All four aspects of a drama, as told by
Bharata Muni-viz, Angika, Vachika, Aharya and Satvika are well coordinated in it. The teachers and artists themselves made the
costumes. The basic costume differed for male and female characters. The dress of male characters consisted of • a starched gathered
petticoat • a gathered white skirt with orange/orange-red and black horizontal stripes near the bottom •
bells attached to leather pads to tie below the knees • a long-sleeved shirt open at the back, secured by ties • a breast-plate • chest
ornaments of
beads and fresh
flora • a girdle • upper arm and wrist ornaments • one shawl or more with a mirror at each end • ear and forehead ornaments; and • a headdress. For the female characters the basic costume included • a long, almost floor-length white gathered skirt with red border, wrapped so that the material crossed in the back • a long sleeved blouse which was open in the back, secured by ties • a girdle • arm ornaments • a wooden breast plate with the breasts covered in red cloth and with ornamentation above and below the breasts. Female characters tie strings of
bells around their ankles. These are called chilanka. The actors used any or three colours for their basic make-up. •
pazhuppu, an orange with more red than yellow •
minukku, an orange with more yellow than red •
Paccha, a particular shade of green which has more yellow than blue. If he was to wear a chutti the chutti artist applies it. The chutti was two white protruding borders which extended from ear to ear along the jaw and chin line. The green for
Krishna as a young child has more yellow than blue. Before applying make-up the actor prostrated himself before the oil lamp and thought of the God
Guruvayoorappan. The most sacred part of the Krishnanattam costume is the headgear. There are two basic kinds of head dress; a mudi, 'hair that has been wound into a bun and a kiriitam 'a
crown'. ==Training==