走进印度喀拉拉邦的卡塔卡利，看眼神如何诉说古老史诗
Imagine a performer whose eyes can tell stories of love, rage, and sorrow without a single word. In the southwestern Indian state of Kerala, that is precisely what Kathakali — a classical dance-drama over 300 years old — does. With elaborate green makeup, towering headdresses, and flickering candlelight, artists bring ancient Hindu epics to life under coconut‑palm thatched roofs.
What sets Kathakali apart is its rigorous training in facial expressions, known as *navarasam*. Trainees spend years learning to roll their eyeballs independently, flare their nostrils, and twitch their eyebrows on command. One senior performer in the village of Vellinezhi explains that the eyes are the ‘window to the soul of the story’ — a single glance can signify a king’s fury or a lover’s longing.
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