The Hindu : Kerala News : Kottayam Chellappan passes away

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 11, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Kottayam Chellappan passes away

By Our Staff Reporter

KOTTAYAM, AUG. 10. The classical dance exponent, Kottayam Chellappan, who died here in the wee hours of today, will be cremated in the compound of his house in the town on Wednesday morning. The cremation has been scheduled for 11 a.m.

Mr. Chellappan, who was ailing for some time, was 92. He is survived by his wife and three sons.

Born into a family of Kathakali exponents at Champakkulam in Alappuzha district, Mr. Chellappan was the son of Champakkulam Paramu Pillai.

He was initiated into the world of dance at a young age by his uncle, Guru Gopinath, who was with the dance troupe at the court of the then Maharaja of Travancore. While his uncle moved over to Chennai, Mr. Chellappan too moved along to start the Natya Nikethan, a centre for experimental dance forms.

He found his life partner, Bhavani Amma, there and they formed their own troupe. The Chellappan-Bhavani Amma duo, who first experimented with the `Kerala Natanam' school of dancing, later gave shape to a `desi' version of the ballet form where stories from the epics were depicted.

Mr. Chellappan's life was dedicated to the popularisation of this new dance form.

He choreographed more than 40 ballets and presented them at thousands of stages all over the country and abroad.

The Chellappan-Bhavani duo, on the directive from their Guru, settled in Kottayam in 1952 and set up the Bharatheeya Nritha Kalalayam, dedicated to the cause of classical dance. Mr. Chellappan was presented with an award by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi in 1978.

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