Icon in percussion
V. KALADHARAN
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Appukutty Poduwal's unmatched artistry has made him a legend on Kathakali stages.
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MASTER OF RHYTHM: Appukutty Poduwal has trained many outstanding artistes.
The maddalam, the heaviest yet one of the most melodious percussion instruments in Kerala, established its pre-eminence in Panchavadyam and Kathakali music in the early decades of the 20th century under the stewardship of Thiruvilwamala Venkichan Swamy.
Swamy, the versatile genius, taught Krishnankutty Poduwal and Appukutty Poduwal the chenda and the maddalam respectively. Both were students of Kerala Kalamandalam. Both his disciples became path-breakers in their respective fields.
With the demise of Krishnankutty Poduwal more than a decade ago, Appukutty Poduwal lost his counter-weight. Yet, he continued to be active in the field till recently. By conferring on the aged and ailing Acharya the Pallavoor Appu Marar Award, the State Government has honoured the last link of a priceless heritage.
Born and brought up at Thiruvilwamala, classical arts were a passion for Appukutty Poduwal. His neighbour Venkichan Swamy had an uncanny ability to spot talent and soon Poduwal caught the attention of Swamy.
Vivid recollections
Appukutty Poduwal has vivid recollections of his tutelage under Swamy.
"Relentless was the training in those days. For each error during the saadhakam (practice), the punishment was severe. For Swamy, there was no shortcut to learning. He enforced that discipline even at Kalamandalam."
The tough training bore fruit when he, along with Krishnankutty Poduwal, began hypnotising the audience with their combined performance. Both were appointed instructors in the Faculty of Instrumental Music at Kalamandalam. It was a natural progression for the duo and they never faltered. When it comes to stage performance, what is that distinguishes Poduwal from his peers and successors?
His most distinctive qualities are tonal depth, the emphatic beats on the Valamthala and the Itanthala and an enviable harmonisation of his playing with the strokes of the chenda. The chappus and nakarams emanating from the maddalam of Poduwal sometimes flow above the high-sounding notes of the chenda. On the Kathakali stage, Poduwal's performance is both complementary and competitive in its interactions with the conventionally dominant chenda.
In a play like `Ravanodbhavam,' especially in the scene of `tapassaattam' in Triputa tala, Appukutty Poduwal outwits all his colleagues. He is in command of each tempo and its transitions. By weaving complex textures on the maddalam, Poduwal often intimidates artistes who flounder in rhythm in the dance segments of the key female roles like Lalitha in `Kirmeeravadhom.'
Reacting to the accusation that he does it deliberately to offend the artists, Poduwal says with a guffaw, "I don't nurture any such intentions of insulting any artiste. I play as per the dictates of the visual grammar of Kathakali. The percussionist has no obligation to correct the rhythmic inaccuracy of an artiste. If he is incompetent, there is no reason why he should not be exposed."
Unlike many of his colleagues, Poduwal hates being politically correct in his appraisal of co-artistes.
Awards and honours
There has been no dearth of awards and honours for this maestro. A quarter century ago, Appukutty Poduwal received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award and the Kerala Kalamandalam Award. He was the first maddalam artiste in Kathakali to win the central Sangeet Natak Akademy Award a couple of years back. Kalamandalam Fellowship came his way in the 1990's. Apart from these official recognitions, the public has honoured him several times for passing on his legacy from generation to generation through a host of outstanding disciples.
Cherpalacherry Sivan, an expert in maddalam, sums up the worth of Appukutty Poduwal: "The fusion he has created on the Kathakali stage with the chenda is without parallels in its history. He will ever remain an icon not only for us but for generations to come."
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