A group of four polychromed wooden figures of characters from Kathakali Dance

The name Kathakali derives from the Malayalam words "katha" (meaning story) and "kali" (meaning play).
Traditionally there are 101 classical Kathakali stories, most of which were initially composed to last a whole night. Characters with vividly painted faces and elaborate costumes, such as the ones worn by these figures, re-enact stories from the mahabharata and Ramayana.