Rebel with a cause
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Paimkulam Rama Chakyar was the maverick who freed Koodiyattom from the shackles of orthodoxy and redefined it for the world at large. V. Kaladharan
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Ace choreographer: Paimkulam Rama Chakyar.
Of the traditional temple arts of Kerala, Koothu and Koodiyattom alone were wedded to orthodoxy for centuries. Congenitally linked to the Chakyars and the Nambiars, Koodiyattom, which was confined to the Koothambalams of major Hindu temples in Keral
a, remained proscribed to the public till the mid-20th century. Confined by rituals, even a learned rasika had to strain for hours to have a glance at the theatre content of plays such as ‘Subhadradhananjayam’ and &#
8216;Thoranayudhom.’
The first Chakyar to rise in rebellion against this and other aspects of social exclusion associated with Koodiyattom was Paimkulam Rama Chakyar. The 27th death anniversary of this maverick falls on July 31.
As a member of the illustrious Koyappa family of Paimkulam village in Thrissur, Rama Chakyar had his training in Koodiyattom under several stalwarts, including Ammannoor Chachu Chakyar. He soon shot to fame by donning different roles, especially as Vidooshaka in ‘Subhadradhananjayam’ and ‘Naganandam.’ Articulate and witty, Rama Chakyar was endowed with incredible social sensitivity. He excelled in prabandhakoothu, the most popular genre in the art of Chakyarkoothu.
Rama Chakyar had an urge to explore his horizons. He realized that Koothu and Koodiyattom would end up as museum pieces if it were confined to the traditional natyagriha.
Chakyar dared perform Chakyarkoothu as part of a marriage ceremony at Kottarakkara in the 1950’s. The conservatives among the Chakyars, Nambiars and Namboodiris were shocked. They saw it as an act of derision against a sacred heritage. They censured him publicly and decided to single him out for offending the community and its prestigious performing art. Chakyar was unmindful of the consequences of his “audacity.” His, by then, widely known mission was to secularise the ritual-obsessed performance traditions.
Consummate guru
Following protracted deliberations, Kalamandalam decided to add Koodiyattom to its curriculum in 1965. The authorities unanimously felt that Rama Chakyar was the apt guru to head the faculty. Since then, students from non-Chakyar and non-Nambiar families could become students of Koodiyattom and its percussion, mizhavu, if they possessed adequate interest and talent.
Thanks to the foresight of Chakyar, Kalamandalam produced talented artists in the field such as Sivan Namboodiri, Cheriya Rama Chakyar, Girija Devi, Sylaja, Eswaranunni and so on.
Although Koothambalams were not open to most of these artistes on account of a section of orthodox believers, Rama Chakyar and the Kalamandalam found numerous platforms to present Koothu and Koodiyattom.
System of training
Rama Chakyar, assisted by the mizhavu maestro P.K. Narayanan Nambiar, rationalised the system of Koodiyattom training. He prepared a syllabus for the six-year diploma and two-year post-diploma course with strict time schedules.
The cholliyattam of Koodiyattom was developed into a scientific synchronisation of acting, dancing and instrumental music. Kathakali was a definite source of inspiration for Chakyar in the revamping of the practical training in Koodiyattom.
Chakyar had a holistic vision regarding the ‘modernisation’ of Koodiyattom. He began his innovations right from make-up and costumes of the characters, male and female. He replaced the ‘murikkuppayam’ of the male roles with the ‘muzhukkuppayam.’ Ornaments such as earring, headgear and bangles were improved upon. Manayola began to be used for the facial make-up of the female roles. By and large, he gave a facelift to the aharya of Koodiyattom.
The conventional mudra for Vishnu was replaced by that of Krishna holding the flute as and when the context called for the same.
Rama Chakyar did the stage choreography of ‘Sakuntalam,’ Act I, ‘Naganandam,’ Act II & III, ‘Kalyanasaugandhikam’ and the farce, ‘Bhagavadajjukam.’ He dexterously abridged the last one and it has been an integral part of the Koodiyattam repertoire of Kalamandalam. Characters such as Thara (‘Baalivadhom’) and Sita (‘Soorpanakhankam’) came on stage for the first time, thanks to Rama Chakyar.
He wrote a number of bhashaslokams for Subhadra (‘Dhananjayam’) the Lalithas and the Vidooshakas. His prathislokams, which parallel those in Sanskrit rendered by Nayakas, are both poetic and humorous.
Chakyar led the Koodiyattom troupe of Kalamandalam that toured Europe in the late 1970’s. But for him, the finer aesthetics of this ancient Sanskrit theatre would not have been known to the outside world for many more years.
Did Rama Chakyar dilute the identity of Koodiyattom through his constant interventions in its techniques and stage presentations? How can we define the identity of a traditional art? What are its paradigms? These are all complex questions to which there are no simple answers. Interestingly, a couple of years after the death of Rama Chakyar, those who had come down on him unabashedly embraced the reformations the acharya had brought into the art form. Had Rama Chakyar been alive, he would have had the last laugh.
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