| abhinaya kalari |
acting laboratory |
| Abhishekanatakam |
Sanskrit drama by Bhasa (A.D.200) |
| akkita |
verses in praise of gods recited by a Nangiar
during nityakriya |
| angikabhinayam |
dramatic and complex form of communication
with body postures, facial expressions and hand gestures |
| anguliyankam |
the sixth ankam of Ashcharyachudamani |
| ankam |
act of a drama or play |
| anukramam |
nirvahanam performed in reverse order |
| arangettam |
the first appearance of an actor or dancer
on the stage |
| arangu tali |
sprinkling of water in the stage by a Nambiar
drummer. markins the end of purva rangam |
| Ashcharyachudamani |
Sanskrit drama by Shaktibhadra (A.D. 800) based
on the Ramayana, performance lasting twelve days |
| ashokavanikankam |
the fifth ankam of Ashcharyachudamani |
| attaprakaram |
a work giving detailed directions for enacting
a drama |
| balivadham |
first ankam of Abhishekanatakam |
| bhavatrayam |
expressing emotions of helplesness, sorrow
and anger by facial expressions and mudras |
| Kalyanasaugandhikam |
Sanskrit drama by Nilakandha Kavi, 16th century |
| kuladharma |
family duty |
| kuthambalam |
a theatre hall specially built for the performance
of Koodiyattom and Koothu within the temple compund of the important temples
of Kerala of which 16 are still extant |
| Malayalam |
colloquial (regional) language of Kerala |
| mantrankam |
third ankam of Pratijna-Yaugandharayanam, performance
lasting forty-one days |
| Mattavilasam kuttu |
three-day-performance by one character, also
offered as vazhivatu |
| Mizhavocchapettuka |
the preliminary drumming in Eka talam on the
mizhavu beforte a Koodiyattom performance |
| mudra |
the descriptive and symbolic movement of hands
and fingers (hand gestures) to signify an object or action |
| Nambiar |
member of the community which traditionally
plays mizhavu, the prinzipaö accompaniment of a kutiyattam performance |
| Nagandam |
Sanskrit drama by Sri Harsha, 7th century A.D. |
| Nangiar |
female member of the Nambiar community |
| Natyasastra |
the great treatise on dramaturgy in Sanskrit
by Saga Bharata, written between 2nd century B.C. and 2nd century A.D. |
| netrabhinaya |
eye expressions |
| nilavilakku |
oil lamp |
| nirvahanam |
narration in mudrabhinayam of past events leading
to the present situation; |
| nityakriya |
steps and gestures of a character in stage-entry |
| poorna chandra |
full moon |
| prabhandas |
literary works in Sanskrit for dance-drama |
| Pratijna-Yaugandharayanam |
Sanskrit drama by Bhasa (A.S. 200) |
| shurppanakhankam |
the second ankam of Ashcharyachudamani,
a 15 days lasting performance |
| Subhadra-Dhanajayam |
Sanskrit drama by Kulashekhara Varma (A.D.
900), based on the story from the Mahabharata |
| purva rangam |
introduction of a play |
| shloka |
four line verse |
| swapnankam |
the fifth ankam of Swapnavasavadatta, performance
lasting only one day |
| Swapnavasavadatta |
Sanskrit play by Bhasa (A.D. 200) |
| Tapati Samvaranam |
Sanskrit drama by Kulashekhara Varma (A.D.
900), based on Mahabharata, performane lasting eight days |
| toranayuddham |
the third ankam of Abishekanatakam,
enacted in 6 days |
| Udbhandanam |
Second akanam of Nagandam, lasting fifteen
days |
| vaak |
the verbal |
| vazhivatu |
offering to the deity of a temple to obtain
a special favour |
| vidushaka |
clown |
| vizhakku |
lamp |
