Kerala Kalamandalam, formally known as the Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University for Art and Culture, is an institution dedicated to the preservation, teaching and propagation of the classical performing arts of Kerala. Located in Cheruthuruthy on the banks of the Bharathappuzha river in Thrissur district, it is widely regarded as the principal centre for the training of Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Koodiyattam, Thullal and allied art forms of Kerala.
| Name | Kerala Kalamandalam |
|---|---|
| Type | Deemed-to-be University for Art and Culture |
| Founded | 1930 |
| Founder | Vallathol Narayana Menon and Mukunda Raja |
| Location | Cheruthuruthy, Thrissur district, Kerala, India |
| Focus | Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Koodiyattam, Thullal, Carnatic music, percussion |
| Patron State | Government of Kerala |
The institution was established in 1930 by the Malayalam poet Vallathol Narayana Menon, along with Mukunda Raja, at a time when traditional performing arts in Kerala — particularly Kathakali — were in decline due to the erosion of feudal patronage. Vallathol's vision was to create a residential gurukula-style training centre that would preserve these art forms by formalising their teaching while retaining traditional pedagogy.
Initially located at Kakkad near Kunnamkulam, the institution was shifted to Cheruthuruthy, where it has since developed into the principal site of training and performance.
The Kalamandalam offers a structured curriculum from the school level through diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes. The training continues to follow the traditional gurukula system, with students residing on campus and undergoing rigorous early-morning practice (kalari) under recognised masters (asans).
Kerala Kalamandalam has been instrumental in shaping the modern identity of Kerala's classical performing arts. Many of the most celebrated exponents of Kathakali and Mohiniyattam in the twentieth century were trained here, and the institution played a central role in the codification, revival and international dissemination of these forms. It has also contributed to the survival of Koodiyattam, the world's oldest continuously performed Sanskrit theatre tradition.
The campus regularly hosts performances, demonstrations and academic seminars, and faculty and alumni of the Kalamandalam frequently tour internationally as cultural ambassadors of Kerala.
Several teachers and graduates of the institution have received the Padma awards, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Kerala Kalamandalam Award, the last instituted by the institution itself in recognition of distinguished service to the classical arts of Kerala.