before Maveli’s visit on Thiruvonam. They are just coming to know if each home of Kerala is happy or not and are believed to be the representatives of subjects. They are often indicated as indicators of Deva – Asura wars of Hindu mythology.
How is it performed?
As I told earlier, performers go from house to house, performing for a little while and then move forward. Their dance is related to Thamma – the symbolic representation of an old woman walking with stick. It’s also believed that she is the mother of all human beings and other living things on earth. Her mask is toothless and gets attention most. Thamma is also known as thalla, meaning old woman. Rhythms are given by Onavillu, an instrument particularly used for dances as a part of Onam celebrations in Kerala. ‘Villu’ means bow and since this musical instrument with strings is bow shaped, it’s known as Onavillu. Wood of aracanut known as ‘Kamuku’ is normally used to make ‘Villu’ while its strings are made from very small bamboo sticks. When its strings are vibrated, performers start dancing according to its tunes and songs sung. It’s a dance-drama item telling stories of characters related to Hindu mythology and it has a lot of kid followers everywhere. It can said to be a street dance just for fun and entertainment, yet carrying messages of unity ad integrity and something related to festival season which both kids and adults love to perform. Though themes of this art form give first preference to Ramayana, Dharakavadam by Kali, Kirathavadam by Bhima and hunting stories related to Lord Siva are the next choices. Any how, it represents the victory of good over evil. Yes, kummattikali is performed both at houses and streets and no formal training is required. Even spectators can join the group adding more spices. If it’s played in homes, thalla will lead the performers. Also, this lady without teeth and brinjal ear rings makes everyone laugh. She is the main comic character around which whole Kummattikali revolves. Yet, ladies won't perform this art form. All are males, even the main entertainer of the group, 'Thalla'.
Masks are expensive too
Main attraction of this parade is its colourful mask which really reflects Kerala’s theater art tradition and something closely associated with Hindu mythology. It’s believed that initially, aracanut leaves and plantain stem were used to make masks before 150 years since its origin. Very often, seasonal agricultural products were also used. But later, from early 1940’s people began to make masks of Hanuman and old lady to be used for this celebration. It is made from a single wood piece. Jack fruit tree and hog plum are preferred most. Nowadays it cost around 2 lakh rupees and it’s often made by a group of people as whole and they are prepared months before the festival.
In the cultural capital of Kerala
Every year, more than 25 groups perform in the main town of both Thekkumuri (South) and Vadakkumuri (North) sides. Similar to tiger play, Kummatti groups also belong to different desams – Chembukavu, Kizhakkumpatukara, Chelakkotukara, Mukkatukara, Nallankara are some of them. Also, it will be innauguarted in each desams by some personality,
as a part of festival celebrations, in the witness of a large group of people. It’s conducted on Thiruvonam day evening. They even include spicy stories of Maveli’s re-arrival to Kerala.
Kummatti exhibitions of desams
I have already told, on the Thiruvonam evening, Kummattikali is held in the main town Thrissur. Before this function, different teams conduct exhibitions of their items known as Kummatti Pradarshanam. It’s nice to see Kerala’s traditional items displayed in an order and arranged manner. Before Thrissur Pooram and Tiger Play also, Thrissur desams arrange such exhibitions, truly dedicated to Kerala culture and its variety.
Kummattis at colleges too
Onam celebrations are a part of campus life and when they are organized so, along with pookkalam and vadamvali, kummattikali is also widely appreciated nowadays. It’s just a fun to add more colours to the event, to make everyone laugh and enjoy the festival mood.
Kummattis at temples
In Pudusseri region of Palakkad, where it’s believed to be originated, Kummaatti is a ritualistic offering in Badrakaali temple as a part of their annual celebrations of Malayalam month Makaram. Here, it’s preceeded by Tholkummatti, done by a group of children by making designs over their face using lime and rice. On the seventh day is the real Kummattikali. In Devi temple of Chittoor also, Kummatti is an indespensable item. In Urakam temple of Thrissur it’s conducted as Kummatti Maholsavam, just before Onam and again, it belongs to different desams participating in the celebrations.
To attract tourists
Art, culture and traditions of Kerala are loved by millions of people all over the world. That’s why tourists are coming to this state to take part in its celebrations. So, such functions are arranged to attract tourists to God’s own country, giving more preference to cultural art forms of Kerala.
Let me conclude
To take part in this art form, no formal training needed, nor it’s required that he should be a Hindu. But if his mind is filled with celebrations and love for this wonderful festival he can willingly take part in any art form to keep such rituals alive in hundreds of years to come.
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