Mohiniyattam guru, researcher and choreographer, Nirmala Panicker, a Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee, has shaped new understanding between Mohiniyattam and Nangiarkoothu, Kerala’s female performance traditions. Here, she shares her work from the 1970s, discovering and documenting Nangiarkoothu—an ancient temple art form that was fading from cultural memory then.
While you’ve earned recognition as a Mohiniyattam authority and choreographer, your research covers the broader spectrum of Kerala’s female performance traditions, including forms like Nangiarkoothu. Could you tell us on these aspects of your work?
Mohiniyattam, the classical dance form we see and perform today, has been my first love. But the evolution of Mohiniyattam over many decades was not in isolation. Other female performance traditions of Kerala, both classical (Margi) and regional (Desi) have richly contributed to the Mohiniyattam as we see it today.
Nangiarkoothu, in particular, has contributed significantly to Mohiniyattam. This realisation guided me to explore more about Kerala’s diverse female performance heritage.
How did you first encounter Nangiarkoothu?
It was about fifty years back that I came across Nangiar Koothu for the first time, when I was researching deep into the relationship between Mohiniyattam and the other art forms of Kerala women.
I began my research studies on Mohiniyattam in the 1970s, when the Kerala characteristics of Mohiniyattam were being questioned. There was a contention that the dance form of Mohiniyattam gradually took shape from the art forms like Ammanattam, Panthattam, Oonhalattam, Penkoothu (Pavaikoothu-in Tamil – pavai = woman; koothu = dance), and Thiruvathirakkali, which are said to be some of the ancient, folk and traditional dances exclusive to the women of Kerala.
There was also an opinion that it is the artistic expression of the traditional Devadasi dance that was prevalent in Tamilnadu, moulded in the crucible of the genius of Kerala. Yet others are of the view that it is none of these, but a dance which was the brainchild of the Maharaja Swathi Thirunal. It was when these arguments were going on that I felt the need to investigate the truth about the possibility of local or foreign origins of this dance form.
Interesting! Did such inquiries lead you to Nangiar Koothu?
Indeed. I got an opportunity to interview Mani Madhava Chakyar, a renowned figure in Kutiyattam and Koothu. He had come to participate in the National Drama Festival, organized by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi in 1977 at the Kerala Fine Arts Hall in Ernakulam.
He agreed to spare some time when I told him that I was a student researching on Mohiniyattam and would like to know a few facts about Nangiarkoothu. He spoke to me in detail about Nangiarammas and their role in Kutiyattam. And he suggested to me that I meet one Nangiaramma who was in Kottayam if wanted to know more about the Nangairkoothu of the Nangiars.
He added that he didn’t know much about the connection between Mohiniyattam and Nangiarkoothu, but that it could be understood that some of the heroines of the Manipravaala poems were Nangiarammas, while the others were danseuses like the Devadasis. He also said that a deep analysis might help bring to light more information. Besides, it might reveal that the danseuses found in the temple sculptures were of more than one type, and an investigation on those lines would be good. Lastly, he told me not to hesitate to go to Kottayam.
Although the conversation lasted for just an hour, from what the Guru told me, I felt it was high time to subject this art form to a deeper study. That was how I came to learn about Nangiarkoothu for the first time.
Fascinating to know that some of the heroines of Manipravala poems could have been Nangiarammas. Did you manage to go to Kottayam and meet the Nangiaramma that Chakyar recommended.
The address that Guru Mani Madhava Chakiar had given to me was that of Kochukutty Nangiaramma of Villuvattathu Nambiar Madhom in Irinjalakuda, who had been married off to Kottayam Nambiar Madhom. It was past ten o’clock in the morning when I reached the Nambiar Madhom at Kottayam. There were two Nangiarammas. They cordially welcomed me as well as my brother Sudhakara Paniker who had accompanied me.
Kochukutty Nangiar had been regularly performing Nangiarkoothu as a ritual in Kumaranallur Bhagavathi temple. She started the conversation talking about the meagre remuneration that she was getting from the temple and her difficulties. “Owing to that only,” Villuvattathu Kochukutty Nangiaramma sorrowfully said, “the new generation is not prepared to carry this tradition forward.” And continuing, she added. “Now when a girl like you comes to our Madhom and enquires about this art, my mind brims with happiness.”
When she said that, I saw her eyes welling up. After remaining silent for a few minutes, she got up and went inside to a room and brought out some old costumes and materials. Spreading a cloth, she arranged them one by one on it and began to name them each. Then she said. “Let them be here. Now ask what you want to know. I shall tell you whatever I know. To tell you the truth, I now remember only the portion up to the incarnation (Krishnavatara), after all who comes to watch this? This is enacted mostly sitting on a stool (Peedhom) and that is just enough for carrying out the routine of Adiyantiram (Riual).
Well. Krishna is shown like this.” So saying, she showed ‘kataka‘ mudra with both her hands holding on either side of her face, following which she also showed mudras for palace (Rajadhani), kings (Rajas), etc. We talked till about one o’clock. By then I could glean some more information about the art form. I was also convinced that this art form was worth knowing more about and to be revived and preserved.
( To be continued…)
