Sun Mar 09 12:47:44 UTC 2025: ## Palakkad Makes History with All-Woman Kathakali Performance
**PALAKKAD, March 9, 2025** – The Palakkad Kathakali Trust made history on Saturday by staging the first-ever all-female Kathakali performance in front of a large audience. The event, held at the Chembai Memorial Music College to celebrate International Women’s Day, featured a captivating three-hour rendition of the famous *Duryodhana Vadham* story.
While women have participated in Kathakali performances before, this marked a significant milestone for the traditionally male-dominated art form. A full cast of women, including Gana Murali as Roudra Bheeman, Manjima Suresh as Dussasanan, Abhinaya Ranjit as Sri Krishna, Meera Raghunath as Panchali, and Saranya Premadas as Duryodhanan, enthralled the audience. The musical accompaniment was also entirely female, with the exception of male chenda and maddalam players providing support.
Chandrasekharan M., executive member of the Palakkad Kathakali Trust, stated that the performance was timed to coincide with International Women’s Day and provided valuable performance experience for aspiring young female Kathakali artists. He highlighted the rarity of such opportunities for budding female performers.
The Trust plans to continue pushing boundaries, announcing a unique fusion performance for April 12th, combining Kathakali music with film songs. This innovative program aims to bridge the gap between traditional Kathakali and modern cinema through the use of ragas.
First Piper 