Koodiyattam
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Koodiyattam or Kutiyattam (pronounced [kuːʈijaːʈːam]) is a form of theatre traditionally performed in the state of Kerala, India. Performed in the Sanskrit language in Hindu temples, it is believed to be at least two thousand years old. It is officially recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
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[edit] Origin
Kulasekhara Varma Cheraman Perumal, an ancient king of Kerala, is known as the creator of Koodiyattam in the present form, and his Aattaprakaram (actor's manual) is considered the most authoritative publication on the art form.
[edit] Performance style
Traditionally, Koodiyattam has been performed by Chakyars (a subcaste of Kerala Hindus) and by Nangyaramma (women of the Ambalavasi Nambiar caste). The name Koodiyattam (meaning "playing together") suggests a combined performance of Chakyar and Nangyar. The main actor is a Chakyar who performs the ritualistic Koothu and Koodiyattam inside the temple or in the Koothambalam. Chakyar women, Illotammas, are not allowed to participate. Instead, the female roles are played by Nangyaramma.
Traditionally, the main musical instrument used in Koodiyattam is the Mizhavu, a percussion instrument which is played by a person of the Nambiar caste, accompanied by Nangyaramma playing the kuzhithalam (a type of cymbal). However, recently the Edakka, another traditional drum, has also been used as accompaniment.
The practice was that elders of the Chakyar community tought it to the youngsters of that community and it was an artform performed only by Chakyars till the 1960s. In 1955 Mani Madhava Chakyar performed it outside the temple for the first time. In early 1960s Maria Christoffer Byrski- a polish student doing research in Indian theatres at Banaras Hindu University came to study Koodiyattam from the maestro Mani Madhava Chakyar and became the first non- Chakyar/nambiar to learn the art form. He stayed in Guru's home at Killikkurussimangalam and studied the art form in traditional Gurukula way. In 1962, under the leadership of Dr. V. Raghavan- noted art and Sanskrit scholar; Sanskrit Ranga of Madrass, invited Mani Madhava Chakyar to perform Kutiyattam in Chennai. Thus for the first time in the history Kutiyattam was performed outside Kerala. The performance of the greatest Abhinaya maestro Mani Madhava Chakyar made great impact on the people and art critic so that, Kutiyattam and Mani Madhava Chakyar became outside Kerala also. Then Mani Madhava Chakyar was invited and performed Kutiyattam at places of North India like, New Delhi, Banaras, Ujjain, Bombay, Bhopal etc. After Mani Madhava Chakyar's first tour to New Delhi in 1964, he was awarded with Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, which became the first national recognition to the Kutiyattam and for a Koodiyattam/Chakyar Koothu artist. His world famous abhinaya and Kutiyattam both became very famous and attracted lot of people towards the art form.
[edit] Famous artists
In the modern world, the late Natyacharya Vidushakaratnam Padma Shree Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar has been the best-known face of Koodiyattam. He was known for mastery of Rasa Abhinaya with special reference to Netrābhinaya. He has been a major force in popularizing Koodiyattam by taking it out of the Hindu temples, performing across India with his troupe, and teaching it to non-Chakyar caste members. He has also adapted, choreographed and directed well-known plays such as Kalidasa's The Recognition of Sakuntala, Vikramorvaśīya and Mālavikāgnimitra; Bhasa's Swapnavāsadatta and Pancharātra for performance in the Koodiyattam style.
His disciple and nephew Mani Damodara Chakyar is also a renowned Koodiyattam performer, who is an exponent of traditional devotional Koodiyattams, such as Anguliyanka, Mattavilasa Prahasana, Mantranka, Ezhamanka (seventh act of Ascharyachoodamani).
[edit] Related literature and books
- Natyakalpadruma (1975), a Kerala Sahitya Academy Award-winning book on Koodiyattam written by Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar, considered authoritative by scholars.[1]
- The Nātya Shāstra, an ancient work of dramatic theory Bharata Muni describes the Sanskrit theatre of the Gupta Empire; Koodiyattam is believed to preserve some aspects of the performance style of that period.
- Abhinaya darpana by Nandikeshvara,another work of dramatic theory comparable to the Nātya Shāstra.
- Farley Richmond, Kutiyattam: Sanskrit Theater of India (University of Michigan Press, 2002). CD-ROM featuring videos and text.
[edit] References
- Chakiar, Mani Madhava (1975), Nātyakalpadrumam, Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi
- Raja, Kunjunni (1964), An Introduction to Kutiyattam, Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi
[edit] See also
- Mani Madhava Chakyar
- Mani Damodara Chakyar
- Natyakalpadrumam
- Arts of Kerala
- Koothu
- Kathakali
- Mohiniyattam
- Thulall
- Bharata Muni
- Nandikeshvara
[edit] External links
- 'Welcome to Kutiyattam', at IndianNGOs.com
- 'Kutiyattam',at Indian Heritage
- 'Koodiyattam' at CyberKerala
- 'Koodiyattam - the "Ritualistic" Sanskrit Theatre of Kerala' at MyKerala
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy and Venkateswarier Subramaniam, "The Sacred and the Secular in India's Performing Arts: Ananda K. Coomaraswamy Centenary Essays"(1980), Ashish Publishers, p. 150.
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