Kathakali Tissue Box - Handcrafted Kerala Performance Art kerala mural key holder Given Ganesha's association with new

Given Ganesha's association with new beginnings

a slow and deliberate technique echoing the original ritual face art

so minor variations in brushstroke and surface texture are natural and are a hallmark of its authenticity rather than a flaw

What is the ornament over the mouth

hand-painted with a small hole at the top of each handle for hanging

Kathakali Tissue Box - Handcrafted Kerala Performance Art kerala mural key holder Given Ganesha's association with newUnder temple courtyard lamps in Kerala, performers of Kathakali once spent hours applying elaborate, colour coded makeup before taking the stage green for the noble and virtuous, red and black for the fierce and demonic transforming themselves into characters from the Ramayana and Mahabharata through this centuries old dance drama form. The dramatic expressions and vivid colours of that tradition are instantly recognisable even outside the theatre.