It is the oldest martial arts of the world, essentially is a form of warfare. In short, it’s a defensive art and Kerala’s own martial tradition. All other martial arts derived from kalari itself. variety of fights are there in kalari from verumkai (without weapons to valpayyattu (with weapons). Kalari chikilsa also famous for health rejuvenation.

Alamikali was a popular regional art form in Kasaragod, performed by ‘Alamis’,. Alamikali was celebrated to commemorate the Karbala war, an important event in the history of Islam. The Alami players dressed and painted by black with charcoal and white dots in between. They will wear garlands of fruits and leaves and long hats on the head decorated with red chrysanthemum flowers. Costume of Alamikali is dhotis, reaching up to the knee and carrying wield small sticks with bells attached they visit houses an dance in squares drawn on the ground and receive alms. Being wanderers, the Alamis go about singing songs based on rhythm, a feature of Alamikali

Mangalam Kali is a folk dance performing as entertainment mainly performed during marriage functions. As it was related to Mangalam or auspicious functions, it came to be known as Mangalam kali. Common among Pulaya, Kurava, Malaya and Theeya communities in Kerala and Mangalam Kali is still prevalent among Mavila community in its purest form

Yakshagana is a popular dance-drama in the northern area of Kasaragod district. A famous temple art form, it is performed in a majority of cultural programs in the area. Yakshagana is synonymous with massive headgears, elaborate facial make-up and vibrant costumes and ornaments, which are employed in depicting stories from the great Indian epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata

The Duff Muttu, or the Duff Kali is a folk entertainment item popular among the Muslims of the Malabar region in Kerala, performed to commemorate their festivals, nuptial ceremonies or Uroosa’s (festivals and occasions connected with Mosques) and also for social entertainment. The art form is also known as Rabanna.
The interesting art form of Duff Muttu is named after the instrument used in the performance called Duff. It is a musical percussion instrument of Arabian origin made of wood and ox skin… There is no time specific for a Duff Muttu performance. It can be played anytime of the day. The players are usually six in numbers. They stand or sit facing each other and sing songs, swinging the body in different directions. The rhythmic beat of the palm on the duff controls the tempo of the song and the movements of the dancers. The songs of the dance are often a tribute to martyrs and heroes. The leader sings while the others provide chorus and drum the Duff with their fingers or palms. The dancers often toss the drums over their heads. Unique and rhythmic steps are also part of the dance.

Kolkkali is a popular indigenous sport among the various communities of northern Kerala. Mainly male game, female, it also includes women and girls will do the same. It is called “Kolattam”. Usually eight or ten pairs of youth are attached to it with special clothing. Coal players will use sterling or unbalanced strokes. The dancers (chords) rode in the rod and threw them with small knobs. As the dance progresses, this collective creature is growing and shrinking. The Cambodian climbs up the climax so that the dancing ends

Poorakkali is a form of ritual art in Kannur and Kasaragod districts. The festival is celebrated on the occasion of Poorotsavam, celebrated in the Kavas and Bhagavadiks in Kerala in the Malayalam calendar month of Meenam. It is more than thousand years old. The rituals are played in the ninth day of the festival on the day of Meenam. This is a game of women first. Today is the art of the men. Poorakkali is a combination of Kalarippayattu and rituals. Red silk stems with white spines. Players wear the cloth on which the black bite is on it. There are lots of rituals in Poorakkali. There are songs by Lord Ganesha, Saraswathi and Sri Krishnan. The stories of Ramayana and Bharat are presented in the form of a song.The game is played out of a circle around the burning lamp. The players entering the field with the blessings of all the gods in the villages.

The great stories of Kerala are often retold using art forms. It is here that our legends truly come to life. Theyyam is a famous ritual art form that originated in North Kerala which brings to life the great stories of our State. It encompasses dance, mime and music. It exalts the beliefs of the ancient tribals who gave a lot of importance to the worship of heroes and the spirits of their ancestors. The ceremonious dance is accompanied by the chorus of such musical instruments as Chenda, Elathalam, Kurumkuzal and Veekkuchenda. There are over 400 separate Theyyams, each with their own music, style and choreography. The most prominent among these are Raktha Chamundi, Kari Chamundi, Muchilottu Bhagavathi, Wayanadu Kulaven, Gulikan and Pottan.

Each artist represents a hero with great power. Performers wear heavy make-up and adorn flamboyant costumes. The headgear and ornaments are truly majestic and fill one with a sense of awe and wonder. From December to April, there are Theyyam performances in many temples of Kannur and Kasaragod. Karivalloor, Nileswaram, Kurumathoor, Cherukunnu, Ezhom and Kunnathoorpadi in North Malabar are places where Theyyams are performed annually (Kaliyattam) and draw huge crowds.