Chavittunatakam

Chavittunatakam is a Christian art form of Kerala.  It is a form of music drama performed in parts of Kerala, especially in the coastal region lying to the south of Chavakkad near Kodungalloor to the town of Kollam. As a theatrical art form, developed under the churches, the actors in addition to the dialogue and songs, stamp the wooden platform with their feet to the tune of music. The steps, the stamping and the locomotion of the body sharply coincide with the vocal singing and the accompanying rhythm on the instrument  chenda creating a very vibrant dramatic effect. The cast is all-male, male actors does the roles of women and themes are biblical or drawn from from Christian religious history. This form of theater, a synthesis of Indian dance movements, Western operatic style of presentation, and Christian themes, is believed to have been evolved in the 16th and 17th centuries. Portuguese has influenced this art form. It was developed for the purpose of presenting Biblical themes under the churches in Kerala. Music is an important factor. Stories invoked are of Christian saints, Charlemagne and Napoleon. The librettos were written in a dialect that was predominantly Tamil. In the beginning this theatre was practiced by Latin Christians. This concept of the western opera type of theatre was inspired from the miracle plays of the west. The themes presented were also western.