Chavitukali is a popular dance form of
Malappuram District and is performed by the members of Pulaya community. It is presented during festivals in temples,
Onam and
Vishu (the harvest festival). The performers stand in a circle and the leader of the troupe recites two lines of a song and the others repeat the lines. After doing this twice, they dance in a circle, with hand gestures, to a peculiar kind of rhythm. When the song nears the end, the pace of the dance rises. The rhythm remains unchanged, but the steps often change. No percussion instruments or lighting effects are used.
