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'Katha' means story, 'Kali' means play. Thus its literal translation is 'story play'. The stories are based on themes from Hindu mythology, especially the
two epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
It is one of the oldest forms of theatre in the world and originated in the state of Kerala.
Characters are recognised on the basis of the colours used in their makeup. For example the green faced character is good
natured, red is the evil one, and the man with the yellow face plays a female's role as women do not perform in any part of the play. Actors and musicians
train for four to six long years, and usually each performance lasts for over five hours.
Photographer: Girish Menon
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