1. What are gestures?

Gestures are movements of the hands, arms and head to express an idea or feeling.

2. What does facial means?

Facial means things belonging to the face.

3. Why is the make of kathakali different from other dance forms?

One of the most interesting aspects of kathakali is its elaborate make up. Kathakali dancers have masks painted on their faces with paints and rice paste. Different colors are used to represent different characters.

4. What is elaborate?

Elaborate means complicated or detailed.

5. How many main roles are there in Kathakali?

There are five main roles in kathakali. Each role has a specific costume and make up.

6. Which are the main roles in kathakali?

The Five main roles in kathakali are :

1. Pacha
2. Kari
3. Minukku
4. Thaadi
5. Kathi

7. What type of roles are depicted in pacha?

Pacha means Green . The faces of noble kings like Rama and Lakshmana are depicted in green.

8. Which characters are painted in kari?

Kari in Malayalam means black. The faces of evil characters like surpanakha are painted in kari.

9. What does minukku means?

Minakku means polish. Women and religious characters have shiny yellow faces.

10. What does Thaadi means?

Thaadi means beard or Jaw. There are three kinds of thaadi. Characters like Hanuman have a white beard. Angry characters , like Dushasana, have red make up and long red beard. Hunters and robbers have black make up.