Kummattikkali
Kummattikkali is a masked dance popular in South Malabar in Kerala, especially in Thrissur and Palakkad districts. During Onam, groups of Kummatti performers move from house to house entertaining the people and receiving gifts (in kind or cash) in return.
The costumes of Kummattikkali are distinctive. The performers wear heavily painted masks made of wood (usually from the jackfruit tree, coral tree or hog plum) and skirts made of plaited grass. The masks depict characters like Krishna, Darika, Narada and others. Thalla (or thamma), the old woman leads the performers. The rhythm for the dance is provided by the ona villu, a bow like instrument made of areca nut wood, with a bamboo stick to pluck the strings. The themes of the songs are devotional. This is a participative dance with spectators often joining in spontaneously, and does not require any formal training.