Padayani is a popular ritual performance related to kali worship, prevailed in South Kerala. It is believed that 64 arts are there in an Padayani, like as music, fine arts, gestures, dance, instrumental etc. It is made possible to have such large ritual performance in a village because of the harmony of the people of the religion, irrespective of cast. Each and every member of the folk has his own responsibility and right to make the festival as a reality. They participate in all activities like holding the choottu1, collecting the fronds, drawing the kalam, thappukottu2, with reciting songs and performing ritualistic dance. Nobody could abstain from it and no one could be expelled from it. It is a chance for the folk in to pray for the prosperity of the village. The villagers have the knowledge and honesty to beg and confess for the help to kali through padayani. They feel that, their life will become secure through padayani.
The villagers invoke their goddess to come out of the shrine by playing pachathappu3and kolamthullal4,divine performance will also perform before her. The leader of the village will lead all the performances. The villagers beliefs that padayani gives the massage of goodness defeating the evil (Kali defeats Daruka). Thus, kali brings back the virtue among the villagers and give happiness to the folk. They banish the veil spirit from their mind and make an internal cleaning through padayani. Thus, it has a cathartic effect. It is the union of simple and complex imagination expresses through beautiful costumes, dance, instruments, ritualistic elements and many other aspects. Even though it is performing to calm kali, it is believed as to perform for the virtue. Daruka is the symbol of darkness and kali is the symbol of light (The meaning of kali is burning one). So, kali is the symbol of light destroying the darkness and gives light for society through padayani.
[1] Assistant Professor, School of Folklore Studies, University of Calicut, Kerala
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