Kathakali Performance
The evil female demon character (played by one of the Centre's kathakali teachers, a male) The charcter screams a lot and is very vain about her appearance, combing her rope-like hair and looking at herself in a mirror.
Two female characters. The one on the left is played by Louba - the French woman who set up the centre in 1975 (she came to Kerala in 1968 and discovered kathakali and has been living here ever since) The character on the right is played by another kathakali teacher from the school, also a male.
Makeup for the kathakali performance being applied. This process in itself takes hours.
Maddalam - drum used in kathakali performances. I was learning it last time I was here but changed to mridangam this time. It is very heavy and the player has the fingers of his right hand wrapped in a kind of bandage
