It is a dance drama and presents the story of Krishna in a series of eight plays and was created by Manaveda (1585–1658 AD), the then Zamorin Raja of Calicut in northern Kerala.
[2] It survives in its glory at the Guruvayur Sri Krishna temple (Thrissur district, Kerala, India).
[citation needed] Krishnanattam is based on Krishnagiti (1654 AD) written by Manaveda, Zamorin of Kozhikode.
[4] It is believed that the Zamorin had a vision of Krishna who gave the king a peacock feather, which became the living symbol of this dance-drama.
[1] The peacock feather was incorporated in the headgear for the character of Sri Krishna in the dance drama Krishnanattam based on his own text krishnageeti which is composed of 8 chapters .
On the ninth day, Avatharam was repeated as the Zamorin felt that it was not auspicious to end the series with the demise of Lord Krishna.
[11] It consists of eight plays: Avataram, Kaliyamardanam, Rasakrida, Kamsavadham, Swayamvaram, Banayuddham, Vividavadham, and Swargarohanam.It is based on 10th and 11th skandhas of Bhagavata Purana dealing solely the story of Krishna.
[12] It has also gained inspirations from Gita Govinda of Jayadeva, Sree krishna vilaasam mahakavya and Narayaniyam of Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri.
[citation needed] Night performances in Guruvayur temple in north to Lord Guruvayurappan occurs as offering by devotees.