Kalamandalam Girija | |
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![]() Guru Kalamandalam Girija | |
Born | 1958 (age 64–65) |
Nationality | Indian |
Occupation | Kutiyattam-Nangyarkoothu artist |
Kalamandalam Girija is an Indian Kutiyattam dancer who is a recipient of Indian Government Award by Sangeet Natak Academy for the 2021https://indiaartreview.com/stories/kalamandalam-girija-koodiyattam-painkulam-rama-chakyar/https://indiaculture.gov.in/sites/default/files/events/Kutiyattam%20Card%2020072016.pdfhttps://www.thenewsminute.com/article/breaking-through-koodiyattams-caste-barriers-kalamandalam-girijas-revolutionary-journeyhttps://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2023/feb/doc2023223162001.pdf . She was trained by Natyakalasarvabhowman Guru Painkulam Rama Chakyar, who played a key role in the renaissance of this genre of Indian Sanskrit Theatre & Dance. [1] Girija was chosen by her Guru to be the first non-Nangiar student to learn Kutiyattam and she became the part of the history as the first Kutiyattam actress to perform the art outside the temple premises. She is an empanelled artist of the ICCR. [2]
Kalamandalam Girija was born (1958) in Kadavallur, Thrissur district, Kerala, [3] in a family who depended on temples for their livelihood. Girija's father Pakshiyil Narayanan Moosad was a Pathakam exponent and her mother Devaki Manayamma played Tiruvatirakkali. Girija was familiar with the stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata which helped her accept Kutiyattam. She joined the Kerala Kalamandalam in 1971, [4] and successfully completed her Diploma and Post Diploma in Kutiyattam within 6 years and had further training with a scholarship from Ministry of Culture, India. Apart from Painkulam Rama Chakyar she was also trained by Kunjipillakutty Nangiaramma, P. K. Narayanan Nambyar and Sanskrit scholar Unnikrishnan Ilayath. Even during her period of study she was the recipient of rewards like Dr. K. N. Pisharoti Award, and Margi Award.
Girija strengthened her name in Kutiyattam history in being the first artist to perform Nangiarkuttu outside the temples in 1984 at Kalamandalam. [1] She has since performed internationally, and in India her stages of performance include the Sangeet Natak Akademi and Indian Council for Cultural Relations. She has influenced many of her students all over the globe to come to Kalamandalam and learn Kutiyattam and Nangiarkuttu. Her knowledge of the intrinsic acting techniques of Kutiyattam acquired during her training times in Kalamandalam kalari along with great actors like Kalamandalam Shivan Nambootiri and Kalamandalam Rama Chakyar add to her uniqueness as the only female artist in the history of Kutiyattam who is well versed both male and female characters of the art.[ citation needed ]
In 2001, the Kerala Government awarded Girija the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award. [5] She received the Painkulam Rama Chakyar Smaraka Award in 2008, [6] Kerala Kalamandalam Award in 2009 and Kalasagar Award in 2012. She has choreographed Kutiyattam (plays like Venisamharam Act I - 2007, Balacharitam Act II- Bhagavathy Pravesham 2010, Naganandam Act IV- Parakkumkoothu- 2013, Veneesamharam 2015, Thapatheesamwaranam -Ozhukum Nangiar -2016 ), Swapanavasavadhatham- 2017 , Naishadhanandaham- 2019 as well as Nangiarkoothus (like Gandharivilapam- 2005, Karnolpathi -2007, Madhavi -2010, Kaikaseeyam 2013).
Girija has been working as Kutiyattam and Nangiarkuttu instructor at Kerala Kalamandalam since 1981 and now retired from official services in 2014 as the Head of the Department. She continues to be the "Guru" or main instructor of Mrunmaya Centre for Theatrical Research, with initiatives to disseminate the art of Koodiyattam and also serves as visiting faculty for various Indian and International Theatre departments. In 2016, she was re invited to Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University of Art, Kerala as the Visiting Faculty Head for Kutiyattam Department where her skills as a teacher and a director would be utilized to develop Post Graduation and Research Students.
Koodiyattam is a traditional performing art form in the state of Kerala, India. It is a combination of ancient Sanskrit theatre with elements of Koothu, an ancient performing art from the Sangam era. It is officially recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Koothambalam or Kuttampalam meaning temple theatre is a closed hall for staging Koothu, Nangiar koothu and Koodiyattam, the ancient ritualistic art forms of Kerala, India. Koothambalams are said to be constructed according to the guide lines given in the chapter 2 of Nātyasāstra of Bharata Muni. The stage within the hall is considered to be as sacred as the temple sanctum. It is constructed within the cloister of the Temple; more precisely within the pancaprakaras of the temple. The prescribe location is between the prakaras of bahyahara and maryada. In Kerala tradition it is considered as one among the pancaprasadas of a temple complex. Its dimension vary from temple to temple. A square platform with a separate pyramidal roof supported by pillars in the center called natyamandapam is constructed as s separate structure within the large hall of Koothampalam. The floor of the hall is divided into two equal halves and one part is for performance and other half for seating audience. During the performance, the stage is decorated with fruit-bearing plantains, bunches of coconuts and fronds of the coconut palm. A para filled with rice is placed on the stage. A nilavilakku with three thiri is used for lighting. The mizhavu, a percussion instrument for accompanying Koothu, is placed within a railed enclosure, with a high seat for the drummer( belonging to nampiar community).
A mizhav or mizhavu is a big copper drum played as an accompanying percussion instrument in the Koodiyattam and Koothu, performing arts of Kerala. It is played by the Ambalavasi Nambiar community. After 1965, when started a mizhavu repertory in kalamandalam mizhavu break the caste barrier and nowadays anyone can play mizhavu in koodiyattam, nangiar koothu, chakyar koothu, and mizhavu thayambaka.
Mani Damodara Chakyar is a Kutiyattam and Chakyar Koothu artist in Kerala state of south India. He is a nephew and disciple of legendary guru Nātyāchārya Vidūshakaratnam Padma Shri Māni Mādhava Chākyār. He belongs to the great Mani Chakyar tradition of Koodiyattam and Chakyar koothu.
Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar (15 February 1899 – 14 January 1990) 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.
Chakyar Koothu is a performance art from Kerala, India. It is primarily a type of highly refined monologue where the performer narrates episodes from Hindu epics and stories from the Puranas. Sometimes, however, it is also a traditional equivalent of the modern stand-up comedy act, incorporating commentary on current socio-political events.
Nātyakalpadrumam is a book written by Guru Māni Mādhava Chākyār, considered the greatest exponent of Koodiyattam and Abhinaya in Kerala, about all aspects of ancient Sanskrit drama theatre tradition of Kerala—Kutiyattam. It was first published in Malayalam (1975) by Kerala Kalamandalam, with financial assistance of Sangeet Natak Academi, New Delhi. This work serves as a reference to both scholars and students. The entire book is written in the old Sanskrit text style closely following Nātyaśāstra. The structure and content of the book alike illustrate the knowledge of the author in both Sanskrit and Nātyaśāstra. The work received the Kerala Sahitya Academy Award in the year 1975. A Hindi translation has been published by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.
Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair was a Kathakali dancer from Kerala in India.
Nangiar koothu or Nangyar Koothu is an allied traditional art of Kutiyattam, an age-old Sanskrit drama tradition of India. It is performed traditionally by the women of the Ambalavasi Nambiar community of Kerala, known as Nangyaramma, but since the second half of the 20th century it's no longer the case.
Ammannur Madhava Chakyar was a master of Kutiyattam, the classical Sanskrit theatrical form indigenous to Kerala. He is best known for taking the performances from the temple sanctuaries where they were formerly confined and making them public events.
Sadanam Krishnankutty is a performer of Kathakali, a classical dance-drama form of Kerala, South India. A recipient of Kerala State Kathakali award and Kalamandalam fellowship, he has donned a wide range of characters in his acts. He received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award in 2002, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2007, Honorary D.litt from Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University, Thirur, Kerala in 2021 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 2021.
Paanivadathilakan P. K. Narayanan Nambiar is an Indian musician, known for his virtuosity in Mizhavu, a traditional percussion instrument and his scholarship in the art of Koodiyattom. He is considered to be one of the masters of Koodiyattom. In 2008, he was awarded Padmashri by Government of India for his services to the art.
Kalamandalam Sivan Namboodiri is an Indian classical theatre performer, the first person from outside chakyar community to practice Koodiyattam, from Kerala. He was awarded the Padma Shri, in 2012, for his contributions to the art of Koodiyattam, by the Government of India.
Margi Sathi was an exponent of Nangiǎr Kūthu which is a form of performing art derived from Koodiyattam and which is traditionally performed by the female members of the Chakkyar community of Kerala. She was also an accomplished expert in enacting the female characters in Koodiyattam. She has performed extensively within India and abroad. A notable performance was at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris in October 2001 as part of a programme to mark UNESCO's proclamation of Kutiyattam as a "masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage of humanity". Sathi had written the attaprakaram for several Nangiǎr Kūthu performance. The attaprakaram for Sreeramacharitham has been published as a book in 1999. She has also appeared in a few Malayalam movies.
Kalamandalam Rama Chakyar is a Koodiyattam artist from Kerala, India.
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Kalamandalam Sugandhi is a Mohiniyattam dancer, choreographer and dance teacher from Kerala, India. She received several awards including Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship, Kerala Konkani Sahitya Academy Award and Kerala Kalamandalam Award.
V. K. Hymavathy popularly known as Kalamandalam Hymavathy is a Mohiniyattam dancer and dance teacher from Kerala, India. She received several awards including Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Gurupooja Award and Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award.
Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award is an award given by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, an autonomous organisation for the encouragement, preservation, and documentation of the performing arts of Kerala, set up by the Department of Cultural Affairs of the Government of Kerala. Instituted in 1962, the awards are given in the categories of music, dance, theatre, other traditional arts, and for contribution/scholarship in performing arts. The award consists of Rs. 30,000, a citation and a plaque. The recipients of the award are also conferred the title Kalasree.
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