sky is the limit

2006-07-22T06:02:00.000-07:00

sky is the limit

2006-07-22T05:58:00.000-07:00

MATHUR GOVINDANKUTTI KATHAKALI ARTISTE

2006-07-18T06:14:00.000-07:00

Sitting cross legged in front of a hand mirror he painted his face in pale beige, outlined eyes in black, over emphasized eye brows with a graceful curve and gave lovely shape in red to his lips. He was carefully drawing three white horizontal lines on his forehead. He kept aside the mirror, smiled gracefully. He was getting ready to perform the role of kuchela in kuchela vritham. Meet Mathur Govindan Kutti who was selected for the Kendra Sangeeta Nataka Academy Award-2005. In an interview he shares his experiences and explains the challenging sthree veshams.

‘I belong to the Mathur family, known for the age old tradition. We have our own kalari and I started learning Kathakli at the age of four. Nedumudi Kuttappa Panicker, Kurichi Kunjan Panicker, were my tutors. I trained under Ambalapuzha Sekhar and Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair in the vadakkan chitta and sthree veshams respectively. I had the fortune to perform with Guru kunjukuruppu, Vazhenkada Kunju Nair, Guru Chengannur, Kurichi Kunchan Panicker, Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair and Gopi, and Chennithala Chellappan Pillai. I have been performing the roles of Damayanthi, Lalitha, Urvasi, Mohini Seeta, Devayani, Panchali, and Kunthi for the past 45 years. Besides Sthree veshams I do portray the roles of Krishana, Brahma, Sundara brahmanan, hamsam and kuchelan” said Mathur Govindan Kutti.

Govindankutti joined the Kudamaloor Kalakendram as a teacher and became its principal. He is wedded to Rajeswari the daughter of Kudamaloor who is also a trained Kathakali artiste.

What are the challenging factors an artiste face while performing female characters and what are its limitations?
Portraying female characters [by a man] is not that easy. One has to imbibe the feminine gestures and body languages. Feminine raudram and sringaram are the two bhavas which are difficult to sustain for long. The minute movements if handled improperly spoil the show. There are limitations too. You have to underplay if it is duet scene. Elakiyattom is the only sequence where you can display your talent- explained the artiste.

“Mohini is tricky. Devayani is lovelorn, Lalitha is tough. Lalitha in Kirmera vadam, in Baka vadam and in Narakasura vadam are entirely different. The most challenging among the female characters is Kunthi in Karnasapadam. She drowns her new born child fearing bad reputation. When she meets him later, she is unable to accept him as her son, and maintained the secrecy as long as she could and suffers in silence the pangs of separation. Once it so happened that after the show of Karnasapadam I rushed to the green room and wept for long. I was so involved that I could not control myself” said the artiste.

According to him a kathakali artiste should be a voracious reader. He should see more shows and must keep the mind open. Mathur Govindan Kutti is currently involved in staging female characters as viewed in the puranas and giving touches of self interpretation. He has performed in European countries and is the recipient of many awards and accolades.

S.UMA MAHESWARI

SAJU THURUTHIL-MURAL ARTIST

2006-07-18T06:13:00.000-07:00

For Wordsworth, the daffodils that stretched in never ending line flashed upon his inward eye in times of pensive mood which according to him is bliss of solitude. But for the mural artist Saju Thuruthil, manja kolambi, always evoked nostalgia. The very thought of it fills his heart with pleasure and being an artist he poured out his passion for those yellow flowers on canvas.

“Chayamukhi” is yet another series of paintings by Saju. He successfully portrayed women, in the past one hundred years in general ambience. One such work in this series bagged this years State Lalith Kala Academy Award. All his works indicate an intensive love of life, joyous vision, inspiring youthfulness, and sublime beauty. Maintaining the tradition he experiments with new themes. Saju Thuruthil was in the city recently and in an interview he talks about mural painting of Kerala, his works and experiments.

Murals of Kerala are remarkable. The ambience is always one of sanctity. The figures, in a wide variety of postures and gestures throb with exalted life. They convey more than the art of painting and bear eloquent testimony to the creative power of man and his aesthetic grandeur.

“These works always fascinated me and after Diploma in painting from Technical Education Department, I took my National Diploma in Mural Painting and under went five years intensive gurukulam training under the doyen of Mural Art, Mammiyoor Krishanan Nair” said Saju who is working as a lecturer in Department of Mural Painting at Sree Sankara University of Sanskrit Kalady.

Saju is adept in the restoration of murals. “Sakundalam the largest Mural of Kerala, at the Madhavan Nair Foundation was renovated by me besides the restoration of 32 oil paintings of Sankaracahritham for SSUS, Kalady. But my first renovation work was with my Guru Mammiyur Krishanan Nair at Sree Padmanabha Temple. During one such project I discovered the two inner layers of Murals believed to be done in between the 13th and 16th century at Pazhoor Temple. Another restoration work was that of Anandasayanam [14th century] executed at Srivillipothur Temple” explained Saju about his attempts in restoration of murals.

“Kiliyum and Njanum” is a series of 40 paintings. I began the work with a lady, in communion with a kili. Gradually the number of kilis merrily fluttering round the damsel increased to 40. Later similar works in charcoal were essayed. Chayamukhi is the latest theme. It is the portrayal of Malayali women in the last century. My depiction of a Muslim girl in her traditional costume in this series won this years Academy Award” informed Saju

“Ee Manjakolambi” is the reminiscence of my childhood days at my ancestral house in Cherayi. Portrayal of my Yakshi never chills the blood. She is sweet and charming. People preferred to adorn Yakshi in their houses, which normally they don’t. Verukal is yet another series focusing on the ritualistic practices of Kerala. I essayed Kaadu, a copper mural [27ft x18ft] which is yet another innovation.

Panjajanyam at Kalady is his residence cum gallery. Saju has conducted many exhibitions. Awards and accolades came naturally and his works adorn many institutions and forms part of private collections in India and abroad.

Photographs follow

S.UMA MAHESWARITHIRUVANANTHAPURAM-23

PONGAL HARVEST FESTIVAL

2006-07-18T06:11:00.000-07:00

Pongal is the harvest festival which falls on the 14th of January. For various reasons it is the occasion of great rejoicing. The month proceeding Pongal is believed to be up of unlucky days which has at last passed and the month we which follows consist of lucky days. This festival always takes place during the winter solstice –when the sun having finished its sojourn towards the south turns to the north. To the ancients the most important of the epochs marking the sun’s annual course was the winter solstice.-for the gradual descent of the sun further and further below equator caused dismay among the sun worshippers. They feared that the sun might disappear for ever, annihilating life, with the annihilation of heat and light. Hence the ceasing of the sun’s downward course should have been hailed by the people as the restoration of their faith hope and joy. On the Pongal day the sun enters the Makara rasi marking Uttarayanam. Thus the festival is dedicated entirely to the sun.
Pongul is a three day festival beginning from 13th of January i.e. the last day of Dhanu. This day is called Bhogi and is dedicated to Indra-the Rain God. People rise early and have oil bath using gingely oil and a special herbal preparation to keep the skin supple. Every household is white washed cleaned and dusted. Broken and dented utensils are exchanged for new ones. Bonfire is set at night with old items that have outlived their use. New clothes for a festival are an Indian heritage and the shops go all out to lure the customer before and during Pongal. It becomes the main topic for the conversation and keeps every one in a happy and expectant mood.

Next day is Pongal. The house is decorated with strings of mango leaves tied neatly with its stalk tucked inwards to form a loop. The banana and sugar cane plants are erected against the gateways and archways. Fresh kolam is drawn on the floor virtually converting the home into an art gallery. Special brass or clay pot is decorated with mango and turmeric leaves. It is smeared with kumkum and turmeric. Pongal is cooked in it.

After the ritualistic bath, women put freshly harvested rice to boiling milk, on fire in the open. As soon as it simmers they hail ‘Pongalo Pongal’ and quickly remove the vessel from the fire. It is offered to the sun and distributed among the family members who prostrate in full length before accepting it. The sun is seen through fingers entwined in a peculiar way. People exchange visits. On meeting each other they say “Has the rice boiled?” The people have sumptuous feast and engage in various entertainments.

Mattu Pongul is observed on the next day. The horns of the bovines are decorated with kumkum and turmeric. Round their necks are hung garlands of green leaves interlaced with flowers. Women visit the houses of neighbors and relatives with a piece of turmeric. The elderly women smear their foreheads with turmeric. Some render couplets wishing them marital success. On reaching home small balls of left over rice is arranged across the turmeric leaves. Oil lamp is lit. They pray to the sun God “Keep my family united like the flocks of crows Retain the bond if unity always.” The offering is fed to the crows. Then they take their bath and engage in daily chores.

In the evening rural folk organize bull fights. Men with bare hands taming the bull are a real test for their courage. They get the pleasure and thrill out of forcing the animal to submission with their hands. The reward is tied to the well oiled horns of the specially bred bull. At times it is fed on a diet of toddy with a dash of lemon, or chilly powder sprinkled on their eyes to make them ferocious at the appointed hour. Foul play do takes place. By standers may beat the animal while others pull its tail. Scores fell victim to its sharpened horns and tough hooves. As the sun goes down, the dust kicked by the raging bull an men settle. Now it time to talk about those who have ventured and injured. With this the entire festival comes to an end and the count down for next years Pongal begins.
Uma maheswari.s

THE MULLAMOODU TRADITION

2006-07-18T06:09:00.000-07:00

Traditions in music are many. Here we have the famous Mullamudu tradition which is n 175 years old. Only, a handful of mullamudu musicians remain today. In an informal conversation Mullamudu musicians talk about their ancestors, their role in popularizing the compositions of Maharaja Swati Tirunal, and how they still maintain rich age old tradition.These musicians pay their musical offerings at the scheduled time on the days of ulsavam and Navarathri at the Padmanabha Temple and Navarathri Mandapam respectively.
The origin of mullamudu tradition goes like this:
Maharaja Swati Tirunal, once happened to listen Palakakad Parameswara Bhagavathar at the Temple. Enthralled, he made enquiries on the spot and appointed him as the court musician. He provided him a house at mullamudu near the palace. Parameswaran is the first musician to represent this great tradition. He later served the courts of Ayilyam Tirunal, Visakhom Tirunal and Sree Mualm Tirunal. Coimbatore Raghava Iyer, was his primary disciple. Aashramam Annaswami, Attingal Sankaranarayanan, Elathur Hariharan, Karamana Venkiteswaran, Kalkulam Subramanian, Parakkai Narayanan, Tanjavore Kathir Kama Dasan, Kadayam Kasi,and Neelakanta Iyer were the few others to name. They assembled at the rustling thickets intertwined with jasmine shrubs and rendered the Maharajas compositions and hence the name mullamudu bhagavathar.

“I have been part of this team since 50 years. My father Padmanabhan was one of the mullamudu musicians” said T .P .Mani Iyer former Principal of the Swati Tirunal Music Academy. We were given rice, vegetables, and coconut daily” remembered Mani.

“My father Venku Bhagavathar was one among the mullamudu musicians. I have been serving the temple for the past 46 years as the violinist” said V Meenakshi Sundaram. “During the festival we render Ulsava Prabhandam which the Maharaja has specially composed in Manipravalam in 1839. It gives a detailed account of the ten days festival celebrated twice annually. It has 12 songs and 42 verses in different meters. We render the corresponding songs of the day” he informed. He specially mentioned the song Shibikayil Ezhunnalledunnu set to the rare raga Mangalakausika.

“We render ulsava prabhandam at night and other Swati compositions in the evening on the festival days. At the Navarathri Mandapam we perform Thodaya Mangalam for half an hour before the main concert. We begin with Jayadeva ke kishora [Natta] and Mathanga Thanayayae [pantuvarali] followed by the compositions of Annamacharya and Purandaradasa. On the eve of Ariyittu vazhcha,[Attingal] there existed a custom to recite Aanadavalli kuru [Neelambari] at the nalukettu and Janani Pahi [suddha saveri] at the sanctum the next day” explained Parameswara Sarma son of late mullamudu Lekshmi Narayana Bahgavathar.
“Lekshmi Narayanan and I, well trained in Ulsavaprabhandam taught other musicians like Palakkad K V Narayana Swami, who later popularized this precious work of the Maharaja. In fact it was Amma Maharani who took the initiative to do so” reminisced T P Mani Iyer and added “on the day of Swargavathil Ekadesi we render Bhaktaparayana in Sankarabharanam at 8.30 pm.”

During ulsavam these musicians follow the vahanams, rendering ulsava prabhandam to the accompaniment of violin and mrudangam. Unfortunately amidst the crowd their recitation goes unnoticed.[513 words]
UMA

MANGO MAD

2006-07-18T06:07:00.001-07:00

Are you mango mad?

How can one say no to the magnificent, juicy, drippy, somewhat messy, yet irresistibly delicious, fruit?
Do you know that Indian myths, legends and history are replete with lovely stories and incidents connected with mango? No. Then read on.

Valmiki, in Ramayana pours out his tender love for mangoes in peerless verses. Kalidasa has described the mango blossom as one of the darts of Mnamadha the God of Love. He says that that the fragrance of a mango flowers is a torture to lovelorn hearts. Charaka in his Charaka samhita has described the medicinal properties of its frits and leaves. According to legend, when Dwaraka Muni had the vision of Lord Vishnu he plucked a raw mango and offered it to HIM. Even today salted mango is offered to the Lord Padmanabha.

We have a number of recorded incidents related to mango. Fa-Hein and Sung Yung the Buddhist pilgrims have recorded in their travelogues that a mango grove was presented by Amaradarika to Buddha so that he might use it as a resting place. Huen Tsang and Ibn Batuta, who visited India, have made frequent mention of the mango trees. The Sanchi Stupa has various sculpture patterns of the tree and the fruit.

In the name of mangoes the relationship between Shajahan and his son Aurangazeb went sour. The son did not pay attention in ensuring that his father got the Deccani variety of mango on time. Aurangazeb was the viceroy of Deccan then.

Once the Chinese President Mao Tse Tung, was presented a basket of mangoes by his Pakistani counter part. A sole mango reached one of the factories. And it was welcomed by its Board of Directors. They ceremoniously displayed it. They considered it as symbol of the President’s appreciation of their effort to develop China. Days passed. Mango started decaying. A botanist was summoned to inject certain chemicals to preserve the mango for a few more days.

Nehru’s passion for mangoes is popular. He had even decreed that only Alphonse from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra should be sent to foreign VIPs but never gave them on government expense. Once he asked JRD Tata the then chairman of Air India, to send a separate bill Tata said, it was a privilege for AI to carry mangoes for the PM of India.

The following is a recent incident. Benazir Bhutto visited Bangladesh in the 80s. She met a Pir known for his predictions. When will Zia-ul-Haq, the assassin of my father die? The Pir answered:”when the mangoes fly.” Years later it so happened that the baskets of mangoes kept in Gen. Zia’s aircraft exploded.

The stalls in the market are now saturated with the musky scent of mangoes. The mango mad is busy slurping the fleshy juice with delight. Next time when you eat a piece of mango, you will have enough mango thoughts.

MANGO MAD

2006-07-18T06:07:00.000-07:00

LADY WITH A SAXOPHONE

2006-07-18T06:05:00.000-07:00

When music lovers saw a thin, fair, young lady with a saxophone, they were awe struck. Women and saxophone?How can it be?
With the commencement of the concert, they had to accept the fact that women are in no way behind in handling musical instruments as tough as this. Meet Lavanya the only women saxophone player in India. She was in the capital to perform saxophone concert at the Karikkakom temple.

Lavanya belongs to a family of musicians. Her grand father M R Rajappa was the court musicians of the Mysore Palace. Her father M R Sainath is a leading mrudangist and working as the staff artiste of AIR. He has accompanied many leading artistes especially Kadari Gopalanath-the saxophone maestro. “I was trained in vocal music and regularly attended concerts and had the oppurtunity to hear Kadari amny times. Gradually I was attracted towards saxophone and decided to learn. I was only fifteen then. It is a complicated and complex instrument. One need to spend great effort just to familiarise the fingering techniques.Initially my playing reminded of ancient houses where women blow the fire with a pipe. Then it was like somebody pulling a chair. Even I thought of quitting” LAUGHED Lavanya.

The artiste need lot of energy to play this. Initially you may develop severe throat pain and muscular pain in the jaws. May be this is the reason why women never try saxophone. “I play even tough compostions. Recital of heavy ragas is really challenging as you have to sustain the notes for long. I never restrict myself to lighter and easier pieces” added Lavanya and continued “The instrumenthas many limitations. Basically it is a western instrument, designed to play western music. Our music is full of grace notes and it is tough to bring that quality and still we do our best”.

“My guru Kadari was initially trained in Nagaswaram. When he was just eleven years he saw saxophone being played at Mysore. He somehow wanted to learn and there was no teacher available to teach classical music in saxophone. He learned it all by himself and could evolve a style of his own.He was trained in music by T V Gopalakrishnan” informed Lavanya.
“I have not tried Hindusthani music in saxophone. But I do play bhajans and abhangs. My sister M S subbalekshmi also accompanies me these days. Suddenly she developed food poison and hence couldnot make her presence here. We are popularly known as saxophone sisters” said Lavanya.

ABOUT SAXOPHONE

Saxophone was invented by Adolphe Sax a Belgium instrument-maker, in 1842. A flautist and clarinetist Sax worked in his father's workshop of musical instruments for many years. The Hungarian tarogato akin to soparano saxophone inspired Sax.
The saxophone uses a single reed mouth piece similar to clarinet. Most reeds are made from cane; however, synthetic reeds, made from various substances, are available, and are used by a small number of saxophonists. The saxophone's body is effectively conical to enhance acoustic properties. All saxophones are made from brass. It is given a coating of clear or colored lacquer or silver or gold. It protects the brass from corrosion. An ordinary saxophone costs Rs 50,000.
However the Vatican officially condemned the instrument in the early 20th century, and various governments tried to limit their use, notably Nazi Germany and Japan in the 1930s..

SAJEEV NAMBOOTHIRI-VOCALIST

2006-07-18T06:02:00.000-07:00

Sajeev Nampoothiri- B. Tech., MBA, is a different personality altogether. He is not after MNC s. His aim is to establish himself in the field of classical music. His mellifluous voice and strong foundation in carnatic music enabled him to be identified by the connoisseurs.

Born to Gowri Antharjanam and Sreekumaran Nampoothiri of Chandramana Illam, Perumbavoor, Sajeev had his basic lessons in music from Lalitha, Irinjalakkuda Vijayalekshmi, and advanced lessons from Varkala C S Jayaram. Narayanan Nampoothiri his paternal uncle also trained in music.

“I owe much to my parents. My father takes me daily to the music class at 6 am. When I was 12, I participated in Poo mottukal a children’s program for Doordarsan. It was well received and later it was telecast by Bombay Doordarshan. That was my debut performance. In the formal arangettam Mahadeva Sarma the popular violin artiste accompanied me. The family once made an unscheduled trip to Puttaparthi in the next year. I sang Thodi raga and Sai Baba was much pleased. He blessed me” said Sajeev.

In 1992, Sajeev passed the audition test conducted by AIR, Calicut. He came first in the AIR National music competition in both classical and semi classical music. He won the gold medal at the National University Youth Festival held at Nagpur [1993] and Gulbarga [1995]. For three consecutive years he won the first prize at the M G University Youth Festival. He won the Chembai Award instituted by the Govt. of Kerala.

‘Semmangudi Sreenivasa Iyer, Mussiri Subramania Iyer, Alattur brothers, Palkkad KVN, M D Ramanathan Lalgudi Jayaraman, Mavellikkara Prabhakara Varma, Neyyattinkara Vasudevan and Dr K Omanakutti are a few of my favorite musicians. As an effort to popularize the lesser known compositions of Neelakanta Sivan, Papanasam Sivan, Gopalakrishan Bharathi, Thulasivanam and Lekshmana Pillai I make it a point to include a small piece during performance. I had the opportunity to perform at Thiruvayaru during Thyagaraja festival” he said.

Sajeev’s grand father and his brother-Sreedharan Nampoothiri and Govindan Nampoothiri- were popular kathakali artistes. Love for Kathakali is in his blood. Kalamandalam Haridas trained Sajeev in Kathakali pathangal.

Sajeev expressed his gratitude to R Krishana Swamy and Rajalekshmi for their proper advice and encouragement. ‘It was T S Babu who passed away last week, trained my father and his brother in music. I too am a student of Babu. What I am today is because of the blessings of these well wishers. At Chennai Sajeev has established Neelakanta Cultural Academy in Adayar. There he takes music lessons and conducts concerts. Sajeev has performed at many sabhas during the Chennai music season and also at Bangalore, Bombay and Kerala. He has produced three CDs so far.

S. UMA MAHESWARI

ASHTABANDAM-

2006-07-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Shaky idols are considered a bad omen. Our ancestors have developed an adhesive to fix the idol to the pedestal. The making this adhesive is a long and laborious process. There is a family in Thiruvananthapuram who makes this wonderful bond.

When we stand in obeisance in a temple we neither think of the crafts man who chiseled the idol nor are bothered to find out how these images are fixed to the pedestal. Here is that bit of information.

This amazing adhesive is made from eight natural materials including herbs namely, finely powdered conch, gall nut, sealing wax, gooseberry, resin of pinur dammar, [chanchailiam] and two varieties of gravel [from Bharathapuzha and Periyar] and cotton.

“All these natural materials are taken in a definite proportion. The mixture is placed on a granite slab fixed to the ground. Five men position themselves in the form of a semicircle and beat the mixture in succession with a hammer weighing 10 Kg for three hours a day. I squat opposite to them stirring the mixture after every hammering. This process is continued for 41 days” said G Narayanan, who claims to be the only person who makes this adhesive in Kerala.

On the 41st day the mixture would have attained a waxen consistency. They are made into small balls and stored. These balls are very light but harden on cooling. When required it is taken to the temple hammered once again and is applied on the pedestal. Temple celebrates this event as Ashtabandakalasam. Normally it is performed every 12 years.

However it is not performed in temples where the idols are exposed to the elements like the Vana Durga, and in serpent groves. After Ashtabandam, usual ablution is banned for the next 41 days. During this period powdered conch is dusted at the joint and rubbed using a bamboo reed. Krishna thulasi is not offered to the deity during this period as it has the capacity to corrode the binding material

S. UMA MAHESWARI

MOSQUE-MAN

2006-07-18T05:58:00.000-07:00

“It is my conviction that all religions in essence are the same and meant for the betterment and spiritual guidance of man” said Gopalakrishnan, a self-made architect who has designed nearly 70 mosques in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. A Hindu by birth Gopalakrishnan fasts every Jumma and destiny made him an architect whose specialization lay in designing mosques.

Young Gopalakrishnan made sketches of buildings inspired by the blueprints of his contractor father Govindan. Financial crisis forced him to discontinue AMIE. He assisted his father who was entrusted with the task of designing the Palayam Mosque in the State’s capital, Thiruvananthapuram. The first chief engineer of Kerala, Kuttiammu took the initiative to renovate the mosque and the Chief Architect to the Government J C Alexander designed the structure assisted by Govindan. It thus became a symbol of unity among the Religions from the very beginning of its construction. P.P.Chummar provided financial support to Govindan in executing the contract. The mosque was erected in close proximity to a temple of Lord Ganesha and the St. Joseph’s Cathedral.

Legendary singer Mohammed Rafi visited Thiruvananthapuram to participate in a fund-raising effort to build the dome. The then President of India, Dr. Zakir Hussain inaugurated the Mosque in 1964. When the renovation was complete all the Muslim brothers’ wished to have a similar structure, with domes and minarets, facing the Holy city of Mecca.

Gopalakrishnan’s major breakthrough was the construction of the Beema Palli, which is also a Dargah, spread over three acres. It has huge domes, a massive façade and tall minars [132 ft]. “It took 18 years to complete. It was Percy Brown’s Indo-Islamic Architecture in India that triggered my inspiration” admits Gopalakrishnan and explains: “It was constructed in the Indo-Saracen style which specifies minars, domes [should be three quarter of a sphere], ceilings with lotus motifs, calligraphy, and jalli pillars. Four decades have elapsed and till date I have been associated with the designing of mosques since then.”

The Vavar mosque at Sabarimala was reconstructed by Gopalakrishnan. Pilgrims visit the mosque dedicated to Vavar-believed to be a close associate of Lord Ayyappa.

Under Article 20 of the Architect Act 1972, Gopalakrishnan should have been given the architect license. But now his blueprints are ‘accepted’ by a qualified architect before he sets them in concrete.

“However, I am yet to visit any Islamic architectural construction outside Kerala. I have designed Shiek Masjid in Karunagapally akin to Taj Mahal. Koduvayil mosque in Kollam is a blend of Indo-Persian architecture and Nedunganda mosque is that of Indo-Saracen style. Any kind of renovation of mosque I consider as a task ordained” said Gopalakrishnan with a smile.

Gopalakrishnan has also designed a few churches and temples. St. George Church at Chandanapalli is modeled like the St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

“My design was questioned when I used the lotus motif in Beemapalli. How did a flower become a part of any religion? Gopalakrishnan asked. “The lotus is a beautiful flower. It’s our national flower. By designing lotus petals I was expressing my reverence to it” he reasoned.

Gopalakrishanan’s wife is a Christian. The couple has given their children the freedom to pursue any religion of their choice. Thus the family has literally transcended all man-made differences.

[540words]

OTTAMTHULLAL

2006-07-18T05:50:00.000-07:00

Lord Krishna through HIS style of operation humbled Garuda, Balarama, and Satyabhama. Sage Narada who was a witness to the whole episode was gratified. This story popularly known as the Garudan’s garva bhangam was recently staged in the thullal form by Viswakalakendram Vikraman, who has been performing thullal since three decades. In an interview he talks about thullal in general, the features of thekkan chitta and the recently composed thullal stories.
Ottam thullal is the most popular and interesting variety of indigenous histrionic entertainment in Travancore-southern Kerala. It was created by Kunchan Nampiar[1705-1770 AD]. This new art form made a straight and powerful appeal to mass minds in simple and sweet Malayalam. Its variety, rapid meters, and keen sarcasm gained much popularity.

The thullalkkaran, here Vikraman was assisted by his wife and two daughters [vocal]. He began the performance with invocations to Lord Ganesa, Goddess Saraswathi and to the gurus. The actor recited the few lines of the story which were repeated by the musicians. The actor interpreted the meaning of the lines through suitable gestures.

“As per the thekkan chitta the Ganesa sthuthi [munnarangu] is always in pathinja kalam. But iratti chavittunnathu will be in faster tempo. Thekkan Chitta uses plenty of mudras” he said. According to him Ottam and Seethnagal thullal are overburdened with literary embellishments. They are stuffed with caustic humor and hence attract audience, while parayan thullal excels in literary craftsmanship and artistic perfection.

The costume and make up are elaborate. The crown is fan shaped. A resplendent breast plate is embellished with colorful spangles. The face is painted green and eyes are overemphasized with collirium and reddened with the flowers of chunda. He wears a scarlet skirt. A large number of broad tapes of scarlet and white with loops at the bottom are tied above the skirt. Strings of tiny bells are fastened around the ankles.

Thullal works are not composed these days. Why?

“Exactly a decade ago I staged Bharanapuranam rashtriya thullal during election. We have Guru Gopinath Charitham and Chattambi Swami Charitham which are recent compositions. Nampiar’s works are full of rhyme, beauty of sound, and depth of thought. His sharp humor and penetrative insight made all his works immortal. Today we have no such talents.”
A native of Thaivila in the outskirts of the capital city, Vikraman was trained in Thullal by Kazhakkottam Bhaskara Pillai Asan. He joined the Guru Gopinath School. He makes the kalikoppu for himself. [407 words]

S.Uma Maheswari

HIS HIGHNESS UTRADOM TIRUNAL TURNS 84

2006-07-18T05:46:00.000-07:00

Tempered with sobriety, the Sathabhishekam of His Highness Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma was celebrated yesterday. The family has not recovered from the shock of the bereavement of two loving personalities in last December. Thus a function which ought to have created jubilation in the family went off as a low key affair.

At the Pattom Palace His Highness clad in simple traditional attire reminisced a few precious moments from his life. He talked about his parents, beloved brother and sister, his mentor, his wife, his meetings with great personalities, his penchant for the frozen frames and his passion for horse riding.

“My mother Her Highness Sethu Parvathi Bayi was a dynamic person. She was the pillar of strength. Her intellectual prowess, artistic grace, empathy and farsightedness, had created indelible impression in the history of Travancore. My father, Ravi Varma Kochu Koil Thampuran of Kilimanur was a great Sanskrit scholar. He always addressed me midukkan and was extremely happy and proud when I secured first rank and gold medal in B A” said His Highness.

“My childhood was unusual. Being the Elayaraja of Travancore I was taught at the School House located within the Kaudiar palace premises. I was a lazy student. Chitira Tirunal my elder brother appointed S N Ure a British Lieutenant to mould me. He changed my attitude towards my studies and later I established a life long relationship with S N Ure as a teacher-cum-friend. He trained me in tennis, golf, and horse riding. We staged several plays. He was awarded the prestigious military cross for his valuable in the British Army. He presented me a Germen rifle confiscated by him during the First World War. I always maintain a high regard for S N Ure.”
My mother and brother were high disciplinarians. They took immediate action if they see any misdeed. One day I beat Narayanan, one of the palace servants. My brother ordered me to apologize in the presence of nearly 250 Palace employees. Whatever little pride and pomp I had as a royal family member was thus nipped in the bud.”

“Discovering my penchant for the frozen frames my brother presented me a Leica camera in 1935 which to this day, I am in possession of. My love for horses started very early in life. My brother brought for me a fine well groomed horse. Riding Rakush was an enjoyable experience. Rakush contracted rabies and mercy killing was proposed. Before the bullets end her dear life she just collapsed. Otherwise I would have carried the guilt all through my living years.”
“As a child I had a strong desire to posses a watch. I made neat cut outs from the catalogues and tied them on my wrist. Sir C P who noticed this presented me a Rolex Prince gold watch” narrated His Highness how he was in possession of his first watch.

“I have visited 23 countries. On one of my visits I met Agatha Christie, at her residence. Over cucumber salad and Chinese tea we talked for an hour. The author later sent her then latest book the Pale Horse, which forms one my valuable possessions. I have met personalities like Queen Elizabeth, Somerset Maugham, Jacqueline Kennedy, the Roreichs, Dr. C V Raman, Lord Mountbatten, French President Georges Pompidou, Dalai Lama, Ma Ananda Mayi and Roselyn Rosner.

“I bestowed pattum parivattavum to Radha Devi, on 5th of September 1945. She was a multifaceted personality. She was trained in art by the renowned artist R C Choudry and in veena by Mysore Doraiswamy Iyengar. She designs jewels and furniture. She was a voracious reader and staunch devotee of Lord Siva. We have two children Parvathidevi and Ananthapadmanabhan.”

“In 1952 I ventured into commercial activity based at Bangalore. My stay at Bangalore never stood in the way of my presence at Kaudiar and for all temple festivals. Then I worked for Plymouth as a peon, clerk and driver-for the first hand exposure at every level of functioning of a factory.”

“My sister Karthika Tirunal’s Pallikettu with Col.Goda Varma Raja, was a great event. Col Tirumeni was a multifaceted personality and a keen sportsman. He brought the Tennis legends of his time Tilden, Cachet, Davidson and Emerson to Thiruvananthapuram. This real aristocrat was at heart a commoner.”

“The Royal family of Travancore represents the Chera Dynasty. The position of Lord Padmanabha in the history of Travancore is well known. My ancestors ruled the State on behalf of the Deity by assuming the title Padmanabhadasa which literally implies ‘in the service of Lord Padmanabha.’ Thus the Lord was not only the presiding deity but also the Sovereign of the State of Travancore as well. The reference of this temple can be found in the Puranas. Travancore had a hoary tradition which can be traced to the days of Mahabharatha. The Chera King Perumchotudayan Cheralathan is said to have participated in the battle of Kurukshetra” explained His Highness.

A familiar sight in the capital city is the arrival of the head of the Travancore royal family every day to the Padmanabha temple. He is greeted by well wishers, and the residents continue to pay homage to Sri Padmanabhadasa, who also represents a hoary monarchial tradition.

S UMA MAHESWARI

kovalam beach

2006-07-17T17:57:00.000-07:00

KOVALAM is the most alluring beauty spot located in Thiruvananthapuram the capital of Kerala the southern most state of India. This pretty hamlet consists of a number of thatched cottages scattered over a vast area on and near about the sea shore. The shimmering sea and the picturesque rocky cliff lend rare enchantment to this region. With a landscape richly blessed with fragrant hilly pastures and delightful hills Kovalam is the favored goal of tourists. It offers a wealth of attractions and experiences to the visitor.

As we approach the outskirts of Kovalam the dry winds changes into a cool and balmy sea breeze. The first enthralling glimpse of Kovalam is the cluster of sheltering palms lining the sea front and the undulating valley of green. At certain points the sea seems to stretch almost parallel to the road. Every inch of arable land is covered with tapioca, coconut, mango and jack trees and different varieties of luscious plantations.

The approach road takes you to a beautiful piece of low level land terminating in a cape higher than the contiguous coast. Kovalam is a sheltered bay between two promontories. On its southern boundary is the picturesque rocky cliff with black rocks of varying size and shape piled one over the other in wild and chaotic disorder. The cliff is austere, imposing and magnificent. A view from the crest of the cliff offers one of the finest sea views in the world.

Beneath the cliff a little above the water level are five deep sea coves into which sea water dashes with terrible fury. It is certainly a matter of adventure to go round the precipitous cliff and have a look at these grottos. To its south is a huge oval shaped black rock of ominous appearance resting upon another equally huge rock maintaining a sort of precarious balance. When the winds blow, the balancing rock swings gently and this sight is awe-inspiring. On the eastern side is a massive black rock which resembles a crouched elephant.

The perfection of the beautiful unfolds itself to the gaze of the visitor at this lovely spot. See nature’s pranks and her splendor at Kovalam. The beach gleams. The pretty rocky cliff on one side of the Kovalam beach rises in delicate curves. Thirty and more feet above the viewers head the feathery leaves of the coconut palms wave gracefully. They have no unison in action but blow this way and that at their pleasure only protesting unanimously if the breeze annoys them. But when the air is calm the palms converse with graceful gestures beckoning with suavest invitation.

Warm breeze gentle and invigorating caresses the entire area. Color and light enliven the landscape. Here beauty is everywhere, in hill and dale, sea and river, nature and art, land and ocean, all joined together in the imperishability of the sublime. On clear mornings and evenings when the sun shines the picturesque rocky cliff and the emerald green meadows close to the shore are clothed in majestic splendor. The tourist should hike along the contiguous coast to behold a magnificent sight. Land and sea seem to merge into one another till he hardly knows where the earth ends and the waters begin. A riotous carnival of colors greets his vision.

To witness on a summer evening sunset at the Kovalam beach is to see an indescribable spectacle of beauty, majesty and charm. What wonderful colors for the artist’s palette this bewitching scene conjures up?

To stand on the rocky cliff and see the fiery red ball of the setting sun leaving multicolored luminous streaks on the horizon as it sinks into the sea is a thrilling sight, clothed in a halo of mystery. The waters of the turbulent sea dash into the grottos with tremendous fury shooting up a powerful spray.

At dusk when the heat no longer reflects off the mounting sand, when the cool ozone –bearing night breeze hisses across the palm-fringed shores with lovely sand dunes the tide booms against the shores throwing up spray and the sea takes an unearthly glow. It is an incomparably beautiful paradise for camping, picnic, sea bathing, angling, fishing, swimming, surf riding, and yachting.

In dug out canoes and catamarans -quaint little crafts constructed by the dexterous fisher folk who inhabit the coast- they brave the heavy surf and venture far out into the sea in pursuit of their livelihood. This familiar sight at Kovalam beach at the break of dawn and close of day is thrilling. It is pleasure to be rowed into the sea on a catamaran in the evening and from there to gaze into the immensity which stretches itself before the visitor and to spend a pleasant hour beneath the blue summer sky.

Seated on one of the rocks buttressing into the sea one can try his hand at fishing. Buoyant fisher folk striplings with but a semblance of dress comprising of a loin cloth tightly drawn over the waist can be seen standing over the slippery rocks and fishing with rods and tackles for hours together without knowing any fatigue or losing patience. Or one can wade into the sea, stand in waist deep water and enjoy a game of angling. To observe agile fish and crabs darting across and hiding in the abundant creeks is an interesting sight.

When the evening shadows cast their mystic spell of secrecy, and soft murmurings and whispers emanate out of the sea enjoy a sea bath at Kovalam. The bathing beach here is one of the most delightful beaches in the world. The shore is rapturous with the unending music of the waves over the rocks and the sand dunes. The sea is in ample embrace of pretty bays. Bathing at the swimming place at Kovalam is safe and refreshing.

Kovalam on a moonlit night is simply bewitching. The silver moon hangs in the air shedding her rays on the ripples, waves, rocks and sands making them all the more lovely. On such occasion when the land lies lovely beneath the moon it is a great experience to enjoy a sea bath at Kovalam and watch the grand panorama which unfolds here.

sky is the limit

2006-07-17T17:42:00.000-07:00

sky is the limit

centuries old jain temple

2006-07-17T17:31:00.000-07:00

Buddhism and Jainism which once held sway all over India had left behind a few vestiges like the one in Chitharal for instance.
Chitharal is a tiny unpretentious village located 4 miles north east of Kuzhithurai. This antique and historically significant rock shrine was in days of yore a place of pilgrimage sacred to the Jains. It was converted into Hindu temple in 1250AD, and an image of Bhagavathy was installed.
At the summit of Tirucharanathu Malai a craggy hill in Chitharal is a natural cave formed by an overhanging rock resting upon another. The imposing ruins of this temple perched atop the hill evoke sacred and austere memories.
On the northern side of the overhanging rock is sculpted many exquisite images which are avowedly Jainistic in origin, distinguished by hanging earlobes, a tier of three umbrellas over the tonsured head, in the sitting and standing postures. The images have broad shoulders and thin waists with contemplative expressions. Between these images of Jain Theerthankaras are inscriptions in Vattezhuthu. Most of them are seemed to be the replica of the Jain Theerthankaras, namely Parsvanatha and Mahavira, inside the central shrine. The Hindus however consider this as the image of Mahavishnu.

The central shrine is divided into three chambers-one for the Goddess another for Mahavira and the third one for Parsuanatha which is in the standing posture and nude as required by the manasara.
The term Thirucharanathu malai means the hill holy to the charanas. The chudamani nighantu says that charanas are the eight class of samanas who have attained the siddhi of concealing themselves in flowers, water or sky. It also means a place where Jains lived in large groups.

On the top of the overhanging rock just above the central shrine is a brick gopuram. The three storied pagoda had images of Mahaviras. It was destroyed in lightning in 1908.

Jainism declined in the 11th century during the Chola dynasty. It is said that when Chandra Gupta Maurya along with a Jain ascetic Badrabhahu reached Sravanabalgola in 298 BC their disciples reached here to spread Jainism and chose this hillock for meditation.
Inscription on a huge rock exposed to the elements hence badly damaged throw light on the religious and cultural history of the State. There is a pond in front of the shrine down a flight of steps.

On ascending the Chitharal rock one can enjoy the charming landscape around. At a distance the jagged outline of the Western Ghats enveloped by clouds can be seen .Below gleaming pale green lakes, fields, winding rivers, clusters of pretty villages nestling amidst coconut and Palmyra plantations, the tall spires of churches, the lofty gopurams enchant us.
This spot a confluence of history and religion is an ideal place for enjoying a quiet holiday. The most greatly prized amenity granted exclusively by nature here is peacefulness.

artist B D DETHAN

2006-07-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

“Dethan is a wizard who in his drawings has captured and imprisoned the wildest of impulses and urges” opined the noted poet and critic Dr. Ayyappa Paniker.

Yes. Art lovers throng to see Dethan’s works as he comes with a bang every time. His expressions of stark realities shake our inner self and disturb our mind for days. But Dethan’s recent ‘Nude Complexions’ is far away from his earlier works like Kali –images of our Fractured Times, Rhythm of Fantasy, Parinamam I&II, Mukhangal and Prisoners of Time.

In an interview at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram the artist talks about his artistic odyssey through the years and his present work Nude Complexions.

“Like any other artist I am sensitive and always felt deeply about social injustice of any kind. The erosion of values, greed and selfishness, made this beautiful world an unsafe place to live. In a world shorn of love and kindness, driven by greed and lust for power how can one live peacefully? In the existing social circumstances how can man ever hold his head high? These kinds of thoughts always haunt me. When I poured my feelings on canvas, it was like the bursting of flood gates. ” he said.
Kali- the Images of our Fractured Times celebrated the power of black and white. It was the depiction of the fading goodness in man. In fact it was the recreation of the world around. Strong surrealism dominated that phase of Dethan. It reminded Pablo Picasso’s Guernica which conveyed the artist’s intense protest against the Spanish Civil war.

The grotesque images appear sharp, harsh, crude, tormented gnarled, fierce and disturbing. All the creations in this series were supplemented by comments from noted personalities like Dr. Ayyappa Paniker, M T Vasudevan Nair, Adoor Gopala Krishnan, and Abu Abraham.

Was he influenced by Dali?

“Not exactly, but Van Gogh and Gauguin did” he revealed and added: “And I always experiment. Hence my career has gone through several phases, each with major shifts in themes and medium”

Subsequent series Parinamam-I was thought provoking. He selected gaudy colors, which revealed emotion as an under current, for Dethn’s concern has always been man’s psyche. But Parinamam II had a pleasant blend of pastel shades which clearly exposed the transformation [Parinamam] with in the artist. Headless figures, with chained limbs are wriggling to free themselves. “Man has lost his identity and self respect, hence he has no face” explained the artist and continued: “During the exhibition art lovers complained that the works made them unhappy. They say these images upset them. But that is exactly what I wanted.”

Dethan is ever in search of styles, patterns and innovations which always keeps his work away from the main stream. In the current series “Nude Complexions” we have realistic figures instead of haunting and macabre ones.

How did you go about?

“This theme was conceived by me long before. One day I mused over the blank canvas and began to work. It was a spontaneous outflow. Yes. The subject was the conscious choice but the images emerged from the subconscious.”

The fresh array of nudes on canvas revealed Dethan’s in depth study of anatomy and lighting effects. The figures of the damsels bathed in the subtle shades of sepia splendor, enthralled the spectators. .

Born in 1946, B.D. Dethan took his Diploma in Fine Arts, worked as artist in various government departments and retired as the Art Editor State Institute of Encyclopedic Publications and was the member of Kerala Lalith Kala Academy. His collections adorn the Parliament House, Kendra Lalith Kala Academy, and State Lalith Kala Academy, Sree Chithra Art Gallery, KTDC and ITDC Hotels and other private collections in India and abroad.
Dethan has built rich clientele of art connoisseurs who come in search of him and his works in full admiration
[681 words]

S.UMA MAHESWARI

sumamaheswari@rediffmail.com

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

earthen amplifiers

2006-07-17T09:51:00.000-07:00

Where else can you see those cute earthen pots?

With the invention potters wheel, he made similar structures, and used them as storage containers. His rich aesthetic sensibilities lead to the invention of many musical instruments, which are so devised as to serve the needs of Indian melodic system of music. He developed the clay pot into a percussion instrument.

But the 18th century ‘engineers’ of Travancore discovered yet another use with this poor, humble, little clay pots. That is they are capable of amplifying sound!!! Wonderful!!! So they installed them at a Royal court [no less] where the monarch musician Maharaja Swati Tirunal and his court musicians assembled during Navarathri.

For the uninitiated, the Maharajas of Travancore celebrated Navarathri[Dussera] at the Padmanabhapuram Palace. In 1829 when Swati Tirunal ascended the throne, he decided to shift the venue to the Navarathri Mandapam in Thiruvananthapuram. Even today the idols of the Goddess is brought from Padmanabhapuram on the elephants back, escorted by Kumaraswami the Divine Generalissimo and Munnuti Nanga one of her chief attendants.

The Maharaja has composed nine soul-stirring hymnal songs in nine ragas. The ambience of the Navarathri Mandapam has to be experienced. Huge oil lit lamps light up the concert hall. It endows the atmosphere with a mellow and reverent splendor. The musicians take their positions in front of the sanctum sanctorum. The concert exactly starts exactly at 6pm and concludes by 8.30pm. The listeners should not come late or leave early. They should not applaud as the concert is an offering than a mere performance. Great maestros like Semmangudi Sreenivasa Iyer, G N Balasubramaniam, M D Ramanathan, Mussiri Subramania Iyer had graced the occasion many times.

The mandapam is tastefully decorated. On the ceiling of the concert hall you can see bamboo frames, held in position by coir. In each frame earthen pots of varying sizes are kept with its mouth downwards in different angles. They act as sound reflectors, ensuring even distribution of sound, when there was no sound system. Today most modern systems are available and still these pots are preserved as such and they continue amplifying sound. Hats off to those unknown acoustic technicians, who developed this 17 decades ago. [370 WORDS]

S.UMA MAHESWARI
THIRUVANATHAPURAM

2006-07-17T09:49:00.000-07:00

The Udayagiri Fort a monument to the Dutch connection of the Princely Travancore State, close to the lands end is on the verge of ruins.

The Fort 60kms by road from Thiruvananthapuram was built in the year 1600 AD. It was renovated by Anizham Tirunal Marthanda Varma, in 1744 AD. The Fort encompasses an area of 186 acres. In fact it was built around a rocky mountain 260ft high. From its summit, nearby and not so near by places like Velimala, Mandacaud, Thackalai, and Kanyakumari can be seen. The fort is 4 kms long and its height varies between 24 and 15 ft. It was Thycaud Vishnu Tarathan Nampoothiri who designed its construction. The temple corridor at the Padmanabha Temple was also designed by him.

In 1741, the historic battle of Colachel took place between Travancore and the Dutch. The Dutch soldiers Eustachian De’ Llannoy and Donadi and many others were captured and presented before the Maharaja. The Maharaja instead of punishing them utilized their talent in warfare. De’llannoy became the Valia capithan (naval chief) and served Travancore for 37 years. Under him Travancore navy became very powerful. De’llanoy led Travancore to victory over the second battle with the Dutch and with the mighty Kingdom of Kochi.

There is a catholic chapel where De’llanoy and his family members were buried. Though the Fort has now fallen on bad days, De’llannoy’s tomb is intact. Over grown bushes make it difficult for a visitor to identify the tomb.

Back to the Fort, it has 10 bastions. Creepers tangled our toes as we walk along. Wild plants, strewn with colorful flowers mask the granite structure. Their roots have deeply penetrated developing cracks in the structure. The huge wooden doors at the entrance are tampered. During day time cattle graze lavishly.

For all its antiquity the Tamil Nadu archaeological department has no control over the Fort. It comes under the PWD. The department has little interest in the Fort is evident. Tamil Nadu can afford to be indifferent. But we can not. The history of Travancore will be incomplete without Colachel, the Udayagiri Fort and De’llannoy.

The famous Padmanabhapuram Palace is built within the fort, which is under the control of Kerala Government. But the Fort is left to neglect by all.

uma maheswari.s

kathakali masks

2006-07-17T09:47:00.000-07:00

Valia Kottaram Kathakaliyogam with in the premises of Kuthira Malika is active once again. A team of kathakali artistes are engaged in restoring the centuries old masks, head dress, costumes and ornaments.

Masks and Kathakali? You may ask.

Though Kathakali make up is in no way natural for it deliberately alters the proportion of the human face, masks were never used. The thick color paints made on the spot are directly applied on the face. It allows full expression of the face and eyes enabling the performer to portray different emotions. How important or trivial or minor may be the character meticulous care is given over the application of the make up.

The vocabulary is so wide that it is not pragmatic to translate them by mudras alone. The actor has to show various sentiments with the help of eyes, eye brows, cheek, chin, nostrils, and lips. Every muscle functions in unison resulting in the manifestation of expressions. Hence masks are never used as they completely mask the expression which is the soul of Kathakali.

But for characters like Jatayu, Garuda, Hamsa, the serpent Karkodaka, and Narasimha, masks made of paala (spathe of areca palm) were in use.

But nearly a dozen of wooden antique masks of Hanuman, Angathan, Dakshan, and Mareechan, found in the Kaliyogam are the solid proof, for the practice of using them in Kathakali in its hay days.

“The restoration works are the result of the initiatives taken by H H Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma. In our career as Kathakali performers we have not come across such marvelous pieces. We never knew that these kinds of masks were used in Kathakali. In fact it is a revelation” said Rameshan of Natyasala Kathakali Kendram based at Thirumala, and added: “The support rendered by the administrator Parameswaran Nair is worth mentioning. He provides us all facilities for executing the restoration process. In fact we demanded payment only for the materials, render our service free.” The members of Natyasala are regularly performing Kathakali at the Sree Padmanabha Temple during the ten days festival.

18TH and 19th centuries can be considered as the golden period of Kathakali. It reached its pinnacle of glory under the patronage of Travancore Royal Family. We had Karthika Tirunal Rama Varma (Dharma Raja), Aswati Tirunal Rama Varma, Swati Tirunal Rama Varma, and Utram Tirunal Marthanda Varma to author attakathas. Unnayi Warrier the author of Nalacharitham was the court poet of Marthanda Varma. Irayimman Thampi and her daughter Kuttikunchu Thanckachi were eminent composers.

Utram Tirunal Marthand Varma formed the Kaliyogam which later became Valia Kottaram Kathakali Yogam since he ascended the throne, in 1846. He amalgamated the chittas of Kaplingadan, Kalladikkodan, and Vettathu and trained the court performers. He was advised by the great Kathakali master Kudamaloor Vilayakodathu Nampothiri. This master brought eminent Kathakali performers from other regions of Kerala.

The Maharaja personally supervised the rehearsals, and the makings of Kathakali costumes, head dress, masks and other accessories. At times he himself performed Kathakali. Easwarapilla Vicharippukar, Pazhvangadi Nanupilla, Kochukrishnapilla I&II, Sekhara Warrier, Kandiyoor Pappupilla, Kittunni, Nalanunni, were the star performers who adorned the court of Utram Tirunal. He established Keralavilasom and published the works of Swati Tirunal and Irayimmen Thampi. Utram Tirunal is the author of Simhadwaja charitham attakkatha.

Coming back to the masks, they are all made from kumbil wood. There are no joints and all of them have very detailed intricate ornamentation. The movable lower jaw of Hanuman and the ear lobes of the ox remains one of the skills of perumthachan.

The costumes are gaudy. The skirts are extremely full with several layers. The head gears are light and hence comfortable. It looks like a multi-tired crown surmounted by an orb with a point, encircled by a halo. They are richly worked in colors of red, green, gold and silver. The inlaid works is done with, pieces of mirror, and beetles wings. The whole structure looks magnificent. It is secured to the head using cloth bands.

The mudi head dress are of three types-that of pacha, kari, and vatta mudi. By looking at the head gear we cannot find out the character except for Krishna who wears a peacock feather. But the head gear in the kaliyaogam is distinct in the sense that each character has a special head gear. If we look at the head dress of Siva, for instance we can see that the tonsured hair-do is encircled by a layer of rudraksham. It is adorned with a crescent and the figure of Ganga. The hood of Vasuki is seen atop the head gear.

Other striking accessories include the wooden doll and mulakollaram used in Santhanagopalm, and a conch used in Dakshyagam. The wooden conch is a tricky one. As per the story, sati is identified within a conch on a lotus. When the conch is unlocked a tiny doll representing Sati emerges from within.

The attavilakku, the idol of Saraswathi in standing posture, wooden aniyara vilakku and even the boxes used to store these accessories, look magnificent. After restoration these remarkable pieces will be displayed at the Palace Museum.

S.UMA MAHESWARI

2006-07-17T09:43:00.000-07:00

Cheerful devotees throng the Padmanabha Swami Temple premises in the evenings to witness the solemn, imposing and spectacular ceremony that is the circumambulations of the deities, along the magnificent corridor.

The ulsavam which lasts for ten days begins with the kodiyettu-the hoisting of the God’s Flag and concludes with Aarat procession. During these days the Gods are escorted by His Highness Uthradom Tirunal Marthanda Varma with the entire paraphernalia of the temple and the State.

The ulsava vigrahams of Sree Padmanabha, Sree Krishna, and Sree Narasimha are elaborately decorated and seated in vahanams made of gold and silver. Their marvelous intricacy and design are an eloquent testimony to the art and craftsmanship, of an ancient era. The idols are lavishly decorated with colorful silk fresh flowers.

The procession is lead by an elegantly caparisoned elephant, followed by men carrying the God’s flags, umbrellas, and other emblems of divinity. Clad in traditional temple costume His Highness with drawn sword comes next followed by the heir apparent and other male members of the family. The idols are carried by the temple in the rear. Immediately ahead of the idols walk the temple musicians playing melodiously on the thimiri nagaswaram. A group of vocalist accompanied by violin and mridangam rendering ulsava prabandam follow the vahanams.

Another attraction is the installation of the effigies of the Panchapandavas near Padmatheertham. The effigies are carved in wood and have finely decorated faces with bulging eyes, and colorful head gear. Their long red robes are decked with chains of beads. They all have long tresses and nails. Yudhishtira alone is installed in the sitting posture with his right leg on his left thigh. The giant Bhima holds an ornamental mace and the others with a medium sized clubs.

In front these, the unique war dance of Kerala –velakali was performed twice daily after the seeveli. More than a hundred men symbolically enact the battle of kurushetra, and accept defeat and fly in disorder. Their colorful make up is akin to the battle uniform of ancient Kerala. They wear a loin up to the ankles which is held in position by a strip of white cloth. Their bare chest is adorned with colorful beads and shells and the performer cover their heads with laced red turbans with a protruding knot at the left. They hold a shield and a stick.

They march along with rhythmic movements. A band of drums and bugles lead the battalion. Spectators gather at the flight of steps at the eastern entrance of the temple, and watch the Kaurava pada attacking their enemies.

Though the ten days long impressive temple festival and the installation of the effigies of the Pandavas continue Velakali remains as a colorful memory in the minds of the old timers. S Uma Maheswari

kathakalimasks

2006-07-16T06:21:00.000-07:00

kathakali lovers, behold
recently i came across a dozen of kathakali masks which are more than150 years old. these masks are made in wood. normally kathaklai artistes never use masks for it hides expressions-which is the life and soul of this art. i too came across plenty of wonderful head gears used in kathakali. i have written an article on this topic in the new indian express. i found this wonderful pieces at the valiyakottaram kathakali yogam established in 1847 by utram tirunal marthanda varma-the then maharaja of travancore.