From ritual to the contemporary
MEENA MENON
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"Sikhi" is dedicated to the traditional performers of Nangiar Koothu who laid the foundation for present trends.
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Feminist perspectives: Usha Nangiar teaches another generation.
IN a soft golden light, Usha Nangiar initiates her daughter into one of the oldest art forms in the world. Dressed in the traditional white mundu, her eyes focused on her wrists crossed over each other, Usha is a picture of concentration. Over the years, she has come to symbolise innovation in female roles in Koodiyattam, an 1800-year-old Sanskrit theatre form in Kerala.
Traditionally performed in a koothambalam (a temple theatre), Koodiyattam and its offshoot, Nangiar Koothu, had a restricted audience. "Usha broke out of tradition to focus on the neglected female identity," says K. Ramachandran, whose film "Sikhi" is based on Nangiar Koothu, a dance-drama performed by women of the Nambiar community.
Ancient art
Nangiar Koothu has a 1200-year-old history and is probably the oldest women's theatre in existence. In 1956, Paimkulam Rama Chakyar took Koodiyattam out of the temple into the public domain. His student, Kalamandalam Girija, who is not from the Nangiar community, created history by performing the ancient art outside the temple. Koodiyattam and Nangiar Koothu got a fillip with the Gurukulam set up by Ammanur Madhava Chakyar and others in 1982 at Irinjalakuda.
"Sikhi" (the fire) is dedicated to the traditional performers of Nangiar Koothu who laid the foundation for present trends in the theatre. The film also focuses on the women who have come out of the traditional domain of temple performances and made an attempt to infuse a more feminist perspective into the ritual art form. Nangiar Koothu is a solo performance where the artist takes on one or more characters on stage.
In the film, apart from Usha, a disciple of the celebrated Ammanur Madhava Chakyar, there are women like 67-year-old Sarojini Nangiaramma who belong to the old school of Nangiar Koothu and who believe that it is sacrilegious to perform outside the temple. She started performing at the age of seven and is still caught up in the old system. But, as the film reveals, she too is not averse to change.
Through women's eyes
The 40-minute documentary, produced by artist Bose Krishnamachari, takes you through the history of Nangiar Koothu as seen through the eyes of the women performing it now. "Sikhi" is Ramachandran's second documentary and is his way of focusing on his passion for classical arts. "There is a tendency tomarginalise the female character in Koodiyattam. The history of women performers is not so well recorded, even though there are references to women," he points out.
Sarojini Nangiaramma making a headdress.
Usha Nangiar, who comes from the performing community, started to question tradition. She not only dug out old production manuals and texts but also composed shlokas with the help of Sanskrit scholars. Her research took her deep into palmleaf territory where she found that the role of Mandodari, Ravana's wife, was performed long ago. There was evidence that the woman who played the part was paid for it as well. Usha then revived Mandodari and other female characters like Draupadi and Kartyayini. The character of Kartyayini is costumed like a man and allowed to speak Sanskrit while most female performers were allowed to speak only in Prakrit. Usha also performed the characters of Mandodari, Draupadi and Kartyayini for the first time in living memory, breaking traditional constraints.
Inspirations
Ramachandran says that usually Nangiar Koothu is performed in the temple theatre in feeble light with few people watching it. "I was inspired by Girija and her work as well as Usha when I made the film." As much as he was inspired by their innovation, Ramachandran could not ignore performers like Sarojini Nangiaramma who is upset that the old art form is not sufficiently respected. Her honest opinions come out strongly in the film.
Margi Sathi.
While all the stories narrated in Nangiar Koothu are based on the epics, Margi Sathi, another exponent, wrote her own composition on Rama called "Sri Rama Charitam Nangiar Koothu". "It is a story of Sri Rama from Sita's view point," explains Ramachandran. In 2004, she wrote and performed "Kannaki Charitam", based on the Tamil epic.
Innovation has taken Nangiar Koothu out of the constraints of a ritual in temples and brought it into the realm of contemporary theatre. Nangiar Koothu is gaining popularity as an art form. For instance, Usha has performed at the Prithvi theatre in Mumbai; Margi Sathi and others give performances to much acclaim and young exponents like Kapila, who travel widely and are exposed to so many art forms, also give the art great hope.
Nangiar Koothu is recognised by UNESCO as one of the masterpieces of oral and intangible heritage of humanity. For Ramachandran, founder-secretary of Keli, a Mumbai-based organisation devoted to classical and traditional arts, film is an important medium to spread them. His first film "Kaalam" — based on Pallavur Appu Marar, a versatile percussionist — was made from his own money. It was only later that a public sector company sponsored him. "That sponsorship saved my soul," says Ramachandran. "Kaalam" has been shown at two festivals but Ramachandran feels that there is very little space for films on the classical arts at festivals. A separate space is needed for them, he says.
For the last 15 years, Keli in association with Prithvi Theatre has brought many forms of classical arts, including huge percussion troupes from Kerala, to Mumbai. Now Ramachandran is working on a film on M.D. Ramanathan, a Carnatic vocalist who did not get the recognition he deserved.
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