The vibrant hues of Padayani, a ritualistic theatre performed in villages on both sides of the Pampa, are now being mounted into an exclusive museum. A Padayani museum, coming up at the sleepy hamlet of Kadammanitta that hosts the Padayani village, will capture the glimpses of this centuries-old ritual. The museum, being set up inside the Padayani Learning and Research Centre here, is slated to be opened in July.
The museum, according to the organisers, will display 15 types of Padayani Kolams or masks, an intricate craftwork made of fresh areca spathes and tender coconut leaves. Each of these Kolams, depicting mythical characters such as Ganapathi, Bhairavi, Kanjiramaala, etc., have different roles to perform in this epic theatre.
“These Kolams are used during the performance at the Kadammanitta Bhagavati temple. More such Kolams that are used elsewhere may be added to the collection later,’’ said Kadammanitta Reghukumar, a Padayani exponent.
