Keechakavadham (The Slaying of Keechaka) is a

Kathakali ''Kathakali'' (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: Kathakaḷi ) is a traditional form of Indian Classical Dance, and one of the most complex forms of Theatre of India, Indian theatre. It is a play of verses. These vers ...

play ( Aattakatha) authored by

Irayimman Thampi Iravivarman Thampi, better known as Irayimman Thampi (1782–1856), was an Indian Carnatic musician, music composer and poet from the Kingdom of Travancore. He was a vocalist in the court of Swathi Thirunal. His compositions include the lullab ...

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...

. Based on the

Mahabharatha The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the '' Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kurukshetra War, a war of succes ...

, it narrates an episode from the thirteenth year of exile of the

Pandava The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, aɳɖɐʋᵊ IAST: Pāṇḍava) is a group name referring to the five legendary brothers, Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva, who are central figures of the Hindu epic ''Mahabhara ...

princes, during which they stay in disguise at the palace of the King of

Virata Virata (, IAST ''virāṭa'') was the King of Matsya, a prominent figure in the Indian epic ''Mahabharata'', and the titular character of the epic's fourth book, '' Virata Parva'', which recounts the Pandavas’ year of ajnatavasa—incognit ...

. The Queen's brother, Keechaka, takes a liking to

Panchali Draupadi (), also referred to as Krishnā, Panchali and Yajnaseni, is the central heroine of the ancient Indian epic ''Mahabharata''. In the epic, she is the princess of Panchala Kingdom, who later becomes the empress of Kuru Kingdom. She ...

, who is working as the Queen's handmaiden, Sairandhri. Panchali tries to reject his advances but Keechaka presses on. This culminates in

Bheema Bhima (, ), also known as Bhimasena (, ), is a hero and one of the most prominent characters in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. As the second of the five Pandava brothers, Bhima was born to Kunti—the wife of King Pandu—fathered by Vayu, the ...

, in disguise as Valala, slaying Keechaka. "Replete with dramatic moments" from "The Hindu", 4 October 2018
/ref>

References

{{reflist Kathakali Indian plays Malayalam-language plays Plays based on Asian myths and legends Works based on the Mahabharata