Ceremonial art forms in Kerala serve both as entertaining spectacles and as poignant conveyors of religious and cultural messages. Margam Kali is a fascinating ceremonial art form deeply rooted in the Christian traditions of Kerala. This group dance form is significant among the Syrian Catholic community. Recent research shows that Knanaya Christians in Central and North Kerala are the major patrons today. The term ‘Margam’ translates to ‘the way’ or ‘the path’ in Malayalam, symbolising the path to God/Jesus Christ. The history of Margam Kali reveals that it was initially performed by male artists and boys and women joined the tradition later. Today, the female version of Margam Kali is more popular and widely celebrated. This dance form is a highlight of regional church festivals, weddings, and various Christian ceremonies in Kerala, making it an integral part of community life.

Tradition
This is a group dance where the dancers are positioned in a circle around an indigenous bronze lamp with twelve wicks and the singer stands on one side for a performance. The lamp is the typical Christian traditional lamp symbolically topped with a cross which is an essential part of the performance. The dancers are twelve in number which symbolise the twelve disciples of Jesus. The performance begins with a prayer to St. Thomas by invoking the lamp.  The dance's lyrics, composed of 400 lines in four stanzas, are based on the Apostolic acts of St. Thomas, who is believed to have arrived in Kerala to spread Christianity and disseminate the teachings and philosophy of Jesus Christ. It is believed that Christian missionaries and later the churches played a role in shaping this dance form to integrate religious concepts into the local cultural framework. As a regional art form Margam Kali shares stylistic similarities with other South Indian performance traditions such as Kaikottikkali, Kanyarkali Sanghakkali, and Vattakkaali in terms of the circular formation and certain footwork. Margam Kali was popular in the central regions of Kerala but has now become widespread across Kerala, as an inevitable part in numerous Christian ceremonies. 

Performance
The songs of Margam Kali, follows a style akin to that of the chanting of Syrian liturgy. The sections in the dance are varying in tempo, rhythm, and speed. The dancers repeat the verses sung by the lead singer, and engage in movements that range from vigorous and fast to slow and graceful, involving intricate hand and neck gestures. The only instrument used for performance is the Cymbal. The traditional costume for Margam Kali is a simple yet elegant white dhoti/mundu- a long cloth worn as the bottom dress, around the waist with small back pleats, reflecting the attire of early Christian women in Kerala. This is complemented by a waist length blouse with a sleeve up to the elbow known as Chatta, a shawl known as Kavini, and typical Christian jewellery such as Mekka Mothiram (large earrings worn on the upper earlobe), Thoda (round golden ear studs), and heavy silver ankle bracelets (Thala). The performance exhibits intrinsic footwork and jumps, which show a connection with the indigenous martial arts tradition of Kerala. In olden days, Margam Kali artists were also trained in martial arts.

Margam Kali now serves as a vibrant representation of Christian culture in Kerala. It is showcased in public venues, during festivals, and at private gatherings, illustrating the community's rich heritage and religious fervour. The lesser-known artistic tradition of Margam Kali, was brought into the limelight in the 1960s by the research of Kerala folklorists Chummar Choondal and Jacob Vellian. Margam Kali received further promotion from the Knanaya Christian community commission, Hadusha, with the efforts of researchers and the late bishop of the Kottayam Diocese, Mar Kuriakose Kunnassery. The dance not only preserves the cultural identity of Kerala Christians but also offers a captivating glimpse into the region's historical and religious landscape through its dynamic movements, lyrical narratives, and traditional attire.