Margamkali is an ancient Indian round dance of the St. Thomas Christians community- based in Kerala state, mainly practiced by the endogamous sub-sect known as the Knanaya or Southist Christians. [1] [2] [3] The dance retells the life and missionary work of Thomas the Apostle, based on the 3rd-century apocryphal Acts of Thomas. [2] [4]
There are several opinions on the potential origin of Margamkali. They are:
"Margam" means path or way or solution in Malayalam, but in the religious context it is known as the path to attain salvation. The process of conversion to Christianity was known as "Margam Koodal" until recently in Kerala.[ citation needed ] Much of this folk art is woven around the mission of St. Thomas, the Apostle. The original Margam Kali describes the arrival of St. Thomas in Malabar, the miracles he performed, the friendship as well as the hostility of the people among whom he worked, the persecution he suffered, the churches and crosses he put up in various places, etc. These details are incorporated in the various stanzas of the Margam Kali songs. Kerala's Margam Kali is an important element in the age-old and hallowed tradition of St Thomas among the Syrian Christians of Malabar Coast. [12]
The disparity between the present condition of this form and the early days leads one to assume three important phases in the history of Margamkali. The first phase was the pre-colonization one in which this semi-theatrical form was performed by the Saint Thomas Christians during special occasions. Parichamuttukali (The sword and shield dance) was also a part of it. Later Synod of Diamper curbed and suppressed this native form. During the seventeenth century, due to the efforts of a Knanaya priest Itti Thomman Kathanar, the textual part of this form got certain upliftment and care. The Margamkali might have been edited and refashioned into the present fourteen stanza structure during this period. However, until the end of the nineteenth century the art form was not in common practice even though it did exist in some places. But at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century, the form became popular once again, and some structural changes took place then. Masters such as Kalarikal Unni ashan, Indumoottil Kocheppu ashan, Indumoottil Kutto ashan were some of them who were responsible for this change and upheaval. By this time the Knanaya scholar Puttanpurikkal Uthuppu Lukose compiled and published Margamkali Pattukal in 1910. In 1924 the European priest and scholar Fr. Hosten S.J. witnessed the Margam Kali danced by the Knanaya of Kottayam and was enamored by the ancient artform. Subsequently, Hosten endeavored to present the dance at the Mission Exhibitions at the Vatican in 1925 by bringing these dancers to Rome, however this venture was met with mass resentment and disapproval from the Northist St. Thomas Christians who viewed the artform as being an "uncouth performance" and stated that if performed it "might ridicule all the St. Thomas Christians". [13]
In the late 1900s the art form was heavily in decline among the St. Thomas Christian Community but the Knanaya community took upon the initiative to promote and further expand the art form. During the 1960s the St. Thomas Christian scholar of folk culture Dr. Chummar Choondal led a sociological survey of the Margam Kali and noted that the practice was solely of the Knanaya Community. [13] Furthermore, Choondal found that all of the Margam teachers and groups of the time period were entirely Knanaya. [13] The following analysis of the art-form was stated by Dr. Chummar Choondal.
“Knanaya Christians have the most ancient and varied art forms. Margamkali is their dance form. Generally, it is said that margamkali is said in vogue among the Syrian Christians, but a close and critical observation will show that the practice and propagation of margamkali were among the Knanites. During my research in the 1960s, I could not find this art form practiced in the regions like Trissur and Pala where the Syrians are thickly populated. The traditions of margamkali can thus by analyzed: 70% among Knanaya Catholics and 25% among Knanaya Jacobites.” [13]
In the 1970s and 1980s the Knanaya priests Fr. George Karukaparambil and Jacob Vellian as well as scholar of folk culture Dr. Chummar Choondal undertook years of heavy research and study with the help of 33 Knanaya ashans or teachers of Margam Kali to revitalize the ancient art form. Through critical historical, musicological, and ethnochoreological evaluation this team of researchers systematized Margam Kali and promoted it among schools and cultural organizations as an item of competition in youth festivals and eventually presented it to Kerala's Minister of Education who introduced a 14 minute long documentary created by the team. In order to make sure Margam Kali would be an art form set in stone, the team looked for a formal center for the furthering or Margam Kali and allied Christian art forms. Mar Kuriakose Kunnasserry the Bishop of the Knanaya Diocese of Kottayam came to the aide of the team in 1995 and established Hadusa (Syriac for Dancing/Rejoicing), as an All India Institute of Christian Performing Arts which in part has forever aided the existence and prominence of Margam Kali today. Hadusa has released a text titled "Margam kali Aattaprakaaram" which is considered as an authentic reference material for this art form. [3]
Typically, a dozen dancers sing and dance clapping around a Nilavilakku wearing the traditional " Chattayum Mundum ". The lamp represents Christ and the performers his disciples. The performance is usually held in two parts ("padham") and begins with songs and dances narrating the life of Saint Thomas, the apostle. It then takes a striking turn with a martial play of artificial swords and shields. Margamkali does not use any instruments other than two small palm size cymbals played by the same person who sings the song. It was originally played by men and afterwards by boys, but nowadays women also perform the dance. [14]
Currently both Margamkali and Parichamuttukali are included in the State Youth Festival of Kerala. This makes these art forms a competitive item in the Four-tier system (i.e. School, Sub District, Revenue and State level) Youth festival. [15] Margam Kali is performed mainly by women in cultural shows and by school children in a variety of competitions. [16]
Media related to Margamkali at Wikimedia Commons
The Saint Thomas Christians, also called Syrian Christians of India, Marthoma Suriyani Nasrani, Malankara Nasrani, or Nasrani Mappila, are an ethno-religious community of Indian Christians in the state of Kerala, who, for the most part, employ the Eastern and Western liturgical rites of Syriac Christianity. They trace their origins to the evangelistic activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century. The Saint Thomas Christians had been historically a part of the hierarchy of the Church of the East but are now divided into several different Eastern Catholic, Oriental Orthodox, Protestant, and independent bodies, each with their own liturgies and traditions. They are Malayalis and their mother tongue is Malayalam. Nasrani or Nazarene is a Syriac term for Christians, who were among the first converts to Christianity in the Near East.
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The Syro-Malabar Church, also known as the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic church based in Kerala, India. It is a sui iuris (autonomous) particular church in full communion with the Holy See and the worldwide Catholic Church, with self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO). The major archbishop presides over the entire church. The incumbent Major Archbishop is Raphael Thattil, serving since January 2024. It is the largest Syriac Christian church and the largest Eastern Catholic church. Syro-Malabar is a prefix reflecting the church's use of the East Syriac liturgy and origins in Malabar. The name has been in usage in official Vatican documents since the nineteenth century.
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The K'nānāya, also known as the Southists or Tekkumbhagar, are an endogamous ethnic group found among the Saint Thomas Christian community of Kerala, India. They are differentiated from another part of the community, known in this context as the Northists (Vaddakkumbhagar). There are about 300,000 Knanaya in India and elsewhere.
The Archeparchy of Kottayam is a Syro-Malabar Church metropolitan archeparchy of the Catholic Church in India. The archeparchy is exclusively for Knanaya faithful who claim to be the descendants of Syriac Judeo-Christians who migrated from South Mesopotamia to Kodungallur (Muziris) in South India in 4th century A.D.
This article lists the various old and ancient churches that exist among the Saint Thomas Christians in Kerala.
Thomas of Cana was a Syriac Christian merchant magnate who arrived to the Chera Dynasties capital city of Kodungallur between 345 A.D. and 811 A.D. Thoma brought with him Jewish-Christian families and clergymen from Persian Mesopotamia.
Pesaha appam or Kurisappam is a firm rice cake made by the Christians of Kerala, India, to be served on the night of Maundy Thursday (Pesaha). It is made from rice batter like palappam, but is not fermented with yeast in its preparation. A cross is made using the palm leaves from Palm Sunday, and placed in the middle of the batter.
Mar Thoma Sleeva (Saint Thomas Cross) are ancient crosses associated with the community of Indian subcontinent, who trace their origins to the evangelism of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century AD. The Saint Thomas Christians, which is one of the oldest Christian communities of the world, survive in the Malabar region in state of Kerala, India and have a diaspora in other parts of the Indian subcontinent. Saint Thomas Christian crosses are known as Mar Thoma Sleeva (Saint Thomas cross), Indian cross, or Persian Cross in English, as well as Nasrani Sthambam in Malabarese.
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Kaduthuruthy Marth Mariam Knanaya Major Archiepiscopal Church, commonly called Kaduthuruthy Valiapally or the Great Church of Kaduthuruthy, is a historic church founded by the Knanaya community in 400 C.E. The Knanaya are the descendants of Syriac Judeo-Christians who migrated from Persian Mesopotamia to Kodungallur, Kerala, during the medieval era.
Parichamuttu Kali is an Indian martial-arts dance form of Kerala practiced by the Saint Thomas Syrian Christians who trace their origins to the evangelistic activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century and also by Latin Catholics of Malabar residing in the coastal regions of kerala. It is performed by men bearing swords and shields and follows the movements and steps of Kalarippayattu. This dance is closely related to Margam Kali. Parichamuttu Kali was also performed by Harijans.
Chattayum Mundum is a traditional attire used by the Syrian Christian women of Kerala. It is a seamless white garment, consisting of a white blouse covering the whole upper part of the body ("Chatta") and a long white garment called "Mundu" which is wrapped around the waist which reaches to the ankles. The "Chatta" is of Jewish origin and the "Mundu" is of South Indian origin. The Mundu used is 9.5 yards long. The "Chatta" or the Blouse would either be full sleeve which covers the whole arm or would be near to the elbow. A fan like appendage is also made in the backside by pleating the garment. A creamish white cloth with a golden border known as the "Kavani" or "Neriyathu" is worn over the left shoulder and tucked into the Mundu when the women are outside the house. Traditionally in the church the women cover themselves with another white cloth with a golden border "Kasavu" which is worn over the head covering the head and the shoulders. It is now limited to the older female adherents and the Margamkali performers. The traditional Syrian Christian dance Margamkali is performed by wearing a slightly shorter variant of the Chattayum Mundum.
The Latin Catholics of Malabar Coast, also known as Malabar Latin Catholics or Latin Christians of Kerala are a multi-ethnic religious group in Kerala adhering to the Roman Rite liturgical practices of the Latin Church, on the Malabar Coast, the southwestern coast of India. Ecclesiastically, they constitute the ecclesiastical provinces of Verapoly and Trivandrum. They are predominantly Malayali people and speak the Malayalam language, though a subgroup of Luso-Indians speaks the Cochin Portuguese Creole. They trace their origins to the evangelization of Malabar Coast by the Dominican, Franciscan, Jesuit and Carmelite missionaries, mainly French and Portuguese.
The Kadavumbhagham Ernakulam Synagogue is a Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in Kochi, in the Ernakulam district in the state of Kerala, India.
