Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar was a celebrated master performance artist and Sanskrit scholar from Kerala, India, considered to be the greatest Chakyar Koothu and Koodiyattam artist and authority of modern times. He was considered as the authority of Abhinaya and Nātyaśāstra.
Manoj Kuroor is a Malayalam poet and lyricist.
Kottakkal Sivaraman was a performing artiste who revolutionised the portrayal of female roles in Kathakali, the classical dance-drama from Kerala in southern India.
Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair was a performer of Kathakali, who practiced the Kerala art form for more than seven decades.
Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon (1880-1948) was a pivotal figure in the history of Kathakali, having played a crucial role in remoulding and refining its grammar in the famed Kalluvazhi tradition of the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India. He was trained in the art form at a culture-patronising Namboodiri mansion in Vellinezhi near his home, even as his genius ensured that Menon later redrew the aesthetics of Kathakali and its future profile altogether.
Mayilpeeli Thookkam also called Arjuna Nritham is a ritual art of Kerala performed by men of vilkurupp and ezhava mainly and is prevalent in the Bhagavathy temples of south Kerala, mainly in [Kottayam, Alappuzha districts. In the epic Mahabharatha, Arjuna was the most valiant of the five heroic brothers, the Pandavas, and was also a renowned singer and dancer and is said to have propitiated goddess Bhadrakali by a devotional presentation.
K. N. Jagannatha Varma was an actor in Malayalam film and Television serial. He was also an accomplished Kathakali artist. His son Manu Varma also a recognized artist and his son-in-law Viji Thampi is a well-known film director. He acted in a number of Malayalam movies performing stereotypical roles of a senior police officer, judge or a priest. Some of his noted roles were in movies New Delhi, Lelam and Pathram.
Kottayam (Cotiote) is a former Hindu vassal feudal city-state in the erstwhile province of Malabar in present-day Kerala, in the Indian subcontinent. Kottayam (Cotiote) is famed for Pazhassi Raja, one of principal leaders of Wynaad Insurrection.
Ramanattam is a temple art in Kerala, India. The dance drama presents the story of Rama in a series of eight plays and was created under the patronage of Veera Kerala Varma alias Kottarakkara Thampuran. Ramanattom is based on a story from the epic Ramayana, covering the incarnation of Rama to the Rama-Ravana War, Ravana's defeat and Rama's crowning at Ayodhya. The story was written by Kottarakkara Thampuran and is divided into eight poetic sections so that each section can be enacted in one day. These eight sections are puthrakameshti, seetha swayamvaram, vicchinnabhishekam, kharavadham, balivadham, thoranayudham, sethubandhanam and yudham (war). Ramanattam is widely believed to be the immediate stem of the well known classical art form of Kerala, Kathakali.
Kodungallur Kovilakam, refers to palace of royal family of the late medieval Kingdom of Kodungallur (Cranganore), in the modern-day Kerala state, India. Kodungallur was a feudal principality subordinate to the rulers of the Kingdom of Cochin since the later half of the eighteenth century until the time of Indian independence. Kingdom of Kodungallur was under the protection of the Dutch after 1707 for a few years before returning to its allegiance to the Zamorin. Kodungallur Royal Family had two branches at Chirakkal Kovilakam and at Puthen Kovilakam.
Ravi Varma Kunjikkuttan Thampuran was a Malayalam film actor, Kathakali artist and writer.
Kirmeeravadham is a Kathakali play(Aattakatha) written by Kottayam Thampuran in Malayalam. Based on the Mahabharatha, the story concerns itself with events in the course of the forest exile of the Pandava princes. The play has fourteen scenes. The four plays of Kottayam Thampuran, namely, Kirmeeravadham, Bakavadham, Kalyanasaugandhikam, and Kalakeyavadham, are considered very important in the Kathakali repertoire and are a combination of conventional structure (chitta) with intermittent possibilities for improvisation (manodharma).
Seethaswayamvaram is a Kathakali play (Aattakatha) authored by Kottarakara Thampuran in Malayalam. Based on the Ramayana, it narrates the events surrounding the marriage of Rama and Seetha, and their being accosted by the sage Parasurama. The play was revived and the costume of Parasurama was redesigned by the famed Kathakali actor Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair.
Thoranayudham is a Kathakali play (Aattakatha) authored by Kottarakara Thampuran in Malayalam. Based on the Ramayana, it narrates the events surrounding Hanuman's journey to Lanka in order to locate Seetha and convey to her the message from Rama.
Subhadraharanam is a Kathakali play (Aattakatha) authored by Manthredathu Nambudiripad in Malayalam. Based on the Mahabharata, it narrates the episodes surrounding Subhadra's elopement and marriage with the Pandava prince Arjuna with the help of her brother Krishna in the absence of their older brother Balarama.
Uttaraswayamvaram is a Kathakali play (Aattakatha) authored by Irayimman Thampi in Malayalam. Based on the Mahabharatha, it narrates an episode from the thirteenth year of exile of the Pandava princes, during which they stay in disguise at the palace of the King of Virata. The story narrates the attempt by Thrigartha, a vassal of the Kauravas, to abduct cows from Virata's kingdom. The Pandavas step in to foil the efforts of the Kauravas, and in the process, their true identity is revealed. The play culminates in the marriage of the Princess Uttara of Virata to Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna.
Kalyanasaugandhikam is a Kathakali play(Aattakatha) written by Kottayam Thampuran in Malayalam.Based on the Mahabharatha, the play narrates an episode from their life in exile. Bheema goes in search of the flower named Kalyanasaugandhikam to please his wife Panchali, which leads him to cross paths with his brother Hanuman, the fabled monkey from the Ramayana. The four plays of Kottayam Thampuran, namely, Kirmeeravadham, Bakavadham, Kalyanasaugandhikam and Kalakeyavadham, are considered very important in the Kathakali repertoire and are a combination of conventional structure('chitta') with intermittent possibilities for improvisation('manodharma').
Bakavadham is a Kathakali play(Aattakatha) written by Kottayam Thampuran in Malayalam.Based on the Mahabharatha, the play narrates the events surrounding the escape of the Pandavas from the house of Lac which was built by the Kauravas as a trap. They escape to a forest where Bhima meets and marries Hidumbi. Following this, the Pandavas move to a village named Ekachakra, where they live in disguise. While in Ekachakra, Bhima slays Baka, a demon who has been terrorizing the countryside. The four plays of Kottayam Thampuran, namely, Kirmeeravadham, Bakavadham, Kalyanasaugandhikam and Kalakeyavadham, are considered very important in the Kathakali repertoire and are a combination of conventional structure('chitta') with intermittent possibilities for improvisation('manodharma').
