Kalamandalam Rajan

Last updated

Kalamandalam Rajan
Born1931
Died14 June 2012(2012-06-14) (aged 81)
NationalityIndian
OccupationKathakali exponent
SpouseSulochana
Children1
Parent(s)Sreedhara Panikar, Kochukuttiamma
Awards Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kerala Kalamandalam award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Gurupooja award

Kalamandalam Rajan was a Kathakali exponent from Kerala, India. He has received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2009, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Gurupooja award 2006.

Contents

Biography

Kalamandalam Rajan was born in 1931 at Ezhikkara, North Paravur in Ernakulam district of Kerala to Sreedhara Panikar of Nellipuzha house in Aroor and Kochukuttyamma of Ezhikkara Kadakkara Erappath house. [1] [2] After school, he studied and paracticed dance. During this period, he saw Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair Ashan performing Poothanamoksham Kathakali. [2] Seeing that performance, Rajan decided to learn Kathakali. [2] He joined Kerala Kalamandalam in 1955 and studied kathakali under noted kathakali artists like Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair, Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair and Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair. [3] [1] in 1965 he joined Tripunithura RLV college as an assistant dance master in kathakali and retired from there as head of the Fine Arts Section. [3] In 1985 he was re-appointed as visiting Professor in the same institution. [4]

In Kathakali Rajan was expert in pacha, kathi and minukku roles. [3] His performances as Bahuka, Nala and Dharmaputra have been critically acclaimed. [4] He had performed in many stages India and abroad with Margi Kathakali Vidyalayam, Thiruvananthapuram, and was part of the Kathakali Festival conducted by Sangeet Natak Akademi in New Delhi in 1993. [3]

He died on 14 June 2012, at the age of 81 at his house in Thrippunithura, Ernakulam district. [3]

Family

He and his wife Sulochana had one daughter. [3]

Awards and honors

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kottakkal Sivaraman</span> Kathakali dancer

Kottakkal Sivaraman was a performing artiste who revolutionised the portrayal of female roles in Kathakali, the classical dance-drama from Kerala in southern India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalamandalam Gopi</span> Indian dancer

Vadakke Manalath Govindan Nair popularly known as Kalamandalam Gopi, is an Indian dancer who is an exponent of the classical dance-drama style known as Kathakali.

Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair was a Kathakali dancer from Kerala in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramankutty Nair</span> Indian classical dancer (1925–2013)

Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair was a performer of Kathakali, who practiced the Kerala art form for more than seven decades.

Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair (1916–2007) was a Kathakali artist from Kerala, India. Endowed and equipped with a life profile that also showed him to several traditional Indian performing arts other than Kathakali, his stage presentation infused a fresh breath into the four-century-old art form, thanks also to his broad and deep view about the Puranas that spurred from a constant pursuit of knowledge through reading books and engaging in talks with scholars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma</span> Indian Mohiniyattam dancer (1915–1999)

Kalamandalam Kallyanikutty Amma was an epoch-making Mohiniyattam danseuse from Kerala in southern India. A native of Thirunavaya in Malappuram district of the state, she was instrumental in resurrecting Mohiniyattam from a dismal, near-extinct state into a mainstream Indian classical dance, rendering it formal structure and ornamentation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Padmanabhan Nair</span>

Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair (1928–2007) was an eminent Kathakali exponent, equally known for his capacities as a tutor, theoretician and author of a few authentic texts on the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India. A son of the Kathakali guru Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon, Padmanabhan Nair was one of the early-batch students in Kerala Kalamandalam, where he subsequently joined as a teacher and retired as its principal in 1990. He died on 3 April 2007, at his home in Shoranur, near his alma mater, where he led his post-professorial life with wife and Mohiniyattam exponent and guru, Kalamandalam Satyabhama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vasu Pisharody</span> Indian Kathakali actor (1943–2022)

Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody was an Indian Kathakali actor known for his classical dance-drama of Kerala. A frontline disciple of Padma Shri Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, he exceled in virtuous pachcha, anti-hero Kathi and the semi-realistic minukku roles alike. Nalan, Bahukan, Arjunan, Bhiman, Dharmaputrar, Rugmangadan, Narakaasuran, Ravanan, Parashuraman and Brahmanan were his masterpieces. Vasu Pisharody performed Kathakali all over India and visited foreign countries about 20 times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sadanam Krishnankutty</span> Indian Kathakali performer

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 played 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.

Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval (1924-1992) was a self-taught maestro of Kathakali percussion who excelled in the art of chenda playing by redefining its aesthetics as an audio accompaniment for the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India.

Kalamandalam Appukutty Poduval (1924–2008) was a maddalam maestro who rose to prominence by his aesthetically pleasing taps on the instrument—a vital percussion accompaniment for Kathakali, the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India. A disciple of the legendary Venkichan Swami, he, along with chenda exponent, Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval, ushered in a new spring in the acoustics of their performing art.

Mathoor Govindan Kutty was an Indian Kathakali artist from the state of Kerala. In a career spanning over six decades, he specialized in Kathakali Stri Vesham, the portrayal of female characters on stage. He was the recipient of the 2011 Kerala State Award for the best Kathakali artist, 2010 Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award and the 2005 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for contributions to the Kathakali art form.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramachandran Unnithan</span> Indian Kathakali exponent

Kalamandalam Ramachandran Unnithan is a Kathakali exponent from Kerala, India. He received several awards including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2016. His biography titled Kachaiyum Mizhukkum was published in 2015.

Tonnakkal Peethambaran is a Kathakali exponent from Kerala, India. He has been honored with several noted awards including the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award 2003, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2011 and Kerala State Kathakali Award 2014.

Champakulam Pachu Pillai is a Kathakali exponent from Kerala, India. He was a specialist in the thadi or bearded roles in kathakali. He has been honored with several noted awards including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 1983, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award 1969 and Kerala Kalamandalam Award 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madambi Subramanian Namboodiri</span> Indian Kathakali exponent

Madambi Subramanian Namboodiri is a Kathakali musician from Kerala, India. He received several noted awards including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kerala State Kathakali Award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award and Kerala Kalamandalam Award.

Varanasi Vishnu Namboothiri is a Maddalam exponent from Kerala, India, best known for playing Maddalam for Kathakali performances. He received several noted awards including Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Gurupooja Award and Kerala Kalamandalam Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gopika Varma</span> Indian Mohiniyattam dancer

Gopika Varma is a Kerala born Mohiniyattam dancer and dance teacher who is settled in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. She received several awards including Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award and Kalaimamani.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 "Kalamandalam Rajan passes away". The New Indian Express . Archived from the original on 17 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "ശ്രീ കലാമണ്ഡലം രാജന്‍ മാസ്റ്റര്‍ - ഒരു അനുസ്മരണം | Remembering Kalamandalam Rajan | കഥകളി.ഇൻഫൊ | Kathakali.info | കളിയറിവുകളുടെ തിരമൊഴി | The internet Kathakali hangout". kathakali.info. Archived from the original on 17 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Staff Reporter (14 June 2012). "Kalamandalam Rajan passes away". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Kalamandalam Rajan" (PDF). Sangeet Natak Akademi. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.