Madurai Om Periyaswamy in costume for the a poikkal kuthirai aattam dance, wearing a “false leg horse” or "dummy-horse” costume, made of paper maché type material, elegantly caparisoned, and draped with South Indian block print textile skirt hiding the dancer’s bare feet. He wears a decorated red turban, blue silk kurta and golden jacket, flower garlands, and holds a wooden spear in his right hand. Conai, left, holds urumbi (urummi, uṟumi) double-headed variable tension membranophone with one curved stick in his right hand, and Venkatesan holds a tavil double-headed membranophone held in playing position with both sticks visible, and dancers, listen intently. Two karagam atta pot dancers stand at left. Each balances five decorated clay pots stacked on their heads: young woman balances an angel figure atop her pots, young man (probably son of Om Periyaswamy) balances a parrot figure atop his pots. At the TamilNadu Hotel.
Musicians for karakāṭṭam “pot dance” folk and ritual dance of Tamilnadu. Two dancers each balances five decorated clay pots stacked on their heads: young woman balances an angel figure atop her pots, young man (probably son of Om Periyaswamy) balances a parrot figure atop his pots. Musicians are led by Mukkasāmi, who dances expressively as he holds his sattakulai multiple-reed aerophone (cattak kuḻāy). Percussion accompanists smile at Mukkasāmi’s dancing, while playing other instruments (left-right): urumbi (urummi, uṟumi) double-headed variable tension membranophone played with two differently-curved sticks by Conai; small high-pitched membranophone with two sticks by a younger drummer in light blue shirt and white shawl; a pambai double-headed membranophone pair played with two curved sticks by Kalidasa; a tavil double-headed membranophone played by Venkatesan; and taḷām bronze hand cymbals played by Cuppiramaniyan in a dark blue shirt and lunghi. At the TamilNadu Hotel.
Two dancers in costume for the karakāṭṭam “pot dance” folk and ritual dance of Tamilnadu. The dancers balance five pots stacked on their heads: a young woman balances an angel figure atop her pots, a young man (probably son of Om Periyaswamy) balances a parrot figure atop his pots. Musicians are led by Mukkasāmi, who dances as he plays sattakulai multiple-reed aerophone (cattak kuḻāy). Other instruments L-R are urumbi (urummi, uṟumi) double-headed variable tension membranophone played with two differently-curved sticks by Conai; small high-pitched membranophone, played with two sticks by a younger drummer in light blue shirt and white shawl; pambai double-headed membranophone pair played with two curved sticks by Kalidasa; and tavil double-headed membranophone played by Venkatesan. At TamilNadu Hotel.
Madurai Om Periyaswamy in costume for the a poikkal kuthirai aattam dance, wearing a “false leg horse” or "dummy-horse” costume, made of paper maché type material, elegantly caparisoned, and draped with a South Indian block print textile skirt that spins outwards, showing the dancer’s salwar trousers, anklets, and bare feet. He wears a decorated red turban, a blue silk kurta and golden jacket, and flower garlands, and slashes a wooden spear horizontally in his right hand toward two stick-wielding attackers. A third stick-wielding attacker smiles as he attacks from behind. At the TamilNadu Hotel.
Madurai Om Periyaswamy in costume for the a poikkal kuthirai aattam dance, wearing a “false leg horse dance” or "dummy horse dance” in a costume made of paper maché type material, elegantly caparisoned, and draped with a South Indian block print textile skirt swinging with the dancer’s movements and hiding the dancer’s bare feet. One of two wooden feet is visible, tied to the dancer’s feet to create clacking sounds that resemble the sound of a horse’s hooves. The dancer wears a decorated red turban, a blue silk kurta and golden jacket, flower garlands, and holds a wooden spear in his right hand. At the TamilNadu Hotel.
The Oyilāṭṭām “graceful dance” folk dance of Madurai, performed by eight men, each with ghunghru dancing bells on each ankle. The make a crouching movement while concealing the handkerchief in the palm of the hand. Members of Om Periyaswamy dance troupe. At TamilNadu Hotel.
The Oyilāṭṭām “graceful dance” folk dance of Madurai, is performed by eight men each waving a handkerchief in the right hand, with ghunghru dancing bells on each ankle. Members of Om Periyaswamy dance troupe. At TamilNadu Hotel.
The Kolattam “stick dance” folk dance of Tamilnadu and many parts of South Asia, here performed by eight men who strike each other’s sticks while dancing with ghunghru dancing bells on each ankle. Members of Om Periyaswamy dance troupe. At TamilNadu Hotel.
The Oyilāṭṭām “graceful dance” folk dance of Madurai, performed by eight men, each waving a handkerchief in the right hand, with ghunghru dancing bells on each ankle. Members of Om Periyaswamy dance troupe. At TamilNadu Hotel.
Karakāṭṭam dance, an acrobatic dance performed with pots balanced on the head, and karana poses on ladders, in praise of the rain goddess Mariamman. A young dancing woman holds a karana pose while leaning against an open ladder, held at both bases by two young men. She balances a bowl of pink roses, topped by a flying parrot, on her head, while standing on her bent right leg, and holding the toes of her bent left leg against her ear, while looking toward the viewer. An elaborate curving necklace rests on her chest. Her right arm is stretched diagonally upwards from her body, with her wrist flexed. She is wearing a silk classical dance costume with a pleated front skirt, legs wrapped, a choli blouse, and ghunghru ankle bells. This type of acrobatic dance pose (karana) was done by devadāsī temple dancers in the past. Two dancers balance five decorated clay pots stacked on their heads: a young woman balances an angel figure atop her pots, a young man (probably son of Om Periyaswamy) balances a parrot figure atop his pots. Their arms are bent and stretched upwards, downwards, and sideways. At the TamilNadu Hotel.
