ˌkäd.əˈkälē noun
( -s )
Etymology: Malayalam kathakaḷi drama, from katha story (from Sanskrit kathā talk, from kathā how) + kaḷi play; Sanskrit kathā how akin to Sanskrit ka who? — more at who
: a spectacular lyric dance drama of southern India based on Hindu literature and performed with acrobatic energy and highly stylized pantomime — compare bharata natya , kathak , manipuri