Rare celestial drama
BHAWANI CHEERATH
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The staging of `Parvathi Swayamvaram,' written by Kuttykunhu Thankachi, was a historic feat for many reasons.
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Photo: S. Gopakumar
`PARVATHI SWAYAMVARAM:' A scene from the play.
Attakatha in Malayalam literature is like a treasure chest, tucked away in the attic. It is not everyday that one dips into it to retrieve a rare gem. Ettumanoor P. Kannan did just that when he staged `Parvathi Swayamvaram' by Kuttykunhu Thankachi. The performance manual acquires a place of honour as one authored by a woman, who was the daughter of poet Iriyamman Thampi.
When the celestial couple appeared before the audience at Vyloppilly Samskriti Bhavan it was the culmination of a two-and-a-half-hour-long visual fare.
Excellent portrayal
As a prelude to the evening's performance was the purvarangam where the meditative Sivan (Ettumanoor P. Kannan) is disturbed by Kamadevan only to be incinerated by the omnipotent god. As a performer Kannan exploits to the hilt the potential provided in essaying the character of Sivan (`Pazhippu vesham' yellow) and his various moods.
In the beginning, it is as a Paramasivan who cannot suppress his rage and then the transformation into one who tries to test the intensity of Parvati's love for him, to the mellowed character who restores to Rati (Kalandalam Vijayakumar) her Kamadevan. The highlights were the imposing presence of the all-powerful god and emoting with telling effect the various phases in an individual's character. Kannan explains that in using this attakatha he had identified certain highpoints in the play and used dramatisation techniques of Kathakali to make it effective.
Parvati (Margi Vijayakumar) is determined to communicate her feelings for the Lord and her exemplary expressions take us through the many moods of a woman's longing for her beloved. The efforts of Sivan, in the garb of a Brahmin, who tries to dissuade her from growing closer to Sivan fail and the god reveals himself. While he appears as the Brahmin, Sivan has to project a detached face while he nurses tender feelings towards Parvati. The transformation from the Brahmin to Paramasivan was finely etched by Kannan.
When the Saptarishi(Kalabharathi Harikumar) conveys to Himavan (FACT Mohanan), his daughter's good fortune, he is elated and the elation comes through in the meeting with Sivan.
Visual appeal
The celestial couple on stage with Himavan and Satarishi resembled a painting. The visual appeal of the scene was a fitting finale for the rarely witnessed Kathakali performance of `Parvati Swayamvaram.'
"The very fact that Parvati Swayamvaram' was written by the only woman to have written attakathas, makes it very special. Further with appropriate alterations to suit the present dramatisation methods, I realised that the play had the potential to shape into an excellent performance piece," explains Kannan. Author of two other attakathas, `Mitrasahamoksham' and `Sreematiswayamwaram,' Kuttykunju Thankachi's play under review displays strong similarities with `Dakshayagam' written by her father, Iriyamman Thampi.
`Parvati Swayamvaram' acquires a significance in the present context because it is not known to have been staged in the last century. Although the capital city had many kaliyogams in the nineteenth century and this play would have been part of the repertoire, Kannan says, "We have often relied on the tried and tested plays like `Nalacharitham.' A retelling of sorts has been under taken here when I have brought the Swayamwaram to the end and began with the Sivan-Kamadevan scene."
Unearthing a rare attakatha and making it fit for presentation is not an easy task and the contribution of Panthiyoor Sankarakutty, both in composing the music and his vocal support made this a commendable exercise. On the chenda was Kalamdalam Thampi, on the maddalam was Margi Retnakaran with Kalamandalam Sudheesh rendering vocal support.
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