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{{Short description|Indian dance troupe}}
[[file:Tripunithura Kathakali Kendram Ladies Troupe, Kerela.jpg|thumb|The Nari Shakti Puraskar (women's power award) is awarded by the President of India<ref name=aboutus/> to the Tripunithura Kathakali Kendram Ladies Troupe<ref name=picnamingthetroupe/>]]
The '''Tripunithura Kathakali Kendram Ladies Troupe''' was formed in 1975 breaking the 300 year tradition that only men performed [[Kathakali]] dance. The troupe was recognised with an award of the [[Nari Shakti Puraskar]] on [[International Women's Day]] in 2017.

==Background==
[[Kathakali]] dance is a classic Indian dance form that was traditionally performed by men.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shaji|first=K. a|date=2015-12-01|title=Women storm an art form dominated by men|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/women-storm-an-art-form-dominated-by-men/article7935490.ece|access-date=2021-02-20|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Dancers use masks to play different roles. For three hundred years it was performed only by male members of a particular high caste and it was not until the caste system was legally abolished in 1946 that others were able to train. After 1946, boys could enroll in academies, but the only route for girls was to seek out private tuition.<ref name=acad>{{Cite journal|last1=Daugherty|first1=Diane|last2=Pitkow|first2=Marlene|date=1991|title=Who Wears the Skirts in Kathakali?|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1146093|journal=TDR|volume=35|issue=2|pages=138–156|doi=10.2307/1146093|jstor=1146093|issn=1054-2043}}</ref>
[[file:Kathakali_Performance_Close-up.jpg|thumb|left|An example of a Kathakali performer]]

The Tripunithura Kathakali Kendram Ladies Troupe was formed in 1975 at [[Tripunithura]] in Kerala.<ref name=break>{{Cite web|title=Breaking Stereotypes,all-woman Kathakali Troupe Going Strong|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2015/feb/26/Breaking-Stereotypesall-woman-Kathakali-Troupe-Going-Strong-722121.html|access-date=2021-02-20|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> It was not the first women's troupe as that had been formed in 1962 in [[Thrissur]], Nadananiketan, but had lasted only until 1968.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shaji|first=K. A.|date=2015-12-01|title=Women storm an art form dominated by men|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/women-storm-an-art-form-dominated-by-men/article7935490.ece|access-date=2021-02-20|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The women involved in the troupe had considered learning other dance forms but they believed that Kathakali was the most developed. They could have appeared with male dancers as [[Chavara Parukutty Amma]] has done, but they feared the gossip and the advances of drunken men, so they preferred to form an all-woman troupe.<ref name=dancecult>{{Cite book|last=Beaman|first=Patricia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S641DwAAQBAJ&q=Tripunithura+Kathakali+Kendram+ladies&pg=PT98|title=World Dance Cultures: From Ritual to Spectacle|date=2017-09-14|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-44106-9|language=en}}</ref> They were trained by leading exponents including [[Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair]]<ref name=break/> who was one of the most renowned [[Kathakali]] artists,<ref name="hindu2">{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/article3230591.ece | title=Unmatched range of expressions | work=The Hindu | access-date=13 August 2014}}</ref> and attracted attention from academics. One group studied them for eight months.<ref name=acad/>

Their "exceptional" example of "women empowerment" was recognised by the Indian government with the [[Nari Shakti Puraskar]].<ref name=aboutus>{{Cite web|title=Nari Shakti Puraskar - About Us|url=http://narishaktipuraskar.wcd.gov.in/aboutus|access-date=2021-02-23|website=narishaktipuraskar.wcd.gov.in}}</ref><ref name=picnamingthetroupe>{{Cite web|title=Nari Shakti Awardees - Tripunithura Kathakali Kendram Ladies Troupe, Kerela {{!}} Ministry of Women & Child Development|url=https://wcd.nic.in/nari-shakti-awardees-tripunithura-kathakali-kendram-ladies-troupe-kerela|access-date=2021-02-20|website=wcd.nic.in}}</ref> On [[International Women's Day]] in 2017, a representative received the award from President [[Pranab Mukherjee]] in [[New Delhi]].<ref name=aboutus/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Nari Shakti Puraskar}}

[[Category:1975 establishments in Kerala]]
[[Category:Kathakali exponents]]
[[Category:Dance groups]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Kerala]]

Tripunithura Kathakali Kendram Ladies Troupe - Revision history

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