Artograph Vol 02 Iss 05 (2020 Sep-Oct)

artograph A NEWNMEDIA™ PUBLICATION

2020 SEP - OCT | VOL 02 | ISS 05

A BI-MONTHLY, BILINGUAL E-MAGAZINE FOCUSING ON ARTS | PUBLISHED BY NEWNMEDIA™ FROM KERALA, INDIA | 2020 SEP-OCT VOLUME 02 ISSUE 05 | PAGES: 40 | HTTP://ARTOGRAPH.NEWNMEDIA.IN

In a different

perspective “The revival of the dance form in Kalamandalam in the early 20th century relied significantly on the legacy leftover by Swathi Thirunal...” says guru Nirmala Paniker.

Opening new frontiers ‘Prakriti - The Nature’ dance festival by CFAA has brought together a multitude of dancers around the globe.

Conversing lasya Malavika Menon writes about the insights she had talking to the leading Mohiniyattam dancers in the ‘Lāsya Mukharika’ talk series.

Musical delights The ten-day festival organized by the artists collective IKYA witnessed a melange of young as well as experienced musicians.

CONTENTS

2020 SEP-OCT | VOL 02 | ISS 05

02

Vol 02 Iss 05

Kapila and her tryst with Kerala 04

An iconic Satyabhama 06

Sreevalsan Thiyyadi Sneha Sasikumar

WATCH OUT

SRIDEVI NRITHYALAYA PARVATHY & SANDRA Senior disciples of guru Nirmala Paniker presenting Mohiniyattam at the 2013 edition of 'Mohiniyattam Festival' by Soorya India.

PHOTO: HAREE FOTOGRAFIE

മിനുക്കിന്റെ മാത്തൂർ വഴി 09

In a different perspective 14

Toji

Sreekanth Janardhanan

STAGE

SIVARAMAN KOTTAKKAL

Opening new frontiers 22

Musical delights 28

The major and the notables 31

Conversing lasya 32

A NEWNMEDIA™ PUBLICATION LEAD PHOTOGRAPHY: HAREE FOTOGRAFIE DESIGN & LAYOUT: NEWNMEDIA™

SHARED UNDER

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

ADVT.

THE ORIGINAL RIGHTS OF THE TEXTS AND THE PHOTOGRAPHS RESERVED TO RESPECTIVE OWNERS. THE CC LICENSE IS VALID ONLY FOR THE E-MAGAZINE IN ITS EXACT FORM.

Hareesh N. Nampoothiri Karthik K.P. Priyanka B.

Malavika Menon

TALKING FRAMES

SARATHLAL SASIDHARAN

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03 EDITORIAL 2020 SEP-OCT| VOL 02 | ISS 05

The gender stigma

K

erala, always vibrant in the cultural scenario, is never short of controversies either. The most recent one relates to Mohiniyattam dancer RLV Ramakrishnan, allegedly ridiculed by the officials of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, referring to his caste, and the premiere institute for dance and music, denying the stage citing Mohiniyattam is not for male dancers. The government has responded to the allegation promising a probe and action for the issue related to caste. However, the Akademi and the parent department have been silent on the gender aspect.

The larger question is whether Mohiniyattam, as a dance form, is also meant for men. It is not only in Kerala, as multiple studies indicate, dancing is not a preferred stream for men worldwide. Understandably, the general consciousness of our society might follow the same notion. However, institutions like the Sangeetha Nataka Akademi should stand for or spearhead the change.

No dance form remains static. Institutions like the Sangeetha Nataka Akademi should stand for or spearhead the change.

No dance form remains static. For instance, Kathakali used to be male-oriented. It has changed over a period, and now we have noted women actors capable of handling even the most demanding male roles. Kuchipudi used to be a similar theatre form, with all men troupes. It has now evolved as a solo dance, mostly performed by women. Bharatanatyam considered the oldest traditional classical dance repertoire and performed solely by Devadasis in ancient times, accepted men many decades back.

These all indicate there’s no reason why men can’t do Mohiniyattam.

If it is true that the Akademi denied the stage for an artist who has a proven academic record, and who has been a practitioner for more than two decades, merely based on gender, then it is hardly progressive. It is also essential to clear the air in this regard. ●

Hareesh N. Nampoothiri CONTRIBUTORS TEXTS: KARTHIK K.P., MALAVIKA MENON, PRIYANKA B., SNEHA SASIKUMAR, SREEKANTH JANARDHANAN, SREEVALSAN THIYYADI, TOJI PHOTOS: AVINASH PASRICHA, BCKA, MATHOOR MURALIKRISHNAN, NATANAKAIRALI, SHALINI JAIN, WIKIPEDIA - NAWLINWIKI

EDITORIAL TEAM CHIEF EDITOR: HAREESH N. NAMPOOTHIRI ASSOCIATE EDITOR: PRIYANKA B. MEMBERS: MEERA SREENARAYANAN, NAVYA VINOD, SNEHA SASIKUMAR., VANI SANKAR

DISCLAIMER: THE OPINIONS AND VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE WRITE-UPS ARE THOSE OF THE RESPECTIVE AUTHORS AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE OFFICIAL POLICY OR POSITION OF THE MAGAZINE.

WEBSITE artograph.newnmedia.in FACEBOOK fb.me/artograph.mag INSTAGRAM instagr.am/artograph.mag SUBSCRIBE bit.ly/ag_subscribe FEEDBACK bit.ly/ag_response E-MAIL artograph.mag@newnmedia.in

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MEMOIR

2020 SEP-OCT | VOL 02 | ISS 05

KAPILA

04

and her tryst with Kerala

SREEVALSAN THIYYADI

A

brief stint she had at Kalamandalam was as a teenager learning a bit of Kathakali, and that was towards the end of 1940s.

The feisty Punjabi girl may or may not have stumbled upon certain celebrated scenes of the dance-drama. However, four decades later, Kapila Vatsyayan, as a Delhi-based researcher on her frequent visits to Kerala, did notice certain curious links between the vintage murals of the southern state and the classical performing arts.

Novel observations The record of her observations appeared in the form of the book - ‘The Arts of Kerala Kshetram’, which Kapila Vatsyayan brought out in the year 1989. From among no less than eighteen books she published, here is an attempt to analyse this work, which underscores the profound connection the academician had with Kerala. In this, Kapila notes that quite a few of the state’s temple sculptures and frescoes bear ‘a sense of drama’. According to her, this feature did not exist in the first half of that millennium. It was towards the 16th and 17th centuries that the elaborate ornamentation became the style of wall paintings regionally known as ‘Chuvarchitram’.

And that, the scholar infers, is with the growth of

■ WIKIPEDIA - NAWLINWIKI

Dravidian performing arts were of peculiar interest for Kapila Vatsyayan, prompting her to trace links between disciplines.

Kapila Vatsyayan (1928 - 2020) was the founder trustee of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and former Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha). Kapila, who is known for integrating India’s rich cultural past with its present for the future, took her last breath on 16th September 2020 at the age of 91. She played a crucial role in the establishment of three National Akademies - Lalit Kala Akademi, Sangeet Natak Akademi, and Sahitya Akademi, along with that of the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) and IGNCA. - Based on the press release by IGNCA

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05 MEMOIR

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Kutiyattam and allied art forms across the region.

“The archaeologists have dwelt on the theatrical halls called Kuttambalams in Kerala, the art historians on temple plans, wood-carving and paintings, literary critics on the growth of Malayalam literature, and the historians of dance on the intricacies of the movement technique. But seldom have these artistic expressions been seen as faces of a single aesthetics - a totality, which is polyvalent and multidimensional”: opines Kapila Vatsyayan in one of the curious chapters of her book.

Her point emphasises the need for an overview of a field while drilling deep into its various aspects. However, this is not easy as it sounds and bridging the gap between multidisciplinary streams is a strenuous approach that calls for careful handling.

Finding connections Kapila Vatsyayan lists a string of compelling images to contextualise the overall scenario, explaining how the painting traditions of Kerala evolved by incorporating popular themes from grand theatres such as Kutiyattam, Kathakali, and Krishnanattam.

Primarily, she finds a pattern to the Purana themes portrayed in the temple murals between the 17th and 19th centuries. Interestingly, most of them draw inspiration from key scenes in Kathakali.

For instance, recurrent depictions of the Bhima-Hanuman encounter might have been inspired by ‘Kalyanasougandhikam’ story-play featuring the two brothers in the Mahabharata.

Uma’s fury when her husband Shiva dallies with the ‘other wife’ Ganga is another persistent theme, mainly because of ‘Balivijayam’ depicted on the stage with

‘Parvativiraham’ in detail.

Not different is Shiva’s depiction in the guise of a hunter who tests Arjuna: adapted from ‘Kiratham’ Kathakali. Or, where Narasimha tears open the entrails of the ‘cruel’ Hiranyakashipu - it is indebted to ‘Prahladacharitam’.

Not just the themes, the appearance of the characters in the murals also came to her close attention.

The monkey-god Hanuman for instance, on stage, had by then abandoned the fur trousers he wears in pre-classical Krishnanattam.

Nevertheless, the character in murals comes with the beard and crown that are strongly similar to the representative Vellathadi vesham in Kathakali.

Here, Kapila alludes at a vague resemblance the headgear has with the ‘solar topi’ worn by the Portuguese, who ruled parts of India’s southwest coast in the 16th century.

The circular headgear, characters such as Rama and Lakshmana wear in murals, has a shape that one otherwise sees in, say, Krishnanattam. The females have their hair knotted in a way as seen in Mohiniyattam.

Painted mythological birds have false beaks, showing how much the idea got borrowed from the Garuda in ‘Narakasuravadham’ Krishnanattam or Hamsam in ‘Nalacharitham’ Kathakali, Kapila Vatsyayan quotes as examples.

Incidentally, the mega mural panels at Ettumanoor Shiva temple near south-central Kerala’s Kottayam may be from ‘a much later period’ even though historians often attribute the artwork to the 16th century, she adds.

A cultural evangelist Much of the murals the book

essays are from Pallimanna temple near Wadakanchery.

This shrine is just a dozen kilometres away from Kalamandalam, where Kapila had primary lessons in Kathakali. The institution is one that opened the doors of Kutiyattam for people beyond its slotted practitioners. Not surprising, Kapila Vatsyayan was instrumental in introducing the ancient Sanskrit theatre to places upcountry and abroad.

The 84-page book was republished in 2016 by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts with which Kapila had a strong association since the inception. She had been in several top positions with the government-run institution since 1987, two years after the Union Ministry of Culture founded it in the memory of a visionary prime minister.

Indira Gandhi’s love for the arts even while being an administrator with disciplinarian traits had a parallel in Kapila Vatsyayan.

Right from her childhood, Kapila had a penchant for Indian culture.

She maintained this instinct even as she became outspoken as an adult. That was often the extent of winning displeasure from adversaries and gaining rivalries in the process.

None of it could slow ventures of Kapila into the vast world of heritage. Often, her discoveries were a result of approaching subjects both at the micro and macro levels. This capacity to zoom into a matter and see from a distance both simultaneously, enabled her to come out with conclusions which many fellow researchers could not gather. ● SREEVALSAN THIYYADI is a cultural enthu-

siast and presently the editor of India Art Review, a dedicated digital journal on arts and culture. A freelance writer for more than two decades as a journalist, he follows the cultural forms of Kerala, primarily classical dances and music.

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MEMOIR

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06

an iconic

Satyabhama

SNEHA SASIKUMAR

Shobha Naidu during a lec-dem session at 4th Silicon Andhra International Kuchipudi Dance Convention (top), and a multiple exposure shot of her performing the heroine who is upset with her beloved in the javali "Vanipondu calu...".

E

PHOTOS: AVINASH PASRICHA

ven if you are not an art enthusiast or if your taste leans towards modern day artists, chances are you’ve heard of Shobha Naidu.

She has been an inspiration to many, including the one who writes this, to take up Kuchipudi. A name synonymous to the art form, many tried to follow her style, including the way she painted the eyes, did the hair, wore bangles, and many more.

Unsurprisingly many prominent dancers took to the social media sharing their grief, finding it hard to come to terms with her untimely demise. It is hard to reflect on such a talent in a few words, the epitome of elegance, who created spectacles on stage.

Born in 1956 at Anakapalle in Andhra Pradesh, Shobha Naidu, was one of the sensational disciples of guru Vempati Chinna Satyam. She had admirers not just in India but all over the world. A crowd-puller, known for her fluid grace and impersonation of heroines, Shobha excelled in various roles like Priyamvada, Chandalika, Deva Devaki, Rambha, Mohini, Padmavathi etc. A fiercely uncompromising purist, she also adapted to the new normal, working on her choreography even during the pandemic crisis. The last one was the classical version of ‘Corona Song’ penned by Venigalla Rambabu and composed by Saluri Koteswara Rao. Unique and versatile The first significant role given to Shobha Naidu was that of Sree Krishna in the ballet ‘Sree Krishna Parijatham’. In one of her inter-

Shobha Naidu (1956 2020) was a metonym to Kuchipudi, and hence many have tried to follow in her footsteps.

SNEHA SASIKUMAR, an accomplished Kuchipudi artist, presently researching at the University of Hyderabad, is a post-graduate in Performing Arts and has completed her studies on ‘Healing with the Arts’ at the University of Florida.

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07 WATCH OUT 2020 SEP-OCT| VOL 02 | ISS 05

FEATURED

SRIDEVI

NRITHYALAYA Snippets from their past live shows, thematic productions, practice sessions, interactions; the SDN channel offers variety in plenty.

STATISTICS: NOXINFLUENCER TEXT: PRIYANKA B.

Joined on

Average Video Views

Subscribers

Total Videos

2011 APR 07 325K

31.16K 703

Total Views

80.88M

* Data as on 2020 Oct 31.

S

ridevi Nrithyalaya (SDN) is one of the pioneering dance institutions in the country offering training in the Melattur style of Bharatanatyam. Established in the year 1987 by Bharatanatyam exponent Sheela Unnikrishnan, SDN over the years have produced numerous soloists and dance teachers.

Also, they have more than 450 solo dances, 43 thematic presentations, and 19 mega dance dramas to their credit.

The innovative choreographic techniques, along with methodological training, help the performers excel at various levels, winning them several accolades at both national and international levels. SDN joined YouTube in the year 2011 and has published over 700 videos fetching ~325K subscribers.

Snippets from their past live shows, thematic productions, practice sessions, interactions; the channel offer variety in plenty. ‘Tapasya’, a video series of classroom sessions at SDN, conceived with the idea of familiarising the nuances of the art form to young dance teachers and artists globally, has completed three years of streaming. Since June 2017, about forty videos got shared in this segment so far, one each at the end of every month. Another initiative along similar lines is ‘Praarambham’, a set of tutorial videos that offer the basic lessons in Melattur style.

‘Pavai Series‘ attempts to explore the lyrical, musical, and philosophical essence of the divine works -Thiruppavai and Thiruvempavai, set to music for the purpose and shot in picturesque locations. Apart from excerpts from stage performances, SDN also showcases thematic productions in conjunction with national events and major festivals.

Many a time, the videos focus on individual talents - Harinie Jeevitha, Bhairavi Venkatesan, and Sanjena Ramesh, to name a few - which has given them the necessary exposure and helped in establishing themselves as talented dancers. Their YouTube popularity is also one of the reasons why Sridevi Nrithyalaya pulls large crowds for their dance shows around the globe. ●

THIS SEGMENT FEATURES YOUTUBE CHANNELS THAT PROMOTE CLASSICAL DANCE AND MUSIC RELATED CONTENT.

Channel link: youtube.com/sheelaunniSrideviNrithyalaya

artograph views, she recollected that it was the noted critic P.V. Subramaniam aka Subbudu, who suggested her in the role of Satyabhama to her guru.

Ever since, there hasn’t been a turning back, as she blossomed gaining critical acclaim and subsequent fame. The distinguished portrayal of Chandalika as the untouchable protagonist not only proved her mettle in adapting to different roles but also helped to popularize the art form beyond national borders. She broke the constraints of technical virtuosity in Kuchipudi with subtle natural impulse and creative control over the characters.

According to Shobha Naidu, dance-dramas have a better scope of improvisations on Navarasa, which she explored through her innovative choreography. She always considered choreographing dance dramas as a ‘yajna’, a continuous process right from the scripting to the presentation. A few of the dance ballets set to dance by her include ‘Sree Krishna Saranam Mama’, ‘Kalyana Srinivasam’, ‘Vipranarayana’, ‘Sambhavami Yuge Yuge’, ‘Sarvam Sai Mayam’, and

MEMOIR

2020 SEP-OCT | VOL 02 | ISS 05

‘Swami Vivekananda’.

Shobha Naidu’s stamp and flair were distinct from other artists of the time, making her unique in every aspect. It was her artistry, charisma, and divinely conferred appeal with the gamut of emotions that helped her to gain the stature. On the day of her demise, one of her early recordings of “Marakata manimaya...”, was streamed by Prasar Bharati.

It took the audience to the past imprint of her mastery over the art form.

Haughty Satyabhama The character of Satyabhama in Kuchipudi is a litmus test for the calibre of any dancer. Shobha always emerged best in its portrayal and was most revered for this role. Her Satyabhama is famed for the unscripted impromptu and exhilaratingly humorous dialogues as she collaborated with other artists in the role of Madhavi, the confidante.

One such occasion was when she shared the stage with guru Vedantam Raghava as Madhavi for the Silicon Andhra International Kuchipudi Convention in 2014. It witnessed a remarkable

08

illustration of the interchange of spontaneous dialogues remodelled to suit the audience.

An iconic figure A humble and very loving person with an unfailing smile, Shobha Naidu was one of the first celebrated dancers in the Kuchipudi fraternity. Though she had offers to step into the film industry, she always knew Kuchipudi was her forte. She served as the Principal of Srinivasa Kuchipudi Art Academy, Hyderabad, since 1980 and has the credit of having produced more than fifteen ballets and over eighty solos.

Over the years, Shobha Naidu has received many accolades, noted ones being Nritya Choodamani (1982), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1991), Nritya Kala Siromani (1996), and Padhma Shri (2001).

The world of art has lost a precious gem, but her legend lives through the various characters Shobha enlivened on stage. Her style and choreography will be taught and performed, and as a dancer dedicated to the art, will remain an inspiration for many more generations to come. ● Shobha Naidu's take on Corona (left) and the dancer in her prime age from "Marathakamanimaya..." streamed by Prasar Bharati from their archives.

SCREEN CAPTURES

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09 INSPIRE

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മിനുക്കിന്റെ

മാത്തൂർ വഴി റ്റോജി

ഈ കഴിഞ്ഞ ഒക്ടോബറിൽ എൺപതു വയസ് പിന്നിട്ട കഥകളി നടൻ മാത്തൂർ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടി.

PHOTO: MATHOOR MURALIKRISHNAN

TOJI, a post-graduate in Malayalam Lan-

guage and Literature from the University of Kerala, is an ardent lover of Kathakali and a keen follower who travels miles to watch prime events. He runs a humble dairy farm for livelihood, while explores different facets of Kathakali.

ക

ഥകളി കലാകാരന്മാരുടെ അറുപതും എഴുപതും എൺപതും പിറന്നാളുകളെല്ലാം കഥകളി ല�ോകത്തിന് ഉത്സവമാണ്. സാംസ്കാരിക സദസ്സുകൾ, കലാപരിപാടികൾ എന്നിവയ�ോടെ, ആസ്വാദകരും സഹകലാകാരന്മാരും ചേർന്ന് പ്രസ്തുത കലാകാരനെ അനുമ�ോദിക്കുകയും ആശംസിക്കുകയും ആദരിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു വരുന്ന ചില അവസരങ്ങൾ കൂടിയാണവ. ആലപ്പുഴ ജില്ലയിലെ നെടുമുടിയില�ോ അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ക�ോട്ടയത്ത് കുടമാളൂര�ോ നടക്കേണ്ടിയിരുന്ന അത്തരമ�ൊരു പിറന്നാളുത്സവമാണ് ക�ോവിഡ് കാലം നഷ്ടപ്പെടുത്തിയത്. ആറു പതിറ്റാണ്ടിലേറെയായി കേരളത്തിലെ കഥകളിയരങ്ങുകളുടെ ഭാഗമായി നിലനിൽക്കുന്ന, മിനുക്ക് വേഷങ്ങളിലൂടെ പ്രസിദ്ധനായ, മാത്തൂർ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിക്ക് എൺപതു തികഞ്ഞു ഈ കഴിഞ്ഞ ഒക്ടോബർ മാസം. മിനുക്കിന്റെ വകഭേദങ്ങളിൽ ഏറ്റവും പ്രാധാന്യമർഹിക്കുന്ന സ്ത്രീ വേഷങ്ങളിൽ കഥകളിയുടെ ശൈലീഭദ്രമായ ചിട്ടവട്ടങ്ങളിലുറച്ച് സ്വകീയമായ ശൈലി രൂപപ്പെടുത്തിയ നടനാണ് അദ്ദേഹം. മുന്നൂറ�ോളം വർഷത്തെ

artograph ടൂറിസം വകുപ്പിന്റെ ആഭിമുഖ്യത്തിൽ 2010-ൽ തിരുവനന്തപുരത്ത് നടന്ന 'കഥകളിമേള' അരങ്ങിൽ കലാമണ്ഡലം ഗ�ോപിയ�ോട�ൊപ്പം 'നളചരിതം നാലാം ദിവസ'ത്തിലെ ദമയന്തിയായി മാത്തൂർ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടി.

PHOTO: HAREE FOTOGRAFIE

INSPIRE

2020 SEP-OCT | VOL 02 | ISS 05

10

പാരമ്പര്യം കണക്കാക്കുന്ന കഥകളിയിൽ കാലം ക�ൊണ്ടും എണ്ണം ക�ൊണ്ടും ശുഷ്കമായ സ്ത്രീവേഷ ചരിത്രത്തെ സമ്പന്നമാക്കിയവരിൽ എടുത്തു പറയേണ്ട പേരാണ് മാത്തൂർ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിയുടേത്. സ്ത്രീ വേഷങ്ങളിൽ മുൻഗാമികളായ കുടമാളൂർ കരുണാകരൻ നായർ, ചിറക്കര മാധവൻകുട്ടി; സമകാലികരായ ക�ോട്ടക്കൽ ശിവരാമൻ, കലാമണ്ഡലം കെ.ജി. വാസുദേവൻ, ക�ോട്ടക്കൽ ശംഭു എമ്പ്രാന്തിരി തുടങ്ങിയവര�ോട�ൊപ്പം പ്രവർത്തിച്ച് കേരളത്തിലെ കളിയരങ്ങുകളിൽ തന്റേതായ ഇടം സ്ഥാപിച്ചെടുത്ത കലാകാരനാണ് അദ്ദേഹം.

പാരമ്പര്യത്തിന്റെ തുടർച്ച

മാത്തൂർ കാർത്ത്യായനി കുഞ്ഞമ്മയുടെയും ദാമ�ോദരൻ നമ്പൂതിരിയുടെയും മകനായി 1940 ഒക്ടോബർ അഞ്ചിനാണ് ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിയുടെ ജനനം. നാരായണൻ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻ കുഞ്ഞു പണിക്കർ എന്ന് ഔദ്യോഗിക നാമം. പിന്നീട് കഥകളി വേഷക്കാരനായി അറിയപ്പെട്ടു തുടങ്ങിയ കാലത്ത്, പ്രസിദ്ധ നാദസ്വരവിദ്വാന്മാരായ അമ്പലപ്പുഴ ബ്രദേഴ്സിലെ ശങ്കരനാരായണ പണിക്കരാണ് മാത്തൂർ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടി എന്നു പേരുമാറ്റി വിളിച്ചത്. മങ്കൊമ്പ് അവിട്ടം തിരുനാൾ ഹൈസ്കൂളിലെ പ്രാഥമിക വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ കാലത്ത്, പതിനാലാം വയസ്സിൽ, മാത്തൂർ കളരിയിൽ, നെടുമുടി കുട്ടപ്പ പണിക്കരുടെ കീഴിലാണ് ഗ�ോവിന്ദന്റെ കഥകളി അഭ്യസനം ആരംഭിച്ചത്.

നാട�ോടി/ക്ലാസിക്കൽ കലാരൂപങ്ങളുടെ വിളനിലമായ കുട്ടനാട്ടിൽ, നെടുമുടി എന്ന ഗ്രാമത്തിലാണ് കുഞ്ചൻ നമ്പ്യാരുടെ തുള്ളൽ കൃതികളിൽ പ�ോലും പരാമർശിക്കപ്പെട്ടിട്ടുള്ള മാത്തൂർ ശ്രീഭഗവതി ക്ഷേത്രവും മാത്തൂർ കളരിയും സ്ഥിതി ചെയ്യുന്നത്. പഴയ തിരുവിതാംകൂറിന്റെ രാഷ്ട്രീയ-സാംസ്കാരിക ചരിത്രത്തിൽ നിർണായക സ്ഥാനമുണ്ട് മാത്തൂർ കുടുംബത്തിന്. വിശാല തിരുവിതാംകൂർ സ്ഥാപിതമാകുന്നതിനു മുൻപ് ദേവനാരായണന്മാർ ഭരിച്ചിരുന്ന അമ്പലപ്പുഴ ആസ്ഥാനമായ ചെമ്പകശ്ശേരി നാട്ടുരാജ്യത്തിന്റെ പടനായകസ്ഥാനം മാത്തൂർ പണിക്കർമാർക്കായിരുന്നു. പടയാളികൾക്ക് പരിശീലനത്തിനായുള്ള ആയ�ോധന കളരിയായാണ് മാത്തൂർ കളരിയുടെ തുടക്കം. രാജാവിനു മുൻപിൽ പടയാളികൾ നടത്തുന്ന അഭ്യാസപ്രകടനത്തെ കലാപരമായ ചേരുവകൾ ചേർത്ത് മാത്തൂർ പണിക്കർമാർ രൂപപ്പെടുത്തിയതാണ് വേലകളി. പിന്നീട് അനുഷ്ഠാനഭാവം

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INSPIRE

2020 SEP-OCT| VOL 02 | ISS 05

കൈവന്ന ഈ കലാരൂപം അമ്പലപ്പുഴ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണസ്വാമി ക്ഷേത്രത്തിലെ ഉത്സവത്തിന്റെ പ്രധാന ചടങ്ങായി മാറുകയും 'അമ്പലപ്പുഴ വേലകളി' എന്നറിയപ്പെടുകയും ചെയ്തു.

മുന്നൂറ�ോളം വർഷത്തെ പാരമ്പര്യം കണക്കാക്കുന്ന കഥകളിയിൽ കാലം ക�ൊണ്ടും എണ്ണം ക�ൊണ്ടും ശുഷ്കമായ സ്ത്രീവേഷ ചരിത്രത്തെ സമ്പന്നമാക്കിയവരിൽ എടുത്തു പറയേണ്ട പേരാണ് മാത്തൂർ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിയുടേത്.

2007-ൽ ഏവൂരിൽ നടന്ന 'നളചരിത�ോത്സ'ത്തിൽ സുദേവനായി മാത്തൂർ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടി.

PHOTO: HAREE FOTOGRAFIE

കഥകളി സങ്കേതങ്ങൾ പലതും വേലകളിയുമായി അഭേദ്യമായ ബന്ധമുള്ളവയാണ്. കഥകളി മാത്തൂർ കളരിയുടെ ഭാഗമായതിനു ശേഷം കഥകളിയുടെ വികാസപരിണാമങ്ങളിൽ മാത്തൂർ കളരിയുടെ പങ്കും നിസ്തുലമാണ്. തിരുവിതാംകൂർ രൂപീകരണത്തിനു ശേഷം വേലകളിയും മാത്തൂർ കളിയ�ോഗവും തിരുവിതാംകൂർ ക�ൊട്ടാരത്തിന്റെയും ശ്രീപത്മനാഭസ്വാമി ക്ഷേത്രത്തിന്റെയും ഭാഗമായി.

മാത്തൂരിന്റെ കഥകളിപ്പെരുമ അതിന്റെ ഉച്ചസ്ഥായിയിൽ എത്തുന്നത് 'കഥകളിപ്രകാശിക' എന്ന നാട്യശാസ്ത്ര ഗ്രന്ഥത്തിന്റെ കർത്താവായ മാത്തൂർ കുഞ്ഞുപിള്ള പണിക്കരുടെ കാലത്താണ്. പിന്നീട്, തെക്കൻ ചിട്ടയുടെ ആചാര്യസ്ഥാനീയരായി പേരെടുത്ത ചെങ്ങന്നൂർ രാമൻ പിള്ളയും ത�ോട്ടം ശങ്കരൻ നമ്പൂതിരിയുമെല്ലാം അക്കാലത്ത് മാത്തൂർ കളരിയിൽ അഭ്യസിച്ചവരായിരുന്നു. മാത്തൂരിന്റെ ഈ കലാപാരമ്പര്യത്തിന്റെ തുടർകണ്ണിയായാണ് പതിനേഴാം വയസ്സിൽ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടി 'പൂതനാമ�ോക്ഷ'ത്തിൽ ലളിതയായി മാത്തൂർ ക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ അരങ്ങേറ്റം കുറിക്കുന്നത്.

അരങ്ങേറ്റത്തോടെ കഥകളിപഠനം ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് ഔപചാരിക വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം തുടരാനായിരുന്നു ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിയുടെ ആഗ്രഹം. അരങ്ങേറ്റത്തിന് പ്രത്യേക ക്ഷണിതാവായിരുന്ന അവിട്ടം തിരുനാൾ ഹൈസ്കൂളിലെ പ്രധാനാധ്യാപകൻ നീലകണ്ഠ പിള്ള, അവതരണം കണ്ടതിനു ശേഷം "ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻ കഥകളിരംഗത്ത് തുടരണം, അവിടെ ശ�ോഭിക്കാനാവും..." എന്ന് പറയുകയുണ്ടായി. അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ഈ അഭിപ്രായമാണ് ഈ രംഗത്ത് നിലയുറപ്പിക്കാൻ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിക്ക് പ്രച�ോദനമായത്. തുടർന്ന് കുട്ടപ്പ പണിക്കരുടെ ശിക്ഷണത്തിൽ അഭ്യസനം കുറച്ചു വർഷങ്ങൾ കൂടി തുടരുകയും ഗുരുവിന്റെ നിർദ്ദേശാനുസരണം സ്ത്രീവേഷത്തിൽ ശ്രദ്ധയൂന്നുകയും ചെയ്തു. മാത്തൂർ കളരിയിൽ തന്നെ കുറിച്ചി കുഞ്ഞൻ പണിക്കരുടെ കീഴിൽ തെക്കൻ ചിട്ടയിൽ അഭ്യസനം തുടർന്നപ്പോൾ, അമ്പലപ്പുഴ ശേഖറുടെ കീഴിൽ വടക്കൻ സമ്പ്രദായവും അദ്ദേഹം പരിശീലിച്ചു. ഒരു വർഷത്തോളം ആർ.എൽ.വി. സ്കൂളിൽ കലാമണ്ഡലം കൃഷ്ണൻ നായരിൽ നിന്നും പഠിക്കാനും ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിക്ക് സാധിച്ചു.

സ്ത്രീ വേഷപ്പെരുമ

ഇതിന�ോടകം തന്നെ ഒരു സ്ത്രീവേഷക്കാരനായി നാട്ടിലറിയപ്പെട്ടു തുടങ്ങിയിരുന്നു മാത്തൂർ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടി. കുടമാളൂർ കരുണാകരൻ നായർ അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ സ്വദേശത്ത് നടത്തിപ്പോന്നിരുന്ന കേരളനടന കലാനിലയവുമായി സഹകരിച്ചു പ്രവർത്തിക്കാൻ തുടങ്ങിയതും അക്കാലത്തായിരുന്നു. ഇവിടെവെച്ച് കരുണാകരൻ നായരാണ് ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിയുടെ സ്ത്രീവേഷങ്ങളെ കൂടുതൽ മിനുക്കിയെടുത്തത്.

'നളചരിതം' നാലു ദിവസങ്ങളിലെയും ദമയന്തി, 'രുഗ്മാംഗദചരിത'ത്തിൽ മ�ോഹിനി, 'ദേവയാനീചരിത'ത്തിൽ ദേവയാനി, 'ഹരിശ്ചന്ദ്രചരിത'ത്തിൽ ചന്ദ്രമതി, വിവിധ കഥകളിലെ ലളിത വേഷങ്ങൾ, കുന്തി, പാഞ്ചാലി, സീത, ഉർവ്വശി തുടങ്ങി കഥകളിയിലെ ഒട്ടുമിക്കവാറും എല്ലാ സ്ത്രീകഥാപാത്രങ്ങളും മാത്തൂർ

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മാത്തൂർ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിയുടെ കാട്ടാളത്തി (മുകളിൽ), കൂടാതെ സദനം കൃഷ്ണൻകുട്ടിയുടെ കർണ്ണന�ോട�ൊപ്പം കുന്തിയായി 'കർണ്ണശപഥ'ത്തിൽ.

PHOTOS: HAREE FOTOGRAFIE

കേരളനടന കലാനിലയവുമായി ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടി സഹകരിച്ചു പ്രവർത്തിച്ച കാലത്ത്, കുടമാളൂർ കരുണാകരൻ നായരാണ് മാത്തൂർ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിയുടെ സ്ത്രീവേഷങ്ങളെ കൂടുതൽ മിനുക്കിയെടുത്തത്.

INSPIRE

2020 SEP-OCT | VOL 02 | ISS 05

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ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടി അരങ്ങിൽ അവതരിപ്പിച്ച് വിജയിപ്പിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്. ല�ോകധർമ്മിക്ക് പ്രാധാന്യമേറുന്ന കാട്ടാളത്തി, മണ്ണാത്തി തുടങ്ങിയ വേഷങ്ങളും അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ കൈയ്യിൽ ഭദ്രം.

ചെങ്ങന്നൂർ രാമൻ പിള്ള, ചെന്നിത്തല ചെല്ലപ്പൻ പിള്ള, മാങ്കുളം വിഷ്ണു നമ്പൂതിരി, വാഴേങ്കട കുഞ്ചു നായർ, കലാമണ്ഡലം കൃഷ്ണൻ നായർ, കലാമണ്ഡലം രാമൻകുട്ടി നായർ, മടവൂർ വാസുദേവൻ നായർ, കലാമണ്ഡലം ഗ�ോപി തുടങ്ങി കഥകളിയിലെ പ്രശസ്തരും പ്രഗത്ഭരുമായ എല്ലാ നായക നടന്മാരുടെയും നായികയായി അരങ്ങിൽ പ്രവർത്തിക്കാൻ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിക്ക് സാധിച്ചു. തെക്കൻ കേരളത്തിലെ അരങ്ങുകളിൽ ചെന്നിത്തല ചെല്ലപ്പൻ പിള്ളയുമായി ചേർന്ന് തുടർച്ചയായുണ്ടായ കൂട്ടുവേഷങ്ങൾ, പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ദേവയാനി, കുന്തി, മ�ോഹിനി തുടങ്ങിയവ, ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിക്ക് പ്രശസ്തി നേടിക്കൊടുക്കുന്നതിൽ വലിയ പങ്കു വഹിച്ചു. താൻ ഏറ്റവുമധികം കൂട്ടുവേഷങ്ങൾ ചെയ്തിട്ടുള്ളതും ചെല്ലപ്പൻ പിള്ളയ്ക്കൊപ്പമാണെന്ന് അദ്ദേഹം പറയുന്നു.

സ്ത്രീ വേഷങ്ങൾ കൂടാതെ, 'സന്താനഗ�ോപാലം' ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ, 'കുചേലവൃത്ത'ത്തിൽ കുചേലൻ, 'ഉത്തരാസ്വയംവര'ത്തിലെ കൃപർ, 'നളചരിത'ത്തിലെ സുദേവൻ, 'ഹരിശ്ചന്ദ്രചരിത'ത്തിലെ വസിഷ്ഠൻ, 'രുഗ്മിണീസ്വയംവര'ത്തിലെ സുന്ദര ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ, വിവിധ കഥകളിലെ നാരദൻ, ശുക്രൻ തുടങ്ങിയ വേഷങ്ങളും മാത്തൂർ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടി അനായാസേന ചെയ്തു വരുന്നു. ഇവയിൽ തന്നെ 'സന്താനഗ�ോപാലം' ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ, സുദേവൻ, കൃപർ തുടങ്ങിയ വേഷങ്ങളുടെ കൈയ്യടക്കം എടുത്തു പറയേണ്ടതാണ്. 'ദുര്യോധനവധം' ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണൻ, 'നളചരിത'ത്തിലെ ഹംസം തുടങ്ങിയ തേച്ചവേഷങ്ങളും അദ്ദേഹം അവതരിപ്പിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.

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INSPIRE

2020 SEP-OCT| VOL 02 | ISS 05

അനുഭവമാവുന്നഭിനയ പാടവം

വർഷങ്ങൾക്ക് മുൻപ് ക�ോട്ടയത്ത് ഒരു 'കർണ്ണശപഥം' കഥകളി തീരുമാനിച്ചു. പുതുകാലത്തിലെ ഈ ആട്ടക്കഥയ്ക്ക്, കഥകളി ല�ോകത്ത് ചിരപ്രതിഷ്ഠ നേടിക്കൊടുത്ത രണ്ടു നടന്മാരെയാണ് കർണ്ണനും കുന്തിയുമായി നിശ്ചയിച്ചിരുന്നത്. ചില അസൗകര്യങ്ങൾ നിമിത്തമായി ഇവരിരുവർക്കും അന്നവിടെ എത്താനായില്ല. പകരം, കലാമണ്ഡലം വൈക്കം കരുണാകരൻ നായരുടെ കർണ്ണനും മാത്തൂർ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിയുടെ കുന്തിയുമായി കളി നടന്നു.

തങ്ങൾ പ്രതീക്ഷയ�ോടെ കാണാനെത്തിയ രണ്ട് മഹാനടന്മാരുടെ അഭാവം നിരാശയിലാഴ്ത്തിയ വലിയ ആസ്വാദകവൃന്ദത്തെ വിസ്മയിപ്പിച്ച പ്രകടനമായിരുന്നു അവരിരുവരും അന്ന് കാഴ്ചവെച്ചത്. കർണ്ണനും കുന്തിയും വേർപിരിയുന്ന വികാര നിർഭരമായ രംഗം നിറഞ്ഞ കൈയ്യടികള�ോടെ സദസ്സ് ഏറ്റുവാങ്ങി. രംഗത്തിനു ശേഷം അണിയറയിലെത്തി വേഷമഴിക്കുമ്പോഴും കരച്ചിലടക്കാൻ പാടുപെട്ടത് മാത്തൂർ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിയുടെ ഓർമ്മയിൽ ഒളിമങ്ങാതെ നിൽക്കുന്നു. ഈ രീതിയിൽ, കഥകളിയിലെ തെക്കും വടക്കും സമ്പ്രദായങ്ങളെ സ്വാംശീകരിച്ച ഈ നടൻ ഏതു വേഷം ചെയ്താലും ഒരനുഭവം സൃഷ്ടിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു എന്ന് ആസ്വാദകമതം.

2014 ഫെബ്രുവരിയിൽ ബെങ്കളൂരുവിൽ നടന്ന 'കചദേവയാനി'യിൽ മകൻ മുരളീകൃഷ്ണന്റെ ദേവയാനിയ�ോട�ൊപ്പം ശുക്രാചാര്യരായി മാത്തൂർ ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടി.

PHOTO: BCKA

artograph കഥാപാത്രത്തെ പൂർണ്ണമായി ഉൾക്കൊണ്ടുള്ള, കൂട്ടുവേഷക്കാർക്ക് പ്രോത്സാഹനജനകവുമായ മന�ോധർമ്മങ്ങളാണ് ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടിയുടെ ഇളകിയാട്ടത്തിന്റെ സവിശേഷതയെന്നും പ�ൊതുവിൽ വിലയിരുത്തപ്പെടുന്നു.

കേന്ദ്ര സംഗീത നാടക അക്കാദമി അവാർഡ്, കേന്ദ്ര മാനവവിഭവശേഷി വകുപ്പിന്റെ സീനിയർ ഫെല�ോഷിപ്പ്, കഥകളിക്കുള്ള കേരള സംസ്ഥാന അവാർഡ്, കേരള സംഗീത നാടക അക്കാദമി അവാർഡ്, കേരള കലാമണ്ഡലം കീർത്തിശംഖ് പുരസ്കാരം, കേരള കലാമണ്ഡലം ഫെല�ോഷിപ്പ്, വിവിധ കഥകളി ക്ലബ്ബുകളുടെ നിരവധി അവാർഡുകൾ എന്നിവ അദ്ദേഹത്തിനു ലഭിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്. കേരള കലാമണ്ഡലം ഭരണസമിതി അംഗമായും അദ്ദേഹം പ്രവർത്തിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്. കുടമാളൂർ കലാകേന്ദ്രത്തിലെ അധ്യാപകനായും പ്രധാനാധ്യാപകനായും പ്രവർത്തിച്ചിട്ടുള്ള അദ്ദേഹം നിരവധി ശിഷ്യസമ്പത്തിനും ഉടമയാണ്. കുടമാളൂർ കരുണാകരൻ നായരുടെ മകൾ രാജേശ്വരിയെയാണ് ഗ�ോവിന്ദൻകുട്ടി വിവാഹം കഴിച്ചത്. രണ്ട് ആൺമക്കൾ, ഉണ്ണികൃഷ്ണനും മുരളീകൃഷ്ണനും. മുത്തച്ഛന്റെയും അച്ഛന്റെയും പാതയിൽ കഥകളി വേഷക്കാരനാണ് മലയാള അധ്യാപകൻ കൂടിയായ ഇളയമകൻ മുരളീകൃഷ്ണൻ. ക�ോവിഡ് കെടുത്തിയ കളിവിളക്ക് തെളിഞ്ഞ് അരങ്ങുകൾ സജീവമാവുമ്പോൾ വീണ്ടും ചമയമണിയാനുള്ള കാത്തിരുപ്പിലാണ്, ഇന്നത്തെ പുതുതലമുറയടക്കം കഥകളിയിലെ നാലുതലമുറകള�ോട�ൊപ്പം അരങ്ങനുഭവമുള്ള ഈ എൺപതുകാരൻ. ●

COVER STORY

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In a different

perspective

SREEKANTH JANARDHANAN

“The revival of the dance form in Kalamandalam in the early 20th century relied significantly on the legacy leftover by Swathi Thirunal...” says guru Nirmala Paniker.

SREEKANTH JANARDHANAN works as a

scientist at CSIRO, Australia and is an admirer of music, dance, literature and theatre. Writes often about the aesthetics, socio-politics of arts, and occasionally indulges in own pursuits.

V

eteran guru Nirmala Paniker is renowned for the unique style of abhinaya she developed for Mohiniyattam, characterised by the detailed use of eyes and exquisite movements set to the tune of sopanam style of music. Some four decades ago, after extensive training under Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, hailed as the mother of Mohiniyattam, and later in the Kalamandalam style from Kalamandalam V. Sathyabhama, Nirmala Paniker embarked on a mission to revive Mohiniyattam, emphasising on its long-lost aesthetic elements.

Currently, she heads Natanakaisiki, a wing of Natanakairali - Research Training and Performing Centre for Traditional Arts founded by G. Venu, and train artists in her unique style of the dance form. Four decades of her research into the repertoire and other art forms like Nangiar Koothu reconstructed the long-wound history of ‘Viralis’ (the danseuses with extraordinary dancing and acting skills from Kerala), which she published in over eight books on the subject. Amid the pandemic, we had several virtual meets which eventually resulted in putting it this way.

Q: Your Mohiniyattam had choreographies in the usual concert format for many years. What was the inspiration to develop a desi repertoire of Mohiniyattam?

I began my dance career in the mid-sixties, during the emerging phase of Mohiniyattam. The origin and existence of Mohiniyattam as an indigenous dance form of Kerala was subjected to constant questioning then, despite several efforts to popularise the same.

Many scholars attributed it as a brainchild of erstwhile ruler Swathi Thirunal, because of the profound influence of Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music of his times. The sacrosanctity Swathi Thirunal rendered to the dance form infusing the Bhakti elements and romanticism helped Mohiniyattam a lot in its way forward. Hence, it is undeniable that he played a prodigious role in the resurrection of the art form in the 19th century. Slowly the format of the presentation developed into the concert format followed in Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam.

The revival of the dance form in Kalamandalam in the early 20th century relied significantly on the legacy leftover by Swathi Thirunal, with the repertoire abundant in Swathi varnams, padams, and thillanas, in addition to cholkettu. Mohiniyattam pieces like ‘Kurathi’,

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‘Mukkuthi’, ‘Poli’ etc. that probably had native cultural and folk elements got discarded during the revival exercise. Questions regarding the prospects of indigenous style and other female dance traditions of Kerala like Thiruvathirakali and Nangiar Koothu lingered in my mind since then. That is why, at one point in my journey, I began researching on these missing links of Mohiniyattam and tried to develop a style, deep-rooted in the cultural, musical, literary, and acting traditions of Kerala.

■ NATANAKAIRALI

Q: What could be the reason for discarding the Desi repertoire in Kalamandalam?

The practice of Mohiniyattam and the fortunes of dancers significantly deteriorated by the end of the 19th century following the then socio-political circumstances. The patronage by princely states dwindled as they were crumbling under the British rule and local chieftains. Mohiniyattam performances under the auspices of new patrons like landlords stooped down in moral standards, and it got inhabited by several elements that stigmatized the art form. For instance, towards the end of the dance piece called ‘Chandanam’,

artograph the dancer would come to the audience and smear sandalwood paste on the spectators in return for money or gifts. In ‘Mukkuthi’ she would search for her lost nosepiece among headgear and clothes of encouraging viewers. These paralleled the practices in Devadasi traditions of South India, which prompted the British Government to ban them altogether. Hence Vallathol Narayana Menon, the founder of Kalamandalam and early teachers had valid reasons to discard such pieces from Mohiniyattam. Despite remedial measures, it became difficult to find students and teachers training in Mohiniyattam those days.

Q: Revisiting discarded pieces must have been like swimming against the tide...

Well, discarded does not mean those dance pieces were inherently inferior. The denigration of performances happened as a result of social conditioning. My research has enough evidence to prove that the desi repertoire had irrevocable links to ritualistic traditions, folklore, history, and culture of Kerala. For example, the practice of offering sandalwood paste is a practice still followed in ritualistic performances like Mudiyettu and Theyyam of Kerala based on the worship of mother goddess.

The female dance traditions which gave way to Mohiniyattam had similar origins, and the pieces like ‘Chandanam’ must have been a part of the traditional repertoire.

The desi piece ‘Esal’ depicts the argument between Lakshmi Kurathi and Parvathi Kurathi, each ridiculing the partner of the other. Lakshmi asks Parvathi whether her husband Shiva killed elephant for leather. Parvathi responds by saying that Vishnu killed elephant to harvest its tusks.

The dispute goes on for a while before they put an end to it and become friends. Portraying gods with human emotions makes them relatable to the common folk. Such narratives may also have the backing of Shaiva-Vaishnava sects that had conflicting periods in the past.

Q: Could you please elaborate on the piece ‘Mukkuthi’, condemned as vulgar those days?

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‘Mukkuthi’ depicts an ordinary woman in search of her most valuable nosepiece decorated with a diamond. After venturing into the material quest for long, a realisation dawns upon her that the real search is within oneself for the ultimate self-liberation. This concept resonates with our Bhakti tradition - the belief that spiritual enlightenment encourages us to rise above material considerations of real life. It also bears parallels with the Vedanta school of thought which had a strong presence in Kerala since the 8th century. ‘Adhyatma Ramayana’ of Thunchathu Ezhuthachan, was probably the first Malayalam literary work based on this philosophy.

It is quite natural that these may have inspired dancers of Chera times.

The desi piece ‘Poli’ invokes the blessings of the female goddess. The dancer surrenders herself to the female manifestations Kali, Neeli, Bhadra to bring bliss to all worlds. These are interesting in that they relate to the vernacular names of our gods before converting into their Sanskritized counterparts like Bhagavati, Lakshmi, and Saraswathi.

Q: How do you think the revived desi repertoire has enhanced and enriched the Mohiniyattam style?

Desi repertoire enabled me to reconnect Mohiniyattam to its origins. All dance forms should continuously evolve, but primarily they must adhere to its roots to retain its unique identity, especially in the globalised world. The resemblance to the elements of Bharatanatyam and other south Indian forms during post-Swathi times may have contributed to the oft-quoted image of Mohiniyattam as a poor sibling of Bharatanatyam.

There is a false assumption that Mohiniyattam lacks centuries-old history, unlike Bharatanatyam.

Widely acknowledged is the fact that the devadasi traditions like Sadir or Dasiyattam evolved into the present-day Bharatanatyam. It received the name only in the 20th century, but does that mean Bharathanatyam is only 100 years old? It is ridiculous to arrive at such a conclusion.

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Q: Do you think that Mohiniyattam has a similar past?

Yes, of course. Mohiniyattam evolved from the dance legends, especially female traditions, of the region of Tamilakam, which later became the Malayalam-speaking Kerala state. The nritta and abhinaya aspects of Mohiniyattam resonated with the life and culture of this region.

The research based on available literary evidence has assured that there have always been a prominent female dance and theatre tradition that produced outstanding dancers who could communicate intensely through their performances. They probably were not called Mohiniyattam dancers.

The name appears only in the literature of the 17th or 18th century. But this rich dancing legacy has left remarkable imprints on the current-day Mohiniyattam.

Q: Your school of Mohiniyattam is wellknown for its abhinaya with the precise use of eye movements to enact minute details.

Could you please enumerate on this?

I mostly follow the style of my guru, Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, and mine is not entirely a different school either. But yes, extensive research has helped me explore the possibilities of using the eyes to enhance the abhinaya aspects, and I could practically incorporate those into my choreographies. Earlier, abhinaya got restricted to the portrayal of emotions like Sringara and Karuna in the context of Sringara bhakti. Nevertheless, Kerala has female dancing traditions rich in abhinaya elements, and there were ample opportunities to adapt and adopt them for Mohiniyattam.

Q: What were the methods followed in adapting and enriching the abhinaya aspects?

Most often, dancers resort to ‘Natya Shastra’ for techniques in acting and aesthetics. While the acting traditions of Kerala have also been under its influence, it probably had different origins. For example, it prohibits enacting death on the stage, but in Kutiyattam and Kathakali, its enactment is in detail. Similarly, the Ninam (bloodied) characters

â– NATANAKAIRALI

The revival of the art form in the 1930s had the focus on Bhakti and Sringara themes which suited exceptionally well for this lasya dance form and later became its identity. In recent decades, Malayalam poetry has inspired many choreographies.

It is a noteworthy change. In my opinion, any dance form will flourish when adopted a futuristic outlook, while sticking to its roots.

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in our plays are uncommon in other styles. Such differences became the encouragement to look beyond, and research deep into the native acting traditions, especially the female-centric ones.

The Sangham poetry gives elaborate descriptions of dancers who were exceptional actors called ‘Viralis’. They acted with such conviction that their whole body was as expressive as eyes. Over ages, we lost them, and Mohiniyattam in the 19th century focussed only on Sringara abhinaya. It became the impetus to revive the long-lost female acting tradition.

Nangiar Koothu was one such, nearly on the verge of extinction. In the late 70s, I started researching on this art form, which eventually led to my first book ‘Nangiar Koothu: The Classical Dance Theatre of the Nangiars’. In the meantime, I also learnt the nuances of abhinaya from Kutiyattam maestro guru Ammannur Madhava Chakyar, the torchbearer of an exceptional acting tradition.

Q: How has Ammannur Madhava Chakyar inspired your adaptation of abhinaya for Mohiniyattam?

On seeing the performance of him for the very first time, I realized that I was in search of such an acting heritage. When guru Madhava Chakyar enacted karuna, tears would sparkle in the corner of his eyes. The satvika abhinaya, which is the genuine experience of a bhava, is fundamental for rasanubhava. The acting techniques of Kutiyattam were significantly different from that of Kathakali, and it had more subtle ways of expressing intense emotions. It helped me conclude that many of the Abhinaya techniques employed by the legendary artist through this artform are amenable and adaptable for Mohiniyattam. Since then, I have been slowly developing a methodology for netra abhinaya in close coordination with the Mohiniyattam hand gestures based on ‘Hastalakshanadeepika’. Besides incorporating these into the desi choreographies, I train all students using this approach, a method, which is slowly coming into fruition over all these years.

Q: Could you please talk on the music adapted for desi choreographies?

When it comes to desi items, the musicality of the compositions also becomes significant. While I use Carnatic music for the traditional repertoire, I prefer music suitable for acting for the desi ones. I have revived the use of indigenous instruments like Kurumkuzhal and make use of the temple drum Maddalam. The Sopanam style of music enhanced and elevated the expressive aspects, and when combined with the elements from folk music, together they rejuvenated the desi choreographies. I used the Malayalam songs collated by Leela Omcheri for the desi ones. We also worked with Kavalam Narayana Panicker for the lyrics of some works.

Q: Do you think the inclusion of regional repertoires widens the reach of dance forms otherwise restricted to the elite class?

For me, all art forms originated among the commonest of people, and Lecture demonstration of Mohiniyattam by guru Nirmala Paniker in Coventry, central England as part of a cultural exchange programme in the 1980s.

PHOTO: NATANAKAIRALI

“On seeing the performance of guru Ammannur Madhava Chakyar for the very first time, I realized that I was in search of such an acting heritage.”

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relate to the thoughts and emotions of the everyday man. Classical dances also serve the same purpose, although it follows some texts that provide guidelines to enhance the aesthetics of the style. But all those principles are for the dance and not viceversa. Many a time, we adhere to what the text says and forget about the aesthetics.

The audience mostly cares only about aesthetics, and that could be one of the reasons why many people cannot relate to classical dance performances. The rasika may not be concerned about the category the nayika falls into, but they feel the emotions of the dancer if it comes straight from her/his mind.

Adherence to rules should not cause an art form to become rigid and non-innovative over time. Virahotkhandita nayika, who comes across numerous Swathi Thirunal padams is suitable for Mohiniyattam. But it does not necessarily mean that we should attempt only those in Mohiniyattam. The dancer has to look for myriad ways to enrich the repertoire of their style. I embarked on the desi Nirmala Paniker watches her senior disciples Sandra Pisharody and Parvathy Sreevallabhan from the seat of nattuvanar, when they performed at the 'Mohiniyattam Festival' organized by Soorya India in 2013.

PHOTO: HAREE FOTOGRAFIE

artograph themes because they are related to the childhood experiences in which I am rooted. Even in pure nritta, I try to capture the movements I see around.

For example, I have included Ammanaattam, Tudichukuli, Panthattam etc. in my choreographies. These were the popular part-ritualistic and part-pastime activity of girls during my younger days. Through reviving these, I am also archiving them in my choreographies, for the use of future generations.

Q: It was great talking to you. A few words on your current projects.

I prefer spending most of the time in my Kalari.

However, direct interactions with students have almost come to a standstill since the pandemic.

So, there is more time for writing now. Most of the original dance and musical forms draw inspiration from nature, rituals, love, and the human relation to god. At a macro level, this has connections with diverse Indian philosophies.

Presently, I am working on a detailed article that explores the various depths of my style of Mohiniyattam. I am also conducting workshops on hasta and netra abhinaya to interested dance students and teachers. â—?

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FEATURED

SIVARAMAN K

KOT TA KKA L

ottakkal Sivaraman, regarded as one of the all-time great actors in Kathakali, was noted for his female lead roles. The maestro was in his mid-seventies when he passed away in July 2010. He excelled in drama-intense characters like Damayanthi, Mohini, Kunthi, Poothana and the like. One of the most acclaimed roleplays was that of Damayanthi in ‘Nalacharitham Nalam Divasam’ play, notably when performed alongside the Bahuka of Kalamandalam Gopi, with whom he shared many stages.

The captures here are from one of his stages in 2007, presented as part of ‘Nalacharitholsavam’ at Evoor Sree Krishna Temple. He shared the stage with Gopi and presented Damayanthi in ‘Nalacharitham Nalam Divasam’

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for one more time. Damayanthi believes beyond doubt that the Bahuka, who’s now the charioteer of King Rithuparna, is Nala in disguise. The plot hatched by the messenger Sudeva seems to be working, and she anticipates the return of Nala (right).

However, once she finally confronts Nala, things don’t go well as she assumed. Nala was furious on hearing that it was with her knowledge that Sudeva announced the news of her second marriage in the court of King Rithuparna. At this moment (bottom) Damayanthi is disheartened hearing all the harsh words thrown at her by Nala. She pleads not guilty and even promises upon her parents to make him convince. ● Photos: Haree Fotografie

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frontiers opening new HAREESH N. NAMPOOTHIRI

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he drizzling sound of the rain fading into the ragalap of Charukesi and then into the vibrant rhythm of percussions, danseuse Anita R. Ratnam, explored nature in her production ‘Motherland’. It was indeed a befitting opening to the mainstream session of ‘Prakriti - The Nature’ dance festival bringing a multitude of dancers around the globe together, and encouraging the viewers to introspect how we are dealing with mother nature.

COLORADO FINE ARTS ASSOCIATION youtube.com/colfinearts PRAKRITI - THE NATURE tinyurl.com/ag-cfaa-prakriti

Neha Mondal Chakravarty (top) and Anwesa Mahanta during their performances.

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Dancers on song Singapore based Neha Mondal was the first to feature in the performances. She picked the oft-seen invocation on Lord Ganesha, “Ananda nartana...” in raga Nattai for her slot. While the proficiency was noteworthy, the lack of good sound mixing was a letdown.

Assam based Anwesa Mahanta’s Sattriya, having a vandana, cali nach, and ramdani was a refreshing watch. She was agile, and at the same time kept the precision and the fluidity intact.

Swathi Ashok from Dubai showcased her take on ‘Harivarasanam’ from an earlier recording. While she looked impressive, even including the legend of Lord Ayyappa going for tigress’ milk, one might feel that a genuine dance piece might’ve suited better here.

Chennaite Medha Hari presented ‘Ardhanarishvara’, and it turned out to be a profound watch. The choreography brought together the robustness and gentleness, and Medha did well in presenting it without losing the gist of it.

A moment from 'Motherland', conceived and presented by Anita R. Ratnam.

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‘Prakriti - The Nature’ dance festival has brought together a multitude of dancers around the globe.

Thullal by Kalamandalam Prabhakaran (clockwise from top-left), and dancers Vidya Subramanian, Prateeksha Kashi, Medha Hari, and Swathi Ashok.

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artograph Bengaluru’s noted Kuchipudi dancer Prateeksha Kashi presented one of her earlier production ‘The Eternal Kanya’ narrating the story of the goddess Kanyakumari. The item is quite eventful with the character going through a lot of mood swings, and Prateeksha made the most use of it to make it captivating. However, all those video movements, effects, and use of props hardly contributed to the presentation.

Kuchipudi by Prathyusha Aparassu, Kathak by Sarah Morelli, and Odissi by Swagata Banerjee, all based in Colorado, were the other dance performances in the session.

Impressive recitals Other than the visible difference in costume, Sheethankan Thullal is also not as paced as that of Ottan Thullal. The meeting of Hanuman and Bhima in the ‘Kalyanasougandhikam’ play, presented by Kerala based Thullal performer Kalamandalam Prabhakaran, was entertaining. The emphasis was on the familiar passage “Nokkada nammude marge kidakkunna...”, (Look, who’s resting on my way!) and the actor portrayed it in a way that communicated effortlessly to the global audience.

On the second day, the session started with California based Vidhya

artograph Subramanian, who presented ‘prakriti’ taking the first line from the varnam “Samiyai azhaithodi va...” and then moving on to the Shiva Panchakshara Stotram, denoting the ‘purusha’. The concept of five physical elements linked with the five holy syllables was another aspect brought into the choreography. Vidhya certainly deserves credit for imagining it the way she did and making it a meaningful presentation. The recording and editing were also noteworthy.

Amrita Lahiri from Delhi danced to “Pranavakaram siddhi vinayakam...” in raga Arabhi. A revitalising Kuchipudi choreography work of guru Jaikishore Mosalikanti, Amrita presented it skilfully, bringing in the joy of dancing.

Pune based Kathak dancer Rujuta Soman presented ‘Thrishna - thirst for life’, making use of a composition of late Kishori Amonkar in raag Anand Malhar.

Some deft dance sequences, emotive portions, and bols; Rujuta planned it beautifully to bring in different aspects and made it splendid. The video recording and proper editing also helped create the impression.

Visualisation of nature comes in several instances of different

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Kutiyattam plays. Keralite Sooraj Nambiar chose to present King Dushyanta from ‘Sakuntalam’ as he memorises the premises and the life around the hermitage of sage Kanva. Here, among other scenes, the king also sees a doe grazing her eyes on the horn of the male deer, epitomising the trust between the partners. Sooraj came good in giving a flavour of the art form in the short span.

Chhau by Rakesh Sai Babu, Bharatanatyam by Thavarajah Mohanapriyan and Janaki Rangarajan, Odissi by Vinod Kevin Bachan, Kathak by Maya Kulshreastha, and group presentation by Kalanidhi Dance ensemble were the other performances in the session.

Novel attempts “Karukare karmukil...” is one of the most celebrated works of the Kerala based Mohiniyattam exponent Vinitha Nedungadi.

As the item celebrates its silver jubilee, the dancer reworked and premiered it in this festival. She now calls it ‘Kekiyattam’ or the dance of the peacock. It turned out to be an extended version of the original, with more mannerisms of the bird and dance segments included, retaining the idea unimpaired.

Sreelakshmy Govardhanan, again

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from Kerala, brought together the concept of nature and mother, by presenting the story of demoness Poothana and little Krishna in her Kuchipudi presentation.

Poothana, changing herself into a beautiful woman, visits Ambadi, but the beauty of the place makes her forget about her mission.

Poothana playing with the gopis and her true self coming out for a moment was an exquisite touch.

An eye for detail and the sentiments in apt amounts elevates Sreelakshmy’s recitals, and it was the same case here. After presenting the death of Poothana in a heartfelt manner, she flourished into some cheerful dancing, also Kutiyattam by Sooraj Nambiar (clockwise from top-right), and dancers Amrita Lahiri and Rujuta Soman during their performances.

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Well utilising the medium of the motion picture, ‘Surya’ by Shweta Prachande was a visual experience delivered best.

Shweta Prachande from 'Surya' (clockwise from bottom-right) and dancers Vinitha Nedungadi, Sreelakshmi Govardhanan, Shinjini Kulkarni, and Pranamya Suri (bottom).

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using the brass-plate, concluding it in a high note.

It is more suitable to consider ‘Surya’, by the Chennai based Bharatanatyam dancer Shweta Prachande, as a dance video creation.

Well utilising the medium of the motion picture, it was a visual experience delivered best. However, it was still Shweta’s vibrant dancing and the choreography that made it delightful. Taking it outside the studio walls also served good.

“Ithlati balkhati...” focusing on the abhinaya aspect and nritya in teen taal formed the content of the Kathak presentation by the New Delhi based dancer Shinjini Kulkarni. Understandably, she had to keep up with the pace of the song, but rushing through the expressions also made it less conveying. However, Shinjini did well in showcasing her rhythmic virtuosity over teen taal, and the culminating portions which included the stylized spins were exciting.

Bharatanatyam by Ananda Shankar Jayant, Chhau by Janme Joy Sai Babu and Rajesh Sai Babu, and group performances by Nrityagram Dance Ensemble and Kalanidhi Dance Company were also there in this session. Owing to some technical reasons, the streaming of this particular session was in 720p, compared to the Full HD on the other days, somewhat compromising on the visual richness.

On the final day, the first performer was Pranamya Suri, Kuchipudi dancer from Los Angeles. She chose the pravesa daravu from ‘Rukmini

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Kalyanam’, for her presentation.

Surprisingly she went with a bright white backdrop, which wasn’t going easy on the eyes.

Adding to that, the masked opacity effects, the jumpy camera moves often losing focus, and not so sensible editing, all made the watching unpleasant. Pranamya danced her best, but that’s one hard truth about presenting dance through this medium.

Performances par excellence Chennai based Bharatanatyam dancing couples Renjith Babu and Vijna Vasudevan, and Shijith Nambiar and Parvathy Menon brought in a different flair to the festival with their recitals.

Renjith and Vijna roleplayed Krishna and Radha during their presentation of the Surdas bhajan “Bujhat Shyam kaun tu gori...”. The piece imagines the lovers meeting for their first time, and the duo enlivened the roles charmingly. They were not just acting the lyrics but made it into a continuous dialogue with sublime actions and reactions, and made it absorbing.

The peacock feather or the anklets offered by Krishna don’t interest Radha, but the flute does.

While teaching her how to play it properly, Krishna sees an oppor-

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tunity to make an advance and Radha doesn’t appreciate that, or does she? Then the two dance together for a short span, and it was all that required to bring that excitement factor. Kudos to the production crew as well, for making it visually apt, leaving the rest to the dancers.

Shijith’s and Parvathi’s were past recordings from their earlier live shows. Irrespective of the shortcomings in the technical front, it was good to watch the duo dancing the two pieces ‘Paramananda Natanam’ and the Desh thillana with a lot of enthusiasm.

Arushi Mudgal and Sujata Mohapatra, from New Delhi and Bhubaneswar respectively, represented the two generations of Odissi repertoire. Arushi began with the dance interpretation of a verse from ‘Mundaka Upanishad’ describing Lord Brahma. Following the theme of the festival, she then presented ‘Vasanth’, an excerpt from Kalidasa’s ‘Ritusamhara’ announcing the arrival of spring. The music was enlivening, and so was Arushi’s dancing; flawless and absorbing.

Sujata Mohapatra got featured towards the end of the final-day session, and she did the Jayadeva ashtapadi “Srita kamala...” and mokshya, the concluding piece

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Sujata Mohapatra performing Odissi and the dancing couple Renjith Babu and Vijna Vasudevan.

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of a traditional Odissi recital.

Describing the virtues of Krishna in short successions in the former, Sujata was flawless.

Neena Prasad and Rajashree Warrier, both from the state of Kerala, were the two other soloists who created an impression.

Both the dancers came up with something unique from their respective repertoires.

Neena Prasad began with a slice of pure dance, moving on to the poetic lines of Vallathol on Lord Krishna, and then promptly connecting it to “Madhava mamava...”. Krishna opens his mouth to show the entire universe to his mother, and needless to say there’s no end if one starts to narrate the chronicles of little Krishna.

The musical transitions, and the way the dancer conceptualized it together, using only the suitable lines from the Narayana Teertha composition, and transforming it to a mother-child piece, deserves appreciation. In addition, it was equally stirring to watch her perform.

Rajashree Warrier is a dancer who gives utmost importance to the emotional aspects of the

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There are a lot of dance festivals happening around, and what made ‘Prakriti’ unique was the way it was conceived and put together.

Rajashree Warrier (right) and Neena Prasad, and a shot from the opening scene of 'Bhairava' by Shantala Shivalingappa (bottom).

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dance form. It was evident as she started with a heroine calling out the goddess to come in the form of the child of Himavat, interpreting the verses from ‘Pillai Kanthimathi Tamizh’.

However, the best part was the latter in which she took the T.M. Krishna rendering of Sree Narayana Guru’s ‘Darshanamala’ in the sabdam format. The song initially presented at an online concert last August, by adding cymbals, Rajashree made it more suitable for a Bharatanatyam performance. The lyrics going well with the theme of the festival, the danseuse started with a quick look at the Universe and its different elements. Krishna takes pauses, repeats some lines to emphasise, and the danseuse saw it all as opportunities, and it hardly

felt not something sung for a dance performance.

Shantala Shivalingappa’s thematic Kuchipudi dance video ‘Bhairava’ was the finale. It was noteworthy for the locations, production quality, and the overall packaging. Other than the mentioned, the session also featured solo Bharatanatyam presentations by Bala Devi Chandrashekar and Divyaa Unni.

Setting an example There are a lot of dance festivals happening around, and what made ‘Prakriti’ unique was the way it was conceived and put together. Unlike the other festivals, where the artists were not paid adequately or not paid at all, this festival had exclusive performances commissioned by the organizer, and it was one aspect

that made the event stand out.

However, there were also videos recorded from earlier live shows and a few which missed the technical quality. It was mostly because of practical issues and the security concerns related to the ongoing pandemic.

Colorado Fine Arts Association streamed the well-curated sessions of the festival in the last two weekends of Sep 2020. The four days had two sessions on each day, with the novice learners filling the first and seasoned artists coming in the latter. The festival also had interactions with noted dancers Alarmel Valli and Priyadarshini Govind. Other than ‘Prakriti’, it is worth mentioning that CFAA streamed a host of other classical events during the period, which is also available through their YouTube channel. ●

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Musical

delights KARTHIK K.P.

The ten-day festival organised by the artists collective IKYA witnessed a melange of young as well as experienced musicians.

T

he past few months saw the adaptations of the artistic community to the pandemic situation in myriad ways. The new normal in the genre of music also caught attention. The Navaratri festival of this year witnessed the effective use of Internet platforms by several music groups. Among them is Ignite Kerala’s Youth Artists (IKYA), a platform established to creatively support the community, particularly aspiring young talents. The ten-day festival organised by the artists collective witnessed a melange of young as well as experienced musicians. The event recording was professional and was presented in an audience-friendly manner.

Setting the mood The inaugural day had the concert by established vocalist Sharmila Sivakumar, one among the ‘Gayaki Sisters’ of Thrippunithura. The crux of the concert was the magnum opus of Shyama Shastri, “Rave Himagirikumari...”, set to raga Thodi. “Sadhujana vinutham...” in raga Lathangi formed the sub-main slot. The overall experience was pleasing, traditional in approach and well structured. Veena concert by Dharmatheerthan Kodungalloor Artists in concert; Manu Narayanan Perumbavoor (clockwise from bottom), Dharmatheerthan Kodungalloor, and Sharmila Sivakumar.

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KARTHIK K.P. is a Carnatic musician,

music composer, and also an Ayurveda doctor. He has performed nationwide in the past eleven years and has received several accolades. Presently he’s doing his PG in Pediatrics at the All India Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi.

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Violin duo Edappally Ajith Kumar and Krishnaa Ajith (clockwise from top), Sangeetha N. Rao, and Murali Sangeeth during their concerts.

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IGNITE KERALA'S YOUTH ARTISTS tinyurl.com/ag-fb-ikya

penned by Advaita Dasa and set to tune by Edappally Ajith Kumar.

The swaraprastara, especially the rendering of karvais in “Sarasiruhasanapriye...”, was impressive.

on the second day had “Mivalla gunadoshamemi...” as the highlight. Manu Narayanan Perumbavoor performed the next day, with the Swathi Thirunal Navaratri composition “Devi pavane...”, as the main piece of his recital.

Thirunalloor Ajithkumar on the violin and Sachidananda Pai on the morsing supported the artists on the first and third days. Samjith Gopalan joined on the violin for the veena concert.

Thrippunithura Raj Narayanan, Kottayam Manoj Kumar, and Vytila Naveen Narayanan on the mridangam and Vishnuraj S., Thrippunithura Kannan, and Aluva R. Rajesh on the ghatam provided ample support on consecutive days.

On the fourth day of the festival,

the veteran violinist Edappally Ajith Kumar and Krishnaa Ajith presented an enthralling concert, ornamented with clarity and uniqueness of the pathantara, and harmony. A. Balakrishna Kammath and Vazhappally R. Krishnakumar on mridangam and ghatam respectively gave excellent support to the duo. The sublime rendition of “Meenakshi me mudam...”, a composition of Muthuswami Dikshitar, was the heart of the concert.

Going with the flow Sangeetha N. Rao performed on the fifth day, adeptly accompanied by Sunitha Harisankar (violin), Aymanam Chandrakumar (mridangam) and Panavally R. Parthasarathy (ghatam). Their main attraction was “Devi Parvathi...”, in raga Dharmavathi,

On day six, Murali Sangeeth from Thrissur gave an upstanding concert with his mellifluous voice and peculiar selection. The accompanying artists - Vishnu Chandramohan (violin), K.V. Sachith (mridangam) and Chalakkudy Bijayshankar (ghatam), were highly encouraging and laid the perfect setting for the vocalist. The major attraction was the kriti “Sharanatainthen..”, set to raga Kharaharapriya. Besides “Baluni brova barama...”, the singing of G.N. Balasubramaniam composition in Hamsanadam and “Sharade karunanidhe...”, in Hamir Kalyani were also soulful.

Concert on the seventh day was

by Divya Sandesh who had the ample support of the experienced Sunitha Harisankar on violin.

The main piece was “Ninnu vinaga...”, in raga Purvikalyani and set to tala Viloma Chapu (Misra Chapu, but in a different order). The young and promising mridangist Kripal Sairam exhib-

artograph ited his flair throughout, with his composed accompaniment and handling of the tani avartanam given on a challenging spot.

On a higher note The flute concert on next day by Sreejith G. Kammath stood out for its adherence to shruti and the lighter touch given to both the kriti and manodharma parts.

The selection of the compositions was also conducive to his style of rendition. The main item of the concert was “Paramatmudu...”, of Tyagaraja. Thiruvizha Viju S. Anand on the violin, Ramakkalmedu Kalainath on the mridangam, and Kurichithanam S. Ananthakrishnan on the ghatam formed the accompanying team.

The concert on the day of Mahanavami by Sreeranjini Kodampally was an impressive one, studded with prayogas that were very agile, yet in control.

The challenge of rendering Mayamalavagaula immediately after Ganamurti was comfortable. The playing style of the mridangist Ajin K. Vijayan was unorthodox, especially the use of toppi. The main piece was “Ekamresa nayaki...” in raga Shanmukhapriya. A bit more of low paced phrases and pauses might have added to the beauty of the Moozhikkulam Harikrishnan K.R. on the final day (clockwise from bottom) and Sreejith G. Kammath and Sreeranjini Kodampally during their concerts on previous days.

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concert. Vishnu Chandramohan was on the violin and Vishnu V. Kammath was on the kanjira.

The concluding concert of the festival had all its grandeur, featuring Moozhikkulam Harikrishnan K.R. accompanied by Viju S. Anand (violin), Vazhappally R. Krishnakumar (mridangam) and Rohith Prasad Kottayam (ghatam). Besides the main composition “Amba vani nannu...” in raga Keeravani, Natakapriya (“Gita vadya...” of Thanjavur Sankara Iyer) was the selection for detailed exploration. The mastery of the artist was evident in building up raga vistara, and in giving weight to each phrase.

Throughout the festival, a handful of rare kritis were introduced and explored astutely amidst

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popular ones, luring the audience to follow all of them. Purvikalyani raga seemed to be the favourite of performers, and on the other hand, the compositions of Swathi Thirunal were performed lesser in number. Similar and more focused efforts like thematic or author-centric concerts will undoubtedly be an impetus to the upcoming artists and offer them a platform to perform in these testing times.

The festival was organized by IKYA on their Facebook page from Oct 17 to 26. High-quality streaming was another highlight of the event, and thanks to Sujith Mohan and Siva Prasad behind the sound and camera for their efforts in giving a remarkable audio-visual experience. ●

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the

MAJOR and the

notables

PRIYANKA B.

It was raining dance and music across online platforms, and focussed efforts maximising the possibilities of arts and technology grabbed the viewers attention.

I

t was raining dance and music across online platforms, marking the celebration of Navaratri season in the middle of October. While for many establishments, the shift to the virtual platform became the regular norm, focussed efforts maximising the possibilities of arts and technology grabbed the viewers attention. One such was ‘Navarathri Sangeetholsavam’ (2020 Oct 17-25), a nine-day musical concert featuring seasoned musicians, organised by Manorama music and streamed across their YouTube channel ‘Carnatic Classical’.

The 26th OMC Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival, organised by the Srjan Odissi dance school across their YouTube and Facebook (2020 Sep 05-09) platforms stood out for its disciplined approach in putting together accomplished artists from different genres. The Thrissur chapter of Vajra Jubilee Fellowship Facebook page brought in variety as they tried to grasp the festive fervour by focussing on native talents. Here’s a glimpse of a few others.

Celebrating legends The 90th birth anniversary celebrations of the musical genius Lalgudi G. Jayaraman saw the coming together of luminaries, in a threehour stupendous virtual feat streamed across the YouTube channel ‘Lalgudi Jayaraman - God of Violin’. A month-long celebration, initiated by the Lalgudi trust and Kalakendra had its grand finale on the 20th of September, where disciples, colleagues, and family members of the stalwart paid a befitting tribute in the form of dance, music, and Harikatha. Interspersed with the archival footages CONTINUED ON PAGE 36 ►

Lalgudi G. Jayaraman (top) in concert, from a video recording produced in 1979; and Rama Vaidyanathan, Sheejith Krishna, and Mythili Prakash coming together in 'Mallari Reimagined'.

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PRIYANKA B. is a post-graduate in English literature and an art enthusiast who enjoys photographing classical dance performances. She currently works as Postal Assistant with Department of Posts, India.

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lasya

Conversing

MALAVIKA MENON

T

he artform of Mohiniyattam has a long history of reformation, revival, and transformation. Changes that a society or a civilization has seen often reflects in the evolution of any art form. Mohiniyattam is no different, and the dance form had a history of rough waters before finding a space among the Indian classical dances. The ‘Lāsya Mukharika’ series, conceived to reflect on this journey of Mohiniyattam, saw an influx of ideas shared by pioneering artists in the field.

The ‘Lāsya Mukharika’, virtual conversation series explored the journey of Mohiniyattam over the years and saw an influx of ideas shared by pioneering artists in the field.

MALAVIKA MENON is an upcoming Mohiniyattam dancer and a senior disciple of guru Vinitha Nedungadi. She is a Doordarshan graded and an empanelled artiste with the ICCR. Malavika also holds a law degree and is a Young India Fellow from Ashoka University.

The virtual conversation series that spanned across three months not only explored the facets of the art form but tried to unravel several questions concerning its origin and spread. Conducted in two phases, featuring the senior-most gurus and practitioners followed by their succeeding generation of disciples, the participants candidly shared their creative instincts, besides their contributions and explorations in the field.

The idea of lasya The common thread that binds the different Mohiniyattam schools, lasya is often misunderstood or associated with the female gender alone. The artists featured in the series sought to unfold the essence of it by sharing their understanding and detailing how it manifests in their art. The perspectives shared were diverse and layered, yet rooted in a similar idea.

The term lasya, which translates to beautiful or graceful, has many interpretations in texts and treatises, concerning dance and dramaturgy. Some practitioners opined that lasya forms the essence of Mohiniyattam, and it is the inherent energy that manifests in every movement of the dancer be it nritta, nritya, or natya. Artists observed that this surge of energy sustains throughout the performance, and is almost spiritual and meditative for many. Another interesting per-

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spective that emerged over a conversation was towards exploring lasya to beautify and refine the body movements in Mohiniyattam, centred on spiralling or circular patterns.

The dancer creates poetry through her/his movements, and the experience of lasya lies amidst the circular and fluidic moves achieved through the dancer’s body while moving from one point to the other. The rigour and control with which these movements get presented is a strenuous exercise in itself.

On building a foundation The first phase of the series examined how the art form acquired its identity over the ages. Senior artists recollected the way their passion became the impetus to work with vigour and commitment towards laying the foundation for Mohiniyattam, which became crucial for its later growth. They belonged to an age when other art forms like Bharatanatyam, Odissi, and Kathak were far more refined and favoured.

Amidst such a cultural environment, to work with unflinching determination and optimism was never easy, a fact that truly motivates the young Mohiniyattam dancers of the present age.

Finding self-expression The next generation of artists came with their own set of thoughts and understanding, presented with utmost conviction. Interestingly, to trace the evolution of the art form, one only has to examine the work produced over the past five decades or so. The change in the attitude towards the art form and its practice and performance through explorations drove artists and audience think into its core, considering the movement vocabulary, aesthetics, presentation, choreography etc.

Changes became inevitable, and each of these

â– SHALINI JAIN

The senior gurus vividly recalled the early experiences of their training and recounted how socio-political factors affected the shaping of this art form. Earlier, the dance form appeased the male gaze, the reflections of which, was manifested in several ways across the stage. Whilst sringara and bhakti chose to remain the dominant sentiments for portrayal, dancers over the time started to explore other emotions.

The movement vocabulary of the form, indigenous musical systems, abhinaya aspects, use of hand gestures, and extensive research were the other areas closely attended.

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Kanak Rele (clockwise from left) on the opening day of 'Lasya Mukharika' and Bharati Shivaji, Sreedevi Rajan, Kala Vijayan, and Kalamandalam Sugandhi during the sessions.

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LĀSYA MUKHARIKA tinyurl.com/ag-mm-lasyamukharika

performers strived to enter into the essence of the art form and root themselves in its practice to bring out the variety of shades latent within the repertoire.

The holistic understanding of an art form and rejoicing in its experience is key to building one’s craft, and Mohiniyattam always stood by these standards.

A few more speakers from the event; dancers Kalamandalam Kshemavathy (clockwise from left), Kalamandalam Hymavathy, Deepti Omchery Bhalla, Kalamandalam Chandrika, Kalamandalam Saraswathy, and Kalamandalam Vimala Menon and art critics Sunil Kothari and V. Kaladharan during the sessions.

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A gamut of ideas branched out in different directions, and these artists never fell short of exploring the dynamicity, hidden in this humble repertoire. A noted dancer once said that Indian classical dancers are stylized storytellers. The stylization of an art form is so crucial to its identity and, for decades, Mohiniyattam gurus and practitioners have worked on it relentlessly. Yet, the art form has the misfortune of getting identified as the poor sibling of Bharatanatyam!

The second phase of conversations brought in new dimensions to the stylization aspects, explored in detail by the artists.

The keen followers devoted their

lives for the art form, aided by their aesthetic sensibility and carved a space for it, within the Indian classical art scene.

Views that matter A significant perspective shared by one practitioner was the importance of cultivating an eye to enjoy good art. The holistic understanding of an art form and rejoicing in its experience is key to building one’s craft, and Mohiniyattam always stood by these standards. The dancers held that a broader outlook tingled their artistic sensibilities, and in turn, gave them the courage to explore the new areas.

The movement dynamics in the present-day Mohiniyattam offers infinite possibilities for the dancers as well as the musicians.

Such diversities also lead to new styles in the outfits. As one commented, it is this dynamicity

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that urged her to remodel the existing costumes in Mohiniyattam.

The possibilities of stage lighting and the resultant effect on solo and group performances was another area of discussion.

The contemporary themes addressed by the dancers made it a reflection of the times to which they belong. Thus the art form over the ages has acquired an independent stature of self-expression. While saying that, the art form is still in its stage of evolution and relatively younger compared to other classical dance forms.

It takes aeons to create something classic or evergreen, and for the beauty to remain eternal, patience and persistence are vital. One of the artistes rightly pointed out that the process of stylization is still in progress, and the changes are inevitable. She took Kathakali as an example, where there is a unique style of music rendition and usage of percussion, indigenous to the art form. Similarly, an independent structure in music will aid the stylization process in the Mohiniyattam repertoire.

Discussions concerning academic research also came in the conversations. The need for young dancers to be accountable for the dance form while pursuing their research was addressed. Research must be streamlined and well structured, opening the doors for further analyses in the field.

Inquisitiveness and an inherent urge to unfold grey areas is a latent trait in some artists that need support and development. The aim should be not just the reception of a degree, but an initiation into the expansive world of further research and study.

It takes aeons to create something classic or evergreen, and for the beauty to remain eternal, patience and persistence are vital.

Pallavi Krishnan (clockwise from top-right), Smitha Rajan, Sunanda Nair, and Gopika Varma during their sessions.

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The narrow boundaries have taken new forms over the years, and Mohiniyattam no longer remains just the ‘dance of the enchantress’.

Discussions concerning genderization concluded that it requires a liberal perspective. The artform now has a strong vocabulary not confined to a particular gender and is practised, and performed beautifully by both men and women.

On a concluding note...

The Lāsya Mukharika series featured twenty Mohiniyattam artists in a total of twenty-two episodes, with two of them dedicated to the memory of legendary dancers Kalamandalam Leelamma and Shanta Rao. Art critics V. Kaladharan and Sunil Kothari shared the memories of the two artists who hold a remarkable place in the history of Mohiniyattam.

The conversations aimed to create a space for discussion and constructive dialogue concerning the dance form, thereby enabling the rasikas to view it through a new lens of awareness and appreciation, not drawing a comparison with others. The energy and innate beauty existing within this art form seamlessly connect with nature, and to enjoy the most, one needs to be sensitive to it.

This piece only provides an overview of the entire conversation series, as the ideas shared by the artists were plentiful, requiring in-depth analysis. Constructive dialogue, discussion, and contemplation are so crucial to the growth of any art form, and thanks to all those who participated and shared their views, especially guru Vinitha Nedungadi who has always been a constant guide and supportive factor for this series to happen. ●

Methil Devika (clockwise from top-right), Jayaprabha Menon, Neena Prasad, and Vinitha Nedungadi on the concluding days.

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Vishaka Hari (top) during her session and the family of the music maestro coming together for a performance in memory of him.

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LALGUDI JAYARAMAN - GOD OF VIOLIN tinyurl.com/ag-lalgudi-90

providing an insight into the life and musical odyssey of the maestro, the programme had a handful of sessions shot entirely for the purpose. One such was ‘Mallari Reimagined’, in which dancers Rama Vaidyanathan, Sheejith Krishna, and Mythili Prakash enlivened the track ‘Mallari’ composed by Lalgudi G. Jayaraman in ‘Sringaram’, the movie for which he received the National Award for the best music direction.

FROM PAGE 31 ►

The violin cousins from the Laldugi family performed the Hamir Kalyani varnam “Innum tamadam eno...” in an enticing musical ensemble. Vocalist and Harikatha exponent Vishaka Hari brimmed with excitement as she narrated the different facets of her guru, placing herself and her team at the Saptharishishwarar temple of Lalgudi where Jayaraman gave his first-ever performance.

Milap, Indian arts and culture company operating in the UK, collaborated through the video production ‘The Thillana’, featuring twenty artists including Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan, Bombay Jayashri Ramnath, and Abhishek Raghuram, to name a few. The event also had the presence of legendary artists including Amjad Ali Khan and Padma Subrahmanyam, amongst several connoisseurs who shared their experiences with the violin god.

The 15th death anniversary of the evocative singer in Kathakali, Kalamandalm Venmani Haridas, turned out to be an occasion for his admirers to reminisce and celebrate the legacy left over by the iconic artist.

The 15th death anniversary of Kalamandalm Venmani Haridas, turned out to be an occasion for his admirers to reminisce and celebrate the legacy left over by the iconic artist.

VENMANI HARIDAS ANUSMARANAM 2020 tinyurl.com/ag-haridas-2020

'Venmani Haridas Anusmaranam 2020' organized

by Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair Smaraka Trust and Venmani Haridas Anusmarana Samithi.

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Madhulita Mohapatra (clockwise from left) and Rukmini Vijayakumar, the solo performers of 'Naatya Samashti' and group performances by members of two dance schools - Mudrika and Chithkala.

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ATTAKKALARI CENTRE FOR MOVEMENT ARTS fb.me/attakkalari

The young Bharatanatyam dancers from guru Minal Prabhu’s Mudrika School of Dance presented ‘Shivoham’ depicting the different manifestations of Lord Shiva. The Odissi dance piece ‘Shoonya Swarupa’ featured Madhulita Mohapatra wherein she explored the omnipresence of almighty, taking the role of a curious seeker.

Jointly organised by Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair Smaraka Trust and Venmani Haridas Anusmarana Samithi over the YouTube channel of the former, ~150 mins video published on the 19th of September, featured an intriguing panel discussion interspersed with Kathakali songs.

Moderated by Nedumbally Ram Mohan, the discourse had Kalamandalam Babu Namboothiri, Kottakkal Madhu, Kalamandalam Hareesh, and Kalamandalam Vinod sharing their experience. Sadanam Ramakrishnan (chenda), Kamalandalam Venu (maddalam), and Sadanam Jithin (idakka) offered the support on percussions.

A unique attempt ‘Spaarkk 2020’, a platform for

curated arts conceived by the Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts advances in the form of interactions, screenings and live performances. The session ‘Naatya Samashti’ (2020 Oct 17), dedicated to Indian classical dances featured five choreographers either in solo or group productions.

Rukmini Vijayakumar was the first to join with a Devi stuti, highlighting the various forms of the female goddess. Next in the slot was Prateeksha Kashi who gave two pieces - the traditional Kuchipudi tarangam and the ashtapadi “Lalithalavanga latha...”, where she described the effect of the spring season upon Radha suffering from the pangs of separation of her beloved.

The students from P. Praveen Kumar’s Chithkala School of Dance concluded the session with two numbers - the Devi stuti “Kancha dalayadakshi...”, followed by a thillana.

A brief interactive session of the participants with Jayachandran Palazhy, the artistic director of Attakkalari, was also there.

The live performances in the traditional repertoires by Margi Theatre and Nepathya Centre for Excellence in Koodiyattam continued in these months too.

By the end of the October, United Nations in India (‘Parampara Series 2020’) and Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi (‘Sargabhoomika’) also joined the list of organizers who are actively arranging online events. Now, the stage is all set for virtual programmes on a serious note as we approach the end of a year, swept off by a pandemic. ●

artograph FEATURED

SARATHLAL SASIDHARAN fb.me/sarathlalphotography

S

arathlal Sasidharan is a professional bird, travel, and festival photographer based in Anayara, Thiruvananthapuram. As a spirited visual storyteller, he not only clicks but also extends his heart to nature and birds. He’s a PG Diploma holder in Hotel Management from IHMCT Kovalam and has a decade’s experience in the hospitality industry. To fine-tune his skills in photography, did the photojournalism course offered by the Institute of Journalism governed by the T’puram Press Club. Sarathlal started his photography journey seven years back and now specializes in bird photography and bat photography. During the period he has won a few awards, including recognitions in national level competitions.

The night rider: A passing night shot of a fruit bat, during the flight, after having the nectar from a banana flower.

EXPOSURE: 1/250 | F6.3 | ISO 400 NIKON D7200 / NIKKOR 70-300MM F/4.5-5.6

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How did you initiate into photography?

I loved photography from my childhood days. However, it was when my son was born, I purchased a Nikon bridge camera, with the sole intention of capturing his baby steps. The turnaround for me was the photojournalism course. Meanwhile, I had the opportunity to meet and interact with so many eminent photographers, and learning from them became the catalyst for my passion in photography.

About your area of interest in photography...

At present, I focus mainly on waterbirds and bats. In waterbird photography, it is challenging to motionfreeze the fast-paced actions that happen in the blink of an eye. Photographing bats in its natural habitat is like an adventure, which takes hours of preparations and many months of sleepless nights.

And your current gear in use...

I am using Nikon D500 and D7200. The lenses are Nikkor 10-20mm, 18-140mm, 70-300mm, 60mm Macro, 200500mm, GoPro Hero 7, and GoPro Max 360. ●

Life and death: A pond heron in action, clicked when it was catching a dragonfly.

EXPOSURE: 1/1250 | F5.6 | ISO 400 NIKON D7200 / NIKKOR 200-500MM F/5.6

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Readers’ Response ‘Sankarabharanam’ ft. Sruthy Jayan & Malavika Shaji 03:47 | 2020 Oct 17 Sruthy Jayan and Malavika Shaji present an evergreen song of late S.P. Balasubrahmanyam as a tribute to the legendary singer.

Watch it here: bit.ly/ag-spb-sankarabharanam

‘Kanthaa - The Yearning’ ft. Mithun Jayaraj & Nandini R Nair 04:01 | 2020 Oct 02 A novel interpretation of the beautiful Swathi Thirunal composition “Kantha tava pizha njan...” in raga Atana.

Watch it here: bit.ly/ag-kanthaa

‘The Thillana’ ft. various artists at ‘Lalgudi 90’ 07:31 | 2020 Oct 01 The thillana in raga Sindu Bhairavi, a composition of Lalgudi R. Jayaraman, ft. various artists.

Produced by Milap in connection with Lalgudi’s 90th birthday anniversary.

Watch it here: bit.ly/ag-lalgudi-thillana

“Ksheera sagara shayana...” ft. Keerthana Vaidyanathan 04:00 | 2020 Sep 12

Insightful writing Loved reading every issue of the magazine, Very informative.

Rekha Raju

Artist (Bengaluru, India)

For the artists I have gone through few articles and liked the way it’s been penned about different artists.

Rekha Satish

One of Saint Tyagaraja’s most treasured outpourings of love “Ksheera sagara shayana...”, sung by Keerthana Vaidyanathan.

Artist (Bengaluru, India)

Watch it here: bit.ly/ag-kv-ksheera-sagara

‘Ente Gurunathan’ ft. Kalamandalam Aiswarya K.A. 08:44 | 2020 Sep 04 A dance portrayal of Vallathol Narayana Menon’s poem ‘Ente Gurunathan’ through the lines of Mohiniyattam.This dance performance is dedicated to all teachers.

ADVT.

Watch it here: bit.ly/ag-ente-gurunathan

We do love to hear from you. Please do send in your feedback and comments using the online form available in here: bit.ly/ag_response OR write to us at artograph.mag@newnmedia.in