Padayani Carnival

Padayani is a traditional folk dance and weeklong ritual art dance carnival Kolam Thullal celebrated annually in the Bhadrakali temples  on the banks of the Pamba river  in  two districts Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha, in Central Tranvancore, Kerala in Kumbham ( April). The ancient Dravidian concept of god and mode of worship, offering  Rathi (lust), Raktham (blood) and Lahari (intoxication).

This carnival is the combination of dance, music, satire and painting. Padayani reflects the ancient socialist society before the Aryanisation and Chatruvarnya the Indian four caste system.

The percussion instruments used in padayani are Patayani Thappu, Chenda, para and Kumbham. Padayani origintated to eliminate all kinds of illness like chickenpox and it eventually it became a festival of the entire village.