Karakattam is an ancient folk dance of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

usually dedicated to goddess

Mariamman Mariamman, often abbreviated to Amman (), is a Hindu Dravidian folk religion List of rain deities, goddess of weather, predominantly venerated in the rural areas of South India. Her festivals are held during the late summer/early autumn season ...

. As per

Tamil literature Tamil literature includes a collection of literary works that have come from a tradition spanning more than two thousand years. The oldest extant works show signs of maturity indicating an even longer period of evolution. Contributors to the T ...

, the dance form originated from a mix of Bharatham and other folk dance forms. It was often performed in festivals and fairs, and used as a means to pray for rain. Different variations of the dance form exists, including Karagam Puja performed in the

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

Description

Karakattam is an ancient folk dance of

which involves balancing clay or metal pot(s) on the head while making movements with the body. It is derived from the combination of the Tamil words ''karakram'' (water pot), and ''attam'' (dance). This dance is usually associated with the worship of

and played in festivals and fairs, and to pray for rain. As per

, the dance form originated from a mix of Bharatham and other folk dance forms.

Performance

The dancers balance pots on the head while making various movements with the hands and body. The pots may be empty or sometimes filled with water and are decorated with colorful flowers and leaves mostly neem, which is of medicinal and religious importance to the Tamils. The performer may sometimes carry multiple pots layered on top of one another. The art form was traditionally practiced by women, who wore saris. Men wearing make-up may join them sometimes as a part of the story line. In the 21st century, the dance has been subjected to significant changes. It has sometimes obtained a reputation for vulgarity with women wearing short skirts, showing of their midriff and bright make-up.

Variations

Different variations of the dance form exist. Sakthi Karakam is performed only in temples as a spiritual offering. Aatta Karakam symbolizes joy and happiness, and is mainly performed as entertainment. In Caribbean Shaktism, a tradition found among the

Indo-Caribbeans Indo-Caribbean or Indian-Caribbean people are people from the Caribbean who trace their ancestry to the Indian subcontinent. They are descendants of the Girmityas, Jahaji Indian indenture system, indentured laborers from British Raj, British India ...

of Tamil origin, Karakattam is known as Karagam Puja or Kalasa Puja. The tradition was brought by the Girmityas, indentured servants from the

Indian Subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...

. The practice takes place over three consecutive days and done as a dedication to the gods

Kamakshi Tripura Sundari (Sanskrit: त्रिपुरसुन्दरी, IAST: Tripura Sundarī), also known as Lalita, Shodashi, Kamakshi, and Rajarajeshvari, is a Hindu goddess, revered primarily within the Shaktism tradition and recognized as o ...

and Meenakshi. The festival also involves honouring other gods such as a puja for Mariamman before the procession, a river procession where offerings on a board are thrown into water as a tribute to Ganga Amman, and Kaateri Maa. The pujaris (priests) enter a trance state and honour the village gods Sangili Karuppu and Madurai Veeran through processions with various stunts such as whipping, putting hot camphor inside the mouth, and walking on hot coals before running to a pool made of milk. Other stunts can include piercing of the tongues and cheeks, dancing on sharpened machetes, and animal sacrifices are also made. The lotas are kept in the temple and consecrated accordingly, before being built with a

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (biology), family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, ...

, several layers of neem and oleander flowers. Three participants enter the Sami Aduthal stage and then two of them carry the Karagams (usually these two participants being boys before hitting puberty or women), and the other one receives the god Madurai Veeran and is dressed with a garland of oleander flowers and carries a staff topped with neem leaves.

In popular culture

Various Tamil films such as '' Karakattakkaran'' (1989), which featured a song "Maanguyilae Poonguyile" based on the dance form, and '' Padai Veetu Amman'' (2001) and Sri Bannari Amman (2002) showcase karakattam.

References

External links

Karagam performers

Karagam dance in Sri Lanka by Children
{{Dance in India Tamil dance styles Articles containing video clips