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Kerala has a spectacular heritage of performing, ritual, folk and classical arts. The time - honored values lie dormant in the living traditions of these performing arts. The feudal chieftains and provincial landlords who patronized these visual and devotional arts for centuries were not only encouraging them as entertainments but were also upholding their moral and ethical messages.
Towards the close of the nineteenth century the traditional arts of Kerala were on the verge of extinction. The social, political and cultural factors which contributed to the downfall of the art forms are many and varied. This was but an ephemeral phenomenon. The dawn of the twentieth century witnessed a cultural renaissance all over India. In Kerala among those who spearheaded the cultural renaissance poet Vallathol Narayana Menon is an immortal name. Besides being an outstanding poet and scholar, Vallathol was a passionate lover of Kathakali and other similar classical dance-theatre traditions of Kerala. Against all odds he took up the task of saving Kathakali and other stylized art-forms from eclipse.
Kakkad Karanavappad, an eminent scholar and Manakkulam Mukundaraja, a devoted cultural activist, were an unending source of inspiration to Vallathol in the establishment of KERALA KALAMANDALAM along the banks of the river Bharathapuzha in Cheruthuruthy, a small village in the northern edge of Trissur District. It was in 1930.
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Koodiyattam - Sanskrit Theatre
Koodiyattam, the sole surviving classical Sanskrit theatre has recently won the UNESCO’s recognition as an illustrious example manifesting intangible human heritage. It is a two thousand year old theatre-tradition. Traditionally Koothu and Koodiyattam are the privilege of the temple castes known as Chakyars and Nambiars. Chakyars enact the male-characters and Nangiars (the women of the Nambiars) enact the female-characters. Nambiars play Mizhaavu, the major percussion-instrument in Koodiyattam. The plays of Kulasekhara, Sakthibhadra, Bhasa, Kalidasa and Bodhayana are presented act by act in Koodiyattam. The four-fold concept of acting dealt with in the Naatyasaastra, sage Bharata's ancient treatise on dramaturgy, find its due significance in Koodiyattam. Aamgika (hand-gestures and body-movements), vaacika (spoken word or verbal acting), aahaarya (make-up and costuming) and saatvika (expression of emotions) in Koodiyattam are highly stylized. One finds in Koodiyattam more of naatyadharmi (stylized acting) compared to other classical art-forms.
Apart from the epic heroes, heroines, villains and demonesses there is the Vidooshaka (Royal clown) who speaks three languages, Sanskrit, Prakrit (Crude form of Sanskrit), and the local dialect (Malayalam). His words and actions convincingly portray the true-character of the protagonist. In the past he was a social auditor. His diatribes against the establishment and those in power were a corrective force in the feudal-society. The main characters in Koodiyattam customarily enact 'Nirvahana'; a recollection of past events in the play to form a backdrop for stepping into the present.
Nangiarkoothu brings to the forefront a female character, played by a dansuese. From the broader perspective of the Chakyar-arts It is essentially the debut or nirvahana of the female character. Nangiar in forty one days enacts Sreekrishna Caritam (The story of Lord Krishna). She appears on stage as the ceed i(maid) of Subhadra (Krishna’s sister) in the play, Subhadraadhananjayam of king Kulasekhara. Theatre artists, choreographers and theatre researchers in different parts of the world evince keen interest in the aesthetic-dimensions of both Koodiyattam and Nangiarkoothu. They come quite often to Kalamandalam for an intimate observation and analysis of these theatre traditions.
Other performing arts taught at and performed by Kalamandalam are classical Karnatic music (vocal) Thullal, a semi- classical solo dance-drama, Panchavadyam, an example of one of the wonderful instrumental ensembles of Kerala and Mridangam, the foremost among the percussion instruments in Karnatic music. The Department of Classical Dance has Mohiniyattam as its thrust area; but Bharatanaatyam and Kuchipudi also are taught and performed as subsidiary subjects.
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The Campus of Kalamandalam
From 1930 to 1971 Kalamandalam functioned in the beautiful campus in the village Cheruthuruthy beside the river Bhartappuzha. It was. indeed, an ideal location which the visionary poet chose to preserve and promote Kerala's rich heritage of arts. The growing number of students and teachers coupled with new courses compelled a shift from Cheruthuruthy to the thirty-two acre campus at Vallathol Nagar. Most activities of Kalamandalam now take place at Vallathol Nagar. The several many kalaris (training rooms), the Koothambalam (Temple-theatre), High School, College Library, Administrative Block, Art-gallery, Archive, Recording Studio, Hostels, Staff Quarters and the Employees' Co-operative Society are situated in the Vallathol Nagar Campus. Vallathol Samaadhi and the Portrait Gallery are at the Cheruthuruthy Campus known as the Old Kalamandalam and the Vallathol Museum is at Cheruthuruthy mid way between Old Kalamandalam and Vallathol Nagar.
Koothambalam
Traditionally Koothu and Koodiyattam performances are held in a temple-theatre called Koothambalam, specially constructed and sacredly maintained within the walls of the concerned temple. Select great temples in Kerala like those in Trissur, Guruvayoor have famous Koothambalams. They are so designed to facilitate intense communication between the artists and the audience. Bharata's Natyasatra has laid down strict instructions on the construction of Koothambalam. The Koothambalam in Kalamandalam brings together the classicism of ancient theatre-architecture and modern amenities. The pillars of the Koothambalam are made of black-granite. One hundred and eight Karanas (dance-postures) specified in the Naatyasastra are carved on the pillars. The wall forming the backdrop of its stage offers visual splendor through exquisite mural paintings in the typical Kerala style depicting the episode of the fight that took place between Siva, the king among actors (Nataraaja), in the guise of a hunter and Arjuna, the foremost among archers and third of the Paudava brothers.
Institutionalization of Kathakali and other traditional art-forms of Kerala is bound to create apprehensions about the erosion of time-tested values especially in the mode of teaching and in the guru-sishya (preceptor - disciple) relations. Poet Vallathol had foreseen the problems associated with such an institutionalization of classical arts. Hence in Kalamandalam he made a successful attempt to retain the essential characteristics of the Gurukula tradition of training and the teacher-student relations. Certificate and Diploma Courses were introduced successively in the various art-disciplines. Yet the system of training remains unchanged. High School education to students along with intensive training in a select performing art was introduced in 1990 supplemented by the plus two and degree courses (BArt), recognized by the State Government. The methodology of training, which assures intensity aiming at perfection has, however, been preserved.
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Panchvadyam
Panchavadyam, an orchestra composed of Timila, Maddalam, Edakka, Cymbols and Kompu was introduced in Kalamandalam as a course of study only recently. It is an ensemble performed mostly during temple-festivals. Panchavadyam provides sufficient scope for collective and individual performance. Starting from a slow tempo it steadily progresses and reaches the crescendo. It is a tower of rhythm created in front of caparisoned elephants lining up in the temple-yard during the festival. The music of Panchavadyam is engrossing especially in the lush green background of the pastoral-temples.
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Contact Kalamandalam
Shri.Balachandran Vadakkedath
Secretary, Kerala Kalamandalam
Cheruthuruthy Post, Thrissur District, Kerala
India - 679 531
Tel : +91-4884-262562 (Office)
Fax : +91-4884- 262 019
Tel : +91-487-2392033 (Residence)
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KERALAKALAMANDALAM
Cheruthuruthy – 679 531
via Trissur, India
Fax: 91- 4884 - 262019
Telephone: 91 – 4884 – 262418, 262562
Email: info@kalamandalam.com
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Is Kathakali a stylized dance-drama? Is it a pantomime? Can it be called a classical ballet? One of the world's top-ranking poets and Nobel Laureates Rabindranath Tagore was instantly impressed by the aesthetic range and the narrative techniques of Kathakali when Kalamandalam presented a programme in Santiniketan. Along with Manipuri Tagore included Kathakali in the curriculum of Viswabharati. Kathakali was born only in the 17th century. But in less than four centuries it grew up to represent India's cultural heritage to the world outside. An eclectic art Kathakali evolved its classicism receiving inspiration from most of its predecessors such as Koodiyaattam, Krishnanaattam, Raamanaattam, Theyyam, Mudiyeettu and martial arts like Padayani and Kalarippayattu.
Kathakali plays have their themes selected from the great Indian epics, Raamayana, Mahaabhaarata, and the Bhaagavata. The play synchronizes on stage nritta (pure dance), nritya (expressional dance), naatya (histrionics), geeta (vocal music) and vaadya (percussion ensemble). Kathakali characters communicate through the language of hand-gestures (over six hundred gestures are in use), body movements and facial expressions. The text of the play is sung by the principal and supporting vocalists. The dancers simiotically translate the songs into appropriate gestures, movements and expressions. Chenda and Maddalam are the two major percussion instruments used in Kathakali. They provide audio effect to the performance by tracing the character behavior, which includes both the aamgika (gestural) and saatvika (emotional) aspects of abhinaya (acting). |
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