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Awakening a Mountain: Comic Brilliance of Kumbhakarna in Folk Ramayanas Across Asia
This essay explores how the waking of Kumbhakarna functions as a masterclass in hasya rasa across folk Ramayanas. It traces the episode’s classical kernel and shows how Ramlila, Yakshagana, Kathakali, Jatra, and Southeast Asian forms like wayang and the Ramakien expand it into an inclusive, communal highlight. Readers gain a clear view of the scene’s…
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Surpanakha Reimagined: Folk Ramayana’s Haunting Lament and Dharma’s Grey Zones
South Indian folk Ramayana retellings give Surpanakha a complex, empathetic voice that challenges simplistic binaries of dharma and adharma. This analysis explains how Yakshagana, Kathakali, and Kaliyattam frame her suffering as an ethical prompt rather than a narrative footnote. Readers gain a nuanced understanding of gender dynamics, humiliation, and proportionality in responses. The piece connects…
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Fierce Grace of Kali: A 1981 Russian Psychedelic Short Through Kathakali’s Talking Hands
This piece examines “The Talking Hands of Travancore” (1981), a Russian psychedelic short that interprets the Hindu Goddess Kali through animation and Kerala’s Kathakali. It explains how Kathakali’s mudras and abhinaya act as a semiotic bridge, translating the Kali–Mahisha motif into expressive movement. The analysis highlights cross-cultural collaboration, where Russian experimental cinema engages with South…
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What Bharat offers to the world on International Dance Day
Bharat is a land of diverse cultures and traditions, each with its own unique dance form. From the energetic Bhangra of Punjab to the graceful Mohiniyattam of Kerala, the colorful Garba of Gujarat to the soulful Sattriya of Assam, every dance form reflects the rich heritage and history of its respective region. However, amidst this…