THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state capital is set to celebrate Kerala’s vibrant cultural heritage with a unique festival that promises to showcase some of the state’s rare folk art.

The four-day Kerala Folk Festival from December 27 to 30 will bring together folk artists from various parts of Kerala and also offer audiences an opportunity to witness the cultural extravaganza unfolding at Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan. Many folk forms that are rare and on the verge of extinction will be performed at the fest. ‘Charadupinnikkali’, a centuries-old dying art from southern Kerala, will be one of them.

“(The fest is) A great opportunity for us to showcase the art. We rarely get such opportunities to perform. Lately, we got to perform at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple and Nishagandhi auditorium,” said Prabalakumari, who has been performing ‘Charadupinnikkali’ since she was five.

‘Vilpattu’, a ritual art form of southern Travancore, will also be performed at the event. “Vilpaatu is one folk art that has been constantly ignored. Once it was a part of many school programmes. Now, it needs to reach to a wider audience,” said Suresh Vittiyaram, a 2020 folklore academy award winner.

‘Seethakali’, a prominent tribal art of Deshinganad, is also on the list. “Many art forms did not get due importance following the advent of TV and other forms of entertainments. Crowd-pullers like ganamela are more popular these days,” said Jayakumar C R, a folklore academy award winner associated with Perinad Seethakali Academy.

The festival will kick off at 6.30 pm on Friday, December 27, with a ‘Charadupinnikkali’ performance by Megha Ranjith and team. It will be followed by Vilpattu, a traditional art form known for its narrative style and rhythmic chants, at 7.30 pm.

On December 28, the spotlight will be on Kanyarkali performed by Dinesh Koduvayoor and team at 6 pm. The vibrant and energetic performance will be followed by Mulasangeetham, an ancient musical tradition, at 7pm.

The festival will continue on December 29 with Nattumalayalam performance at 6 pm. Known for its earthy and authentic expressions, the folk art reflects the life and spirit of Kerala’s rural communities.

The grand finale on December 30 will feature Seethakali, a traditional dance-drama by Perinad Seethakali Academy at 6 pm. Rooted in mythology, the folk art is a rare spectacle in today’s fast-paced world.

On verge of extinction

Many rare folk forms and on the verge of extinction will be performed at the fest. They include:

• ‘Charadupinnikkali’, a centuries-old dying art from southern Kerala

• ‘Vilpattu’, a ritual art form of southern Travancore

• ‘Seethakali’, a prominent tribal art of Deshinganad