Karakattam

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Karakattam (Tamil: கரகாட்டம் "karakam (கரகம் 'water pot') dance"), or Karagam Puja in the Caribbean, is an ancient folk dance of Tamil Nadu performed in praise of the rain goddess Mariamman. The ancient Tamil epic says that this type of dance derived from Bharatham and a mixture of multiple forms of Tamil dance forms like Bharatanatyam postures and mudras. The offering of this dance is to the goddess to bless rain. The dance accompanies songs like folk Carnatic (Amrithavarshini).^[1]

The performers balance a pot on their head. Traditionally, this dance is categorized into two types:

Aatta Karakam symbolizes joy and happiness. It is mainly performed as entertainment.

Sakthi Karakam is performed only in temples as a spiritual offering.^[2]

Karakkatam invokes rain through a classical Tamil dance. The most common song employs Amrithavarshini Ragam (Ragamalika). Tamils believed that mother nature gives bountiful rain and protects the harvest.