World Kutiyattam Day: A Milestone Declaration

July 31st has been officially declared as World Kutiyattam Day, paying tribute to the revolutionary contributions of Painkulam Rama Chakyar

It was a historic declaration that Kerala Kalamandalam made in connection with the International Festival of Kutiyattam (IFoK) held from July 29 to August 2. It was announced that hereafter July 31 will be celebrated as World Kutiyattam Day.

But why July 31? It was on this day in 1980 that the most revolutionary among the Kutiyattam fraternity, Painkulam Rama Chakyar breathed his last.

Kutiyattam, the Sanskrit theater form that survives only in Kerala, was traditionally presented by the communities of Chakyar and Nambiar and that too in the Koothampalams attached to major temples.  While Chakyars and Nangiars (the women) were the actors, Nambiars drummed on the mystic drum of Mizhavu and did other duties in staging the show.  The caste restrictions naturally prevented its popularity vis a vis the other classical theatre Kathakali.

Realising this lacuna, Kerala Kalamandalam decided to introduce Kutiyattam as one of its disciplines in 1965, thirty five years after the institution was founded by the poet laureate Vallathol.  But what about the faculty?

Painkulam Rama Chakyar: The revolutionary force

Naturally, the authorities of Kalamandalam turned to Painkulam Rama Chakyar who as early as 1949 had ventured to present Koothu, the part played by Vidushaka, in a home.

Chakyar was only happy to accept the invitation from the institution and in June 1965 the classes were open. Hence the celebration of sixty years of Kutiyattam that was celebrated as International festival of Kutiyattam. Chakyar was successful in roping in another luminary – P K Narayanan Nambiar, the son of the celebrity Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar for teaching Mizhavu.

Kutiyattam turned secular when the first non-Chakyar student was admitted in the first batch – Padma Shri Sivan Namboodiri for vesham followed by the enrolment   of Eswaran Unni, a non-Nambiar for Mizhavu. Much hue and cry were raised by the orthodox fraternity of Kutiyattam against this ‘sinful’ act. Braving all protests and accusations, Chakyar continued the classes assisted by Narayanan Nambiar.  But when the first non-Nangiar was admitted, the saber-rattling soared to the highest. The student was Girija Devi who was recently awarded the Nritta – Natya Puraskaram by the Kerala government.

As vouched by his disciples, Chakyar’s mission was only in moulding his disciples as accomplished actors. And he could succeed in this endeavour for which his disciples Kalamandalam Sivan Namboodiri, Kalamandalam Rama Chakyar (Junior), Kalamandalam Girija Devi and Kalamandalam Shailaja are living testimony.

Perhaps he did not have much faith in the institutional restrictions for training in classical art forms. This is evident from his advice to his disciples, “Tomorrow is a holiday for Kalamandalam; but you will have classes as usual.”

Global recognition for Kutiyattam

Once the caste-ridden barriers were thrown overboard, a new crop of young talents emerged on the scene.  Shows abroad attracted the attention of international theater community including  Peter Brook who applied Kutiyattam in his world famous production of Mahabharata. What compelled UNESCO to make the epoch-making declaration about Kutiyattam in 2001 as “The oral and intangible heritage of humanity” was all sequel to Rama Chakayr’s giant strides decades ago.

Rama Chakyar was the first to identify Kutiyattam as a theater. Whereas the traditional presentation lasted for many days, even up to five weeks and more, the theatrical part followed only later. So he edited many plays including Ascharyachoodamani, Naganandam, Swapnavasavadattam etc the essence of the theatrical part which was reduced to two to three hours.

Worth mentioning in this connection is Bhagavadajjukam of three and a half hour duration. Moreover the ‘Udyana varnana’ in the play enacted by the two actresses is the most sought after. Said Girija Devi, “During our first journey abroad, in Paris, I don’t know how many times Udyana Varnana had to be presented in response to the request from the Koodiyattam fans”. Incidentally, Rama Chakyar was the first to present Koodiyattam abroad braving the protests from the conservative fraternity.

No doubt Rama Chakyar was an aesthete. He was the architect of the most attractive costumes of the female actors. Declaration therefore is a most befitting and historic act to commemorate his contributions.