Nearly 30 years after first raising their demand for the change, a lesser-known village called Ayroor (South) on the banks of Pamba river in Pathanamthitta district will finally be renamed ‘Kathakali Gramam’.
The life of villagers revolves around the classical dance form and are third generation connoisseurs of the temple art; known for its colourful headgear, costume and mudra.
The village post office will be known as Kathakali Gramam (PO) as they received the letter of approval from the Union Home Ministry and Survey general’s office on March 21, Tuesday.
In 2010, the Ayroor Panchayat had unanimously passed a resolution to change the name and the state government gave its nod in 2018.
The village observes Kathakali festival for the past 17 years and nearly 10,000 children, many gurus and art lovers participate in the week-long festival. Academic training of the art form is imparted in schools and there has been plan to set up a Kathakali Museum.
State culture minister VN Vasavan said the government will help set up a Kalamandalam (a deemed to be university) like institute in Ayroor soon.
It is the first time ever that a village is getting the name after an art form which is significant of its rich cultural heritage. Villagers say their ordeal began in 1995 when they started the Pathanamthitta Kathakali Club in 1995 to preserve the rich tradition of the art form.
