Kalamezhuthu: Divinity and Devotion in the Art of Floor Painting

In the jasmine and sandalwood-scented premises of Kerala’s temples leading to the sanctum sanctorum, one may find the skilled designs of a troop of artists dressed in white or saffron. They are hard at work, channeling their vision into a portrait with intricate and colourful powdered strokes. Kalamezhuthu, as widely believed, impresses the presiding deity as the divine spirit finds its image at the sanctum’s entrance. But besides its traditional purpose, it brings out a popular artistic skill – floor painting and its significance in Hindu religious rites.

Making of Nagadevata, Image: Vasant B, Flickr

The thread of tradition connects cultures across the world. From Ovid’s Metamorphosis, the retelling of Greek mythology to Kalidasa’s Abhijnana Shakuntalam, the creative extension of an episode in Vyas’s Mahabharata, aesthetics and literature have found their foremost muse in religion. This has led to a seamless symbiosis between devotion and art. Floor painting, an art form associated with religious festivals heralds the auspicious arrival of a deity. Kalamezhuthu, an art form native to the Indian state of Kerala is a ritual accompanied by song, dance, and painting. It is mainly practised by the communities of Kurups, Nambiars, and Unnis.

A union of the words kalam (picture) and ezhuth (the act of drawing), Kalamezhuthu is also known as dhulee chithram, literally translating to “picture made of powder”. Mostly prevalent in the districts of Palakkad, Malappuram, Thrissur, and Kozhikode, Kalamezhuthu is an elaborate process of painting the likeness of deities like Bhagavathy, Ayyappan, Sivaputra, and Nagadevata. However, unlike other regional variations, it does not merely serve decorative purposes. It is the prologue to a string of performances following immediately after. The form is subjected to stringent conventions, and every stroke, use of colour and expression of deities is in accordance with certain rules.

The use of colours is as fascinating as their ingredients. The temple’s atmosphere is heavy with the fragrance of spices and herbs because Kalamezhuthu specifically emphasises the use of colours extracted from natural sources – black (charcoal, burnt paddy), yellow (turmeric), red (a mixture of turmeric and lime), white (rice powder), and green (leaves), representing the Pancha Bhoota or five natural elements. This speaks of the art’s innate simplicity.

The drawing of the kalam is in a vertical linear fashion – the face is outlined first, followed by the crown. Next, the upper body is sketched with the ornaments, finally leading to the legs and feet. White colour is used for the outline. The body is painted green, and the deity’s expression is one of aggression or ugram. All other colours are used for embellishments. The artists use their fingers to pinch the powder, deftly pouring it by and by to create a perfect image of the God or Goddess. It has a three-dimensional effect.

But what makes this ritual a performance?

A typical Kalamezhuthu Pattu ritual begins with the preparation of a pattu mandapam or “performance stage”, akin to folk theatrical forms like Tamasha. The stage is covered by a silk cloth by a member of the Kurup community. The conch is blown thrice to mark the start of uchhapatt, accompanied by the chanting of shlokas. This is to invoke the deity’s presence before the performance. The floor painting begins soon after and takes about two or three hours to finish. The myth of the deity is performed by the komaran who is considered the deity’s representative. This is called kalam pattu. After all the rituals are over, it is important to erase the kalam, which is then collected and distributed among devotees as blessings or prasad. This step, called kalam thullal, is performed with artists dancing to drum beats and devotional songs sung in Malayali and Tamil. Special significance is attached to the removal of the deity’s image, and the process is done with precision. There is little creative liberty given to artists; they must follow the norms associated with each deity’s worship.

Like all tribal folk art forms, Kalamezhuthu is slowly dying. Since it is a skill passed on across generations, it has still maintained its legacy in some communities. In the battle against modernity and urbanity, it is becoming increasingly difficult for folk forms of art, theatre, and music to survive. However, with the aid of the Indian Government, it can be resuscitated and brought back to its old prominence.

Ritualistic dance inside the kalam, Image: Sahapedia, Google