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The make-up of Kathakali can be classified into the teppu, chuttikuthu and uduthukettu. Kathakali costumes and make-up are elaborate and designed so as to give a super human effect. Apart from these, there are minor characters like minukku which are the women and sages. Kari are characters whose make-up have a black base, they wear black costume depicting a hunter or forest dweller. Vellathadi or the white bearded character is generally that of Hanuman, the dancer also wears the costume of a monkey. The characters of the thadi (beard) category are the chuvanna thadi, (red beard), vellathadi (white beard) and the karutha thadi (black beard). The moustache and the small knob called chuttippu fixed on "the tip of the nose and another in the centre of the forehead, is peculiar to the kathi character. Though they are of the rajasika category, they are sometimes great warriors and scholars such as Ravana, Kamsa and Sisupala to name a few.
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For body movements and choreographical patterns, Kathakali is also indebted to the early martial arts of Kerala. In the temple sculptures in Kerala and the frescoes in the Mattancheri temple of approximately the 16th century, dance scenes depicting the square and rectangular basic positions so typical to Kathakali are seen. Legend has it that the refusal of the Zamorin of Calicut to send his Krishnattam troupe to Travancore, so enraged the Raja of Kottarakkara, that he was inspired to compose the Ramanattam. Chakiarkoothu, Koodiyattam, Krishnattam and Ramanattam are few of the ritual performing arts of Kerala which have had a direct influence on Kathakali in its form and technique. However, it is an art which has evolved from many social and religious theatrical forms which existed in the southern region in ancient times. Kathakali, as a dance form popular today, is considered to be of comparatively recent origin.
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Kerala is the home of several traditional dance and dance - drama forms, the most notable being Kathakali.