Chavittunatakom, Musical drama of Kerala

CHAVITTUNATAKOM

A Christian art form of Kerala, evolved at the turn of the 16th Century AD during the Portuguese colonization and bears definite traces of the European Christian Miracle Plays. In this musical drama, the actors wear Greco-Roman costumes and even the stage props bear several foreign influences. In the past, the Chavittunatakom was performed on open stages, though sometimes the interior of a church was also a venue. The language is a colloquial mix of Tamil and Malayalam.