Krishnanattam

Krishnanattam (IAST: Kṛṣṇanāṭṭaṃ) is a temple art in Kerala, India. It is a dance drama and presents the story of Krishna in a series of eight plays and was created by Manaveda (1585–1658 AD), the then Zamorin Raja of Kozhikode in northern Kerala. The eight plays are: Avataram, Kaliyamardanam, Rasakrida, Kamsavadham, Swayamvaram, Banayuddham, Vividavadham and Swargarohanam. It survives in its glory at the Guruvayur Sri Krishna temple (Thrissur district, Kerala, India). It is a direct progenitor of the Indian classical dance drama called Kathakali.

The troupe of players who were maintained by the Zamorin came to Guruvayur Devaswom in 1958, and they are the only troupe of artists who are well maintained by the devaswom till date.