Adorning the cover of guidebooks or beaming down from billboards, the distinctive face of a pacca ('green' and 'pure') Kathakali character is a ubiquitous symbol for the state of Kerala. They are the noble heroes such as the famed Rama and Krishna. This particular character is Bima: an exiled prince from the Mahabharata. During the performance, the actors' mimed dance is accompanied by furious chenda drumming and vocalists singing from the sacred text.