Chiratala Bhajana or Chekka Bhajana resembles Kolattam very closely in its movements, steps, dance and style and songs except that the players hold Chiratalu instead of sticks. All the technical terms like jattu, Garidi, Uddi, Kopu, Ettugada, Muktayimpu, Usi are common to both Kolattam and Chiratala Bhajana. Chiratalu, a pair of wooden pieces chiseled and riveted with jingling bells and metal pieces, produces metallic and rattling sound. The two pieces can be held in a palm like a single piece by inserting the thumb and middle finger into the rings fixed in the centre on the top side of the wooden pieces. By opening and closing the palm the two pieces strike each other and produces musical sound. In Kolattam each player hold two sticks one in each hand, in Chiratala Bhajana the players hold a pair of Chiratalu in one hand and a colourful handkerchief in another which he waves while jumping and dancing. The kolattam kopus are of short duration where as the Chiratala Bhajana kopus are of long duration facilitating narration of episodes from Epics and Puranas. There are nearly 100 kinds of kopus depicting variety in the steps. In modern times long narratives have been divided into small bits with different gatis and styles. In olden days lamp posts used to be erected in the middle of the circle of players. Now troupe leader stands in the middle and sings the narrative playing cymbals or Chiratalu.
Music & Dance