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Kerala has served as a melting pot of cultures from the orient and the occident. People from the world over have converged on her beaches giving birth to the most myriad of colour and flavours to the life of the people here.
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| The Major Dances of Kerala are |
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| Koodiayatam: |
The dance form is over three thousand years old and has been recognised as a heritage art by the UNESCO.  
Koodiyattam.
Koodiyattam [kutiyattam], meaning "combined acting," signifies Sanskrit drama presented in the traditional style in temple theatres of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is the only surviving specimen of the ancient Sanskrit theatre. It has an attested history of a thousand years in Kerala, but its origin and evolution are shrouded in mystery. Kutiyattam and chakyar koothu were among the dramatized dance worship services in temples of ancient India, particularly Tamilakam (modern-day Tamil Nadu and Kerala). Both kootiyattam and chakyar koothu find several mentions in ancient sangam literature of south and also in the epigraphs belonging to subsequent Pallava, Chera, Chola periods in Tamilnadu. Inscriptions related to the dramatized dance worship services like koodiyattam and chakyar koothu are available in temples at Tanjore,Tiruvidaimaruthur, Vedaranyam,Tiruvarur, and Omampuliyur. They were treated as an integral part of worship services alongside the singing of tevaram and prabandam hymns. There are also mentions in epigraphs those forms of dramatized dance worship services that are called aariyam that mostly had sanskrit scripts for plays.
Several ancient kings, and members of other professions are listed to have authored several works for these services. There is also evidences of these services being done all over ancient subcontinent during time of cholas and pallavas. A Pallava king called Rajasimha has been credited with authoring a play called kailasodharanam in tamil that has the topic of Ravana becoming subject to siva's anger and being subdued mercilessly for the same.For examples a fragmented inscription at the door step of an ancient shiva temple(now non-existent) in pegan in burma finds mention to these services.
It is believed that Kulasekhara Varman Cheraman Perumal, an ancient king of tamil chera dynasty, who ruled from Mahodayapuram (modernKodungallur) reformed Koodiyattam, introducing the local language for Vidusaka and structuring presentation of the play to well defined units. He himself wrote two plays, Subhadraharana and Tapatisamvarana and made arrangements for their presentation on stage with the help of aBrahmin friend of him called Tolan. These plays are still presented on stage. Apart from these, the plays traditionally presented include Ascaryacudamani of Saktibhadra, Kalyanasaugandhika of Nilakantha, Bhagavadajjuka of Bodhayana, Nagananda of Harsa, and many plays ascribed to Bhasa including Abhiseka and Pratima. The Kutiyattam performance was performed in specially designed temples called koothambalams.
However the use of buddhist themes for plays is a very controversial and moot issue and seem to be a later interpolation not existing since ancient times for the latter not being a then legal vedic system.
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The native mime drama narrates the stories from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.
   
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| Mohiniyattam: |
| The dance of the temptress, the Lasya elements of life are brought out by the dancer in all its magnificent glory |
| Theyyam: |
A religious tribal performing art, its origins are also hidden in the mystery of time.
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| Krishnanatam: |
 Similar to Kathakali, it is based on the life of Krishna, the great Hindu God. |
| Chavitu nadakam: |
An ancient Christian art form – the origins are again unknown. The songs are in Chenthamil and narrate the story of King David. |
| Oppana: |
An Islamic dance form performed by the women in marriage-related festivities |
| Margam kali: |
A Christian devotional dance form. |
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Thiruvathira kali:
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Group dance performed by girls to appease lordess Parvathi to have the best husband of their dreams.
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| Mural Paintings |
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Kerala's murals are on par with those at Sittanavasal, Badami, Lepakshi, Tanjavur, and Vijayanagar. In fact, there are similarities between the styles of Kerala and the murals of Sittanavasan and Lepakshi. Kerala's mural tradition reached its apogee between the 16th and 19th Centuries. Though there is not much documentary evidence, experts have classified the murals into three phases, just as they have classified its temple architecture — early (800-1000 A.D.), middle (1001-1301), and late (1301-1800). In the last phase, with the incorporation of wood carvings and paintings on temple walls, a balance was forged between architecture and decorative art.
The traditional mural paintings were done only in five colours — yellow, red, green, black, and white. White was the base itself and the remaining were pigments derived from stones and leaves. The walls themselves underwent an elaborate preparatory process and there are instances of murals still glowing after 1,500 years.
The paintings, usually on the walls of the sanctum sanctorum, depicted deities from the Hindu pantheon. While the human figures were highly stylised, animals and birds were painted in more naturalistic postures. Such stylised facial expression and gestures trace their origin to the theatrical elements in the performing arts of Koodiyattam and Kathakali. Wide-open, round eyes, elongated painted lips, exaggerated eyebrows, dramatic body postures, and over-ornamentation are typical of the mural paintings. |
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| Handicrafts |
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An old time industrial art is bell metal casting. One famous product is the Aranmula polished metalmirror, made of an alloy of copper and tin. Aranmula a small village in KERALA is renowned for making a wonderful type of Metal Mirror called 'Aranmula Kannadi'. This unique metal mirror of Aranmula, reflects a rich cultural as well as metallurgical heritage of a golden past in the history of Kerala. The British Museum in London keeps an eighteen inch tall Aranmula Metal Mirror, which speaks of its uniqueness. The origin of the metal mirrors of Aranmula is closely laced with the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple.The legend has it that eight families of experts in temple arts and crafts were brought by the royal chief to Aranmula from Tirunelveli district in connection with certain works in the Parthasarathy temple centuries ago. There are only a few families in the world who practice the art of making Metal Mirrors. Some undisclosed metals are alloyed with copper and tin to cast the Metal Mirror. The polishing can go on for one to two days so as to achieve highly reflective surfaces.
In woodcraft, apart from the temple art tradition, kathakali models and accessories, weaving of mats, baskets, coir matting figure among it's handicrafts. Since the ban on ivory trade, Kerala's ivory carvings, especially that of the snake boat are now made of buffalo horn.
Kerala is also known for it's jewellery. Designs range from the elaborate and exquisite to the simple and functional. The Nagapadam or serpent-hood pendant was originally used by Nair women. Namboodiri women wore the cherutali necklace and Tamil Brahmin women, the oddiyanam waist-chain. Christian women wore the Mekka Mothiram. Though relegated to history, contemporary goldsmiths still draw inspiration from them for their designs.
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| Food and eating habits |
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Tapioca, rice and seafood forms part of the staple diet of the people.The traditional all vegitarian meal - SADYA - is holistic, wholesome and mouth watering, stays alone itself.The Malabari Biriyani stands on its own.The lore of seafood has carried the name of this ancient civilisation across the globe. The traditional Kerala meal is served on a plaintain leaf and it consists of nine curries and 21 spices. |
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| Festivals |
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All major religious festivals are celebrated in Kerala like the Christmas and the Id. Many festivals are celebrated by Keralites irrespective of their religions. Major festivals among them are Onam and Vishu. They are mostly concerned with the harvest cycles and legends.Hindu, Christian and Islamic religious festivals are celeberated with pomp and fanfare. THRISSUR POORAM, a pageantry of decorated, trained and disciplined elephants is globally acclaimed temple festival and tourist attractions during the month of April.
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| Martial Art |
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Kerala is the land of the "mother of all known and practised martial arts - KALARI PAYATTU -". The ‘Kalaripayattu’ is the most ancient martial art form in the world. It is the source of the Kunfu and the Karate and all the other oriental form of martial arts. |
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