Kerala - Kozhikode   

Student body to promote art forms

— Photo: K. Ragesh

For arts’ sake: Painkulam Damodara Chakayar performing Chakyarkoothu at the inaugural function of the Forum for Promotion of Classical Arts at the NIT-C in Kozhikode on Monday.

KOZHIKODE: The activities of the Forum for Promotion of Classical Arts launched by students of National Institute of Technology Calicut (NIT-C) got off to a colourful start on Monday with a gripping Chakyarkoothu performance by Painkulam Damodara Chakyar.

The performance by Damodara Chakyar, nephew and disciple of the legendary Padma Sri Mani Madhava Chakyar, was a first for a majority of the students; and as a student leader pointed out, it would probably be the last for those among the audience from distant places.

It was pointed out at the inaugural session by K. Saseendran, staff adviser at NIT-C, that Chakyarkoothu performances were so rare even in Kerala that only the lucky few got a chance to watch it even once in their lifetime.

At the inaugural function, the students’ initiative to stage a Chakyarkoothu performance was applauded since the support of the young generation was necessary to keep Chakyarkoothu and other classical art forms alive. It was pointed out that Chakyarkoothu, which was initially a temple art, was brought closer to the common people by great artistes like Mani Madhava Chakyar. The students were reminded that their patronage in the years to come was necessary to keep the torch of culture burning brightly.

Damodara Chakyar is one among the top-rated performers of the art form. He is the recipient of many prizes from different temples and cultural organisations. Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi honoured him with its awards for his contributions to Chakyarkoothu and Koodiyattam in 2000. He also received the Kerala Kalamandalam V.S. Sharma Endowment Award for the year 2007.

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