Parichamuttukali

Squad members often dedicated themselves to deities worshipped in local temples and viewed battle with the enemy as orders given by a god or goddess.

[4] The origin of the Parichamuttu Kali in particular can be traced back to ancient days when Kalarippayattu, a martial art of Kerala, was in vogue.

[7] The group is usually headed by a leader called Asan or chief around whom the rest of the dancers perform or who sings and chimes bells from the sidelines.

[7] The dance can range from tame and slow to wildly acrobatic with flips within a single performance as the pace is dictated by the rhythm of the music.

[5] In modern performances, the Asan or chief is either singing outside of the circle as the dancers process around a Nilavilakku, a brass oil lamp traditional in southern India.

This makes these art forms a competitive item in the Four-tier system (i.e. School, Sub District, Revenue and State level) Youth festival.