Monday, February 25, 2008

Kutiyattam

In the last update I really didn't feel like I gave Kutiyattam the justice it deserves. So if you missed the last update then scroll down and read my section on Kutiyattam (the second paragraph after the second picture) before reading this entry. Also, I decided to go North and am in Delhi now. Tomorrow I'll be in Mussoorie in the Himalayas where I've enrolled in a Hindi Language school. Emma and I will reunite in Kerala in three weeks. Okay, more on Kutiyattam.

Kutiyattam means "acting together." And is performed by men and women (men play the male roles and women play the female roles). It is a ritualistic theatre. Its intended audience are devotees and its stories are from the hindu myths and epics. Kutiyattam is essentially an elaborate prayer and act of devotion. It has traditionally been performed inside temples though today anyone willing to pay can have a Kutiyattam performance. It is a kuladharma which is a hereditary artform. That is, it is passed down through families (0ver 2,000 years of families). Traditionally only people belonging to the Chakyar caste and some other castes that I disremember could perform Kutiyattam. These families were highly regarded within their community. They were given farmland and provided for by the temple and king. But when the British came to India this support system for the artists was dismantled as taxes went to the British and rarely made it back to the people. Also, the subsequent social reforms enacted by Kerala's post-British communist government further reduced the practicing artists income by splitting up their land. Thus in 1980 when the only practicing Chakyar was beginning to get old, Natanakairali stepped in to ensure that the tradition continued. But this meant that non-Chakyars had to be trained which took lots of convincing because the master was reluctant to break tradition.

Nangiar Koothu is Kutiyattam's sister form, the women's solo dance theatre. I don't know as much about it but it's very similar to Kutiyattam in dance, gestures, and instruments. The story is different. Nangiar Koothu tells the story of Sreekrishna charitham. Instruments, so there aren't only actors in a kutiyattam performance but also Mizhavu players, chime players and an edakka player (not sure what this is). The Mizhavu is a brass, egg-shaped drum that adds to the dramatic tension of the Kutiyattam performance. The mizhavu players set the mood for much of the performance since the actors gestures are so limited and hard to interpret (at least for me). The chime player also recites the slokas on behalf of the characters. Okay, that's all I got for now without risking a lie because I don't have any books nor Emma to back me up on any of the facts. At least now, after completing this entry, I can sleep a little better tonight.

3 comments:

കൌണ്ടിന്യന്‍ (ശശി - Sasi) said...

Dear Ariel..

I just had an eagle reading of your blog. Please understand that Kutiyattam is not performed men only. All the female charachters are handled by females only. Meaning of the word "Kutiyattam" itself is "acting together".

All the Best

Sasi, Thiruvanathapuram
sasinaircty@gmail.com

കൌണ്ടിന്യന്‍ (ശശി - Sasi) said...

Also,

Mizhavu is made of brass. It is not necessary that all Kutiyattam performance should have 3 mizhavu and 2 chime. Normally it is 2 mizhavu, one chime (who recites slokas, on behalf of characters) and an edakka. In Margi, Thiruvananthapuram they also add a thimila and in some part of kerala uses kurumkuzhal. Story is different from of Kutiyattam. Story of Sreekrishna (Sreekrishna charitham containing 217 slokas) is elaborated in Nangiarkoothu. Nowadays some new stories are also there, like Sreeramacharitham etc..

Ariel said...

Thanks for clearing that up, Sasi. I still have much to learn...

Ariel