Thiruvathirakali - History, Description, Explanation (Lecture Demo by Smt Preetha Balakrishnan)

Thiruvathira is one of the earliest forms of group dances performed by the women folk of Kerala. This art form is a vital part of the set of rituals or cultural practices performed by women, in the Malayalam month of Dhanu , which is during the Dec - Jan period as per the English calendar.
On the full moon day of Thiruvathira, women take up a fast, stay awake and at night, perform prayers and rituals to please Shiva and Shakti, in order to seek blessings for eternal marital bliss and for good off springs. Alongside an assortment of other rituals, including a ritualistic bath in the morning, preparation of special dishes and swinging, staying awake at night, the thiruvathira kali is performed by women in the central courtyard.
Smt Preetha Balakrishnan is a performer and practitioner of Thiruvathirakali for over 30 years. She is a Kathakali artist, a Malayalam teacher, a poet, lyricist and winner of many awards
Event : In Conversation , On-line Lecture series by ICDA
Speaker : Smt Preetha Balakrishnan
Coordinator : Shri N Gopakumar
Host : Smt Reshma George