Myriad moods of Lalithas
HARIPRIYA NAMBUDIRI
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Drisyavedi's 22nd Natyotsavam showcased Lalithas in Kathakali.
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MULTIFACETED: Drisyavedi's six-day fete highlighted the features that make each character of Lalitha unique in Kathakali.
Drisyavedi's 22nd Natyotsavam
showcased women
characters - Lalithas in
Kathakali (Lalithaveshangal
in Kathakali). The programme
began with the
staging of select scenes
from `Kharavadham.' A
rarely staged attakatha,
`Kharavadham' was choreographed
and performed by
Margi.
Margi Murali donned the
role of Soorpanekha and
Margi Vijayakumar enacted
Lalitha. Soorpanekha, who
is in search of a husband,
spots Rama and is infatuated
by him. However he
spurns her advances and so
does Lakshmana. Although
the attakatha extends to
Khara and his brothers' battle
with Rama, only select
scenes were enacted that
evening. The play ended
with Lakshmana mutilating
Soorpanekha.
`Bakavadham' by Kottayathu
Thampuran is one
of the first attakathas to give
a female character a challenging
role. The Lalitha in
this story is the only female
character to have an iratti in
thala adantha (56 beats) in
the padam `Marasadrusha
manjulakruthe.' The entire
sequence is slow-paced and
filled with opportunity for
detailed mukhabhinaya.
Grace and competence
Kalamandalam Shanmughan
played Lalitha with
grace and competence. Kalamandalam
Balasubramanyan
complemented him as
Bhima and the duo succeeded
in creating a memorable
experience for the viewers.
Margi Murali essayed Hidumban
and Margi Ravindran
Pillai appeared as
Vyasan. Kalamandalam Rajeev
played Ghatotkacha.
Urvashi in the story `Nivathakavachakalakeya
vadhom'
is another of
Kottayathu Thampuran's
creations, which demands
technical perfection from
an actor. Choreography of
the padam `Pandavante
roopam' puts to test the
skills of an artiste.
Set to thala chembada
(32 beats) and composed
in raga Sankarabharanam,
the padam describes Arjuna's
looks and Urvashi's
longing for him. The verse
`Thondipavizha miva mandumadharamathu'
has a
nritha as an integral part
of the act. The padam
`Smarasayaka doonam' is
an example of the stylised
acting in Kathakali.
Margi Vijayakumar excelled
as Urvashi. Sadanam
Krishnankutty breathed
life into the latter part of
the story where Arjuna
kills the demons Nivathakavacha
and Kalakeya.
Lalitha in Kottayathu
Thampuran's `Kirmeeravadham'
is a character of
his own creation as there
is no such character in the
Mahabharata. This Lalitha
is hard to play considering
the complexity in terms of
its choreography as well as
the diversity the character
offers in terms of
abhinaya.
Kalamandalam Rajasekharan
breathed life into
this Lalitha in the Thekkan
chitta style of Kathakali.
Panchali was played
by Rajasekharan's son, Kalamandalam
Vysakh. Margi
Suresh donned the role of
Simhika and Kalamandalam
Ratheesan, the role of
Kirmeeran.
`Narakasuravadhom's
Lalitha has a special place
in Kathakali because of its
structural framework and
precision. The sequence of
ragalapana and the graceful
movements and abhinaya
and the sari dance
in raga Varali followed by
the padam in Neelambari
creates a stir in the hearts
of art lovers. Kathakali has
used its full potential in
the choreography of this
Lalitha.
That Kalamandalam
Shanmughan who did this
role had not done his
homework thoroughly was
clear from his recital. Kalamandalam
Krishnakumar
donned the role of Narakasura.
Well interpreted
Poothanamoksham Lalitha
is way different from
the other Lalithas. This is
more descriptive in nature
and has scope for pakarnattom
- a not so
common phenomenon in
Kathakali. Nelliyodu Vasudevan
Namboodiri enacted
Kari. His interpretation of
the character was different.
Kalamandalam Vijayan's
expressive face did
justice to the character.
Injakkadu Ramachandran
Pillai and Mathoor Govindan
Kutty, enacted Kamsa
and Narada respectively.
The six-day-long event
helped connoisseurs understand
the subtleties involved
in all the Lalithas
and the differences that
make each one unique in
its own way.
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