Kothaamooriyaattam   Kothaamoori is the village dance-drama performed by the Malayar and the Paanar of North Malabar in North Kerala. This art form might have evolved from the imagination of a group of agrarian people who were immersed in agriculture and cattle rearing. It is a folk art form closely related to the concept of fertility worship.   The characters in Kothaamoori are Godaavarippasu, paaniyar, a drummer and gurukkal. Children dress themselves as Godaavarippasu. They wear the mask of the cow. The face of the Godaavarippasu is red in colour. The paaniyar who are two in number wear the spathe of the arecanut palm on their faces. Eyes and nose are drawn on the spathe.   The Kothaamoori groups go from house to house after the harvest is over. They ask the permission of the man of the house to perform the dance. Then the Godaavarippasu starts dancing with the rhythm of the song. Songs in praise of Lord Krishna are usually sung. The legend behind the Godaavarippasu is revealed through a song. The legend is as follows: There was an argument between Sri Naarayana (Mahaa Vishnu), and Brahma who resides in Vishnu’s navel about the essence of the Vedas. The argument went on as to how to find out the beginning, end and the essence of the universe. Finally Lord Siva had to intervene. He decided that Brahma would go in search of the head of the universe, while Vishnu would go in search of the tail of the universe. Both set out. Vishnu reported that he was not able to see the far end of the universe. Brahma, although was not able to see the head, said that he had seen it. Both of them brought witnesses. The witnesses were the Ketaki (Pandanus) flower, Thulasi (Basil) and Godaavari. Siva asked whether all the three were witnesses. Ketaki and Thulasi said that they had seen the head of the universe. But Godaavari said that she had seen with the face but not with the tail. The angry Siva cursed all the three of them. He told Ketaki that she would be taken as offering to God. He told Thulasi that her neck would be pinched. To Godaavari he told that she was smart because she told half truth. So he said that she would be born on the earth. As a result of her birth the cattle and wealth in each house would increase. For that she would have to visit each house. Thus Godaavari reached the earth. The two people who were given the duty of looking after her were the Paniyar.   In addition the themes in the songs are the story of the goddess Cherukunnilamma and also tales dealing with comtemporary issues.   There are very interesting dialogues in the songs. At the end of the performance they sing a song about the cow, and its uses. Before the performance is over, the performers get rice, paddy, turmeric and pepper from each house.