Classics on stage
VINU VASUDEVAN
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Mudrakhya's three-day Kathakali fete included theatre, dance recitals, concerts and lecture-demonstrations.
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TALES FROM THE EPICS: A scene from `Dakshayagam.'
'Mudrakhya,' a group of art lovers in Palakkad, conducted a three-day Kathakali festival recently.
The festival was organised in connection with a function to felicitate Kunjuettan, a patron of Kathakali, on his 60th birthday. The three-day festival included Koodiyattom, Mohiniyattom, musical programmes, and lecture-demonstrations on Kathakali.
T.M. Ganapathi, better known as `Kunjuettan,' a former engineer of Kerala State Electricity Board, started organising Kathakali events four decades ago.
Kathakali clubs
Exposed to Kathakali and various other art forms from an early age, he formed various Kathakali clubs in Palakkad to popularise the art form. Many present-day Kathakali performers made their debut through those clubs.
Around 100 artistes participated in the event and 12 stories were staged. The presence of veterans like Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, Gangadharan, K.G. Vasudevan and Naripatta Narayanan Nampoothiri made the event noteworthy. `Nalacharitham - Randaam Divasam' was the highlight of the festival, with young artistes such as Kalamandalam Balasubramanian, Ramachandran Unnithan, Krishnakumar and Kottakal Kesavan proving their calibre on stage.
`Dakshayagam' by Kottakal Nandhakumar and `Ambarisha Charitham' by Kolpuram Kesavan Nambuthiri were the other highlights.
Koodiyattom performance
A `Subhadradhananjayam Koodiyattam' presented by Kalamandalam Sivan Nambuthiri had him enacting the role of Dhananjaya with apt gestures and abhinaya. Kalamandalam Ramachakyar donned the role of the vidooshaka and enacted it with ιlan. Subhadra was portrayed by Kalamandalam Shylaja.
Vineetha Nedungadi, a disciple of Kalamandalam Kshemavathi, presented a piece from Tagore's Geethanjali in Mohiniyattam.
Two music programmes, a concert of Kathakali songs by Kottakal Madhu and a Carnatic concert by M.N. Pramod, were also organised.
The lecture demonstration had T.N. Vasudevan speaking on `Melam in Kathakali' and T.S. Madhavankutti speaking on `Padhinja Padams in Kathakali.' K.B. Rajanand delivered a lecture on Kalasams while C.P. Unnikrishnan gave a lecture on various costumes in Kathakali.
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