Folk art/culture studies
Preservation of our ethno-archaeological heritage that is threatened by the incursion of modernity and novelty for the sake of posterity and scholarship is an important responsibility of the Archaeology Department. The collection and documentation of folk-art forms and oral history and literary traditions are the aims of the Folk-Art and Folklore centre opened at Mannadi. The centre provided podium space for folk art forms like Aivarkali and Kaalanthullal that faced oblivion. The exhaustive photographic documentation of the very ancient and dying ritual art known as Paranettu and the recording of Nizhalkkuthupattukal and Maavaarathampattukal are among the notable achievements of the centre. Now a large number of folk-art materials are kept at Koyikkal Palace, Nedumangadu.
