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Krishnanattam

Dramatic Genres

Krishnanattam is a temple art of Kerala, India. It is a dance drama that presents the story of Krishna in a series of eight plays, created by Manaveda, the then Zamorin Raja of Kozhikode in northern Kerala. The eight plays are Avataram, Kaliyamardanam, Rasakrida, Kamsavadham, Swayamvaram, Banayuddham, Vividavadham and Swargarohanam, and it survives in its traditional form at the Guruvayur Sri Krishna temple. It is a direct progenitor of the Indian classical dance drama Kathakali.

Facts
Place of Origin
Kerala, India, preserved at the Guruvayur Sri Krishna temple in Thrissur district 1
Notable Example
The eight-play Krishnageethi cycle (Avataram, Kaliyamardanam, Rasakrida, Kamsavadham, Swayamvaram, Banayuddham, Vividavadham and Swargarohanam), composed by Manaveda, Zamorin Raja of Kozhikode. 1
Defining Trait
Temple dance-drama presenting the story of Krishna across an eight-play cycle with elaborate costume, headgear and makeup conventions; a direct progenitor of Kathakali. 1
Connections

Form Of Genre

Drama, Genres
Sources
1. Krishnanattam (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Introduction, third sentence
    It survives in its glory at the Guruvayur Sri Krishna temple (Thrissur district, Kerala, India).
  • Introduction, closing sentence
    It is a direct progenitor of the Indian classical dance drama called Kathakali.
  • Introduction, listing the eight plays
    The eight plays are: Avataram, Kaliyamardanam, Rasakrida, Kamsavadham, Swayamvaram, Banayuddham, Vividavadham and Swargarohanam.
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