It is a spectacular classical art form originating in the interiors of the beautiful coastal Indian state of Kerala over 500 years ago. On 26th March, ANAMICA, (Association for a North American Mosaic of Indian Classical Arts) brought a troupe of Kathakali artists from the 5 best institutes of India at a sold out event at the Gwinnet Performing Arts Center. Kathakali blends music, facial and body gestures, theatre, dance, vocals and percussion in harmony to recreate a dance drama in all its glory on stage.
The stories enacted by the Kathakali dancers were performed mostly by males, until recently. They are usually based on Indian epics and mythology. Sanskrit and folk art merge together with flamboyant mudras (gestures) facial expressions, nimble steps, colorful costumes and music in what used to be an all night affair.
The presentation in Atlanta began with the percussion announcement used in villages to show that a performance was about to take place. It was followed by the traditional lighting of the bronze lamp, and the percussion interlude. The entire musical rendition is live, performed by four artists. This show featured Kalamandalam Narayanan, the powerfully built maestro, on the maddalam. The maddalam, considered a divine instrument, is a must in Kathakali music. Narayanan, with 35 years of experience behind him, has traveled all over the world and wowed audiences with his virtuosity. The knowledge of Kathakali literature in relation to its visual interpretation adds maturity to his performance. His performance was marked by the tonal restraint and uninterrupted support to the chenda, something that has become his specialty.
The equally experienced and talented Kalamandalam Raman Namboothri provided accompaniment on the Chenda, a double-headed cylindrical drum used to accompany the vocalist. It is also used to project battle scenes or other frenzied climactic acts. Namboothri is renowned for his stellar performances during jugalbandis (duets) of Carnatic music and sopana sangeetham. He has been invited to perform at various cities in Europe and Asia.
Kalamandalam Hyderali, the legendary vocalist on stage that night, has been instrumental in introducing two great changes to Kathakali music. He gives an ostensibly Carnatic touch to the singing of padams and also started rendering padams in independent music programs without any visual background. Hyderali has performed in all over the world including the Kennedy Center.
Kalanilayam Rajeevan, the younger but equally accomplished artist accompanied the trio with cymbals and on vocals . Music is an intrinsic part and combines both vocal and instrumental aspects to convey the story and various emotions depicted in it. Kathakali music is rendered in a style called the ‘Sopana’; a musical tradition that is associated with the temple precincts and the singing of hymns so its tempo is extremely slow. Each emotion or mood is depicted by a specific beat or rhythmic cycle. As the artists perform, the musicians stay on stage in the background accompanying them.
The performance in Atlanta showcased three scenes from the epic Mahabharata. The first scene comprised of Draupadi pleading with Krishna not to negotiate with the Kauravas. Draupadi was portrayed beautifully by Margi Vijaykumar. Vijaykumar has packed 20 years of Kathakali experience and specializes in portraying female characters. In the olden days actors who could impersonate women to perfection were in high demand. It was essential that every nuance of their performance as well as their persona was the epitome of all that is feminine. The audience had to totally believe it was a woman who was performing on the stage and not a man.
The scene opens with Draupadi talking about her humiliation in the court of the Kauravas and pleading with Krishna to avoid an amicable settlement with them. She has vowed that she will not tie her hair till the blood of Dushasana has been sprinkled on her tresses.
Krishna (- played by the effervescent Kathakali artiste Margi Raveendran, a regular performer on Indian TV channels -) consoles her and tells her not to fret. The lord through expressive hand gestures (accentuated by steel nails used by all actors) and facial movements tells Draupadi he will create a way in which the evil acts done by Dushasana will be punished. The Kauravas will be led into a terrible war that will destroy them. He tells Draupadi to wait and watch how the passage of time will bring the fruition of her desire.
The second scene had Krishna arriving on stage from the back of the auditorium much to everyone’s delight while Duryodhana is in court telling his people to ignore that cowherd when he comes. Duryodhana was played by K. Chandresekhra Warrier who has 35 years of training and specialization in playing such characters. When Krishna arrives everyone in the assembly, disregards Duryodhana and rises to pay homage to him. Krishna asks Duryodhana sweetly, first to give half the kingdom, then five villages, five houses and finally even one house for the Pandavas to live in. The request is denied by an uncompromising Duryodhana who mockingly tells Krishna he won’t give the Pandavas even a piece to stick a pin in. He also mocks their ancestry and says he is doubtful even about their bloodline since the Pandavas were born through other men. Krishna retorts that Duryodhana’s ancestry was as questionable since he is the son of a man born to a widow. Unable to take the insult Duryodhana and Dushasana try to tie Krishna in ropes but Krishna dazzles them with his cosmic persona and they pass out. When they come to, he is gone.
The third scene has Bhima in a terrifying form of Rowdra Bhiman given to him by Krishna. It is the form in which he attacks and kills Dushasana, drinks his blood and after wetting Draupadi’s tresses with Dushasana’s blood ties her hair. Krishna appears and Bhima falls at his feet asking his forgiveness for his act and receives the Lord’s blessings. Raudra Bhima was played by Sadanan Krishna Kutty who is as agile even today at 62 with 40 years of experience on Kathakali stages. He has given numerous performances all over the world and played many roles to perfection not just in traditional themes but in intercultural innovative experiments. One such acclaimed role was of Achilles in the Greek Play ‘The Illiad – The Trojan War and History of Achilles’ directed by Richard Tremblay.
Dushasana was played by Kavungal Divakara Panicker who brought the house down with his flamboyant antics and received the loudest applause! His expertise lies in depicting the most aggressive and demoniac characters such as Baka or Sugreevan and it was obvious how well suited he is for such roles from this performance.
The entire performance was on a stage devoid of anything other than a large brass lamp with two wicks. The lamp was used in olden days to light up the stage and to illuminate the audience as the performance usually started around 7 p.m. and ended with the early rays of the rising sun. A colorful curtain rose and fell with each act. Audience participation is a must in Kathakali performances. The gestures, the facial expressions, the dance and colorful costumes of the actors stimulate the creative mind and the possibilities in interpretation are boundless. The dramatic make up takes hours to put on and is very elaborate, requiring the services of a highly trained make up artist. Different colors are used to portray the good and evil characters. Green symbolizes noble and divine characters, the savagely majestic have the green on their face outlined with red and white and the base characters have their faces painted in either saffron and black with lips too painted black. The most base of characters have their faces painted entirely in black with red and white outlining the eyes. The elaborate costumes and headgear enhance the larger than life characters portrayed by the artists. Kalamandalam Satheesan who has over two decades of experience and is a winner of many regional and national awards for make up spent hours on each artist and the intricacy of his work was displayed splendidly on their faces. The backdrop had a brief English translation for the members of the audience to get a sense of what was happening on stage.
The performers received a standing ovation from an enthralled audience. For Manoj Kumar (pictured below left) and his wife Gita Maheshwaran (pictured below right) who are both art lovers, this tour is the fruition of a dream that began barely a couple of years ago. After initially approaching other organizations to help them present various art forms on stage, and not finding much support the couple decided to create a non profit organization for the very purpose and ANAMICA was born. The thought of presenting Kathakali in USA came up in 2003 and with it came many hurdles created by the Kerala and the central Government. But help came from lovers of art like Narender Reddy in Atlanta, Dr. P.K. Nair from Texas, Sudarshan Thirmulpad in New York, Robert Browning from World Music Institute to name a few. What began as a dream is now a 25 city tour that includes work shops and lecture demonstrations. The icing on the cake is an upcoming performance on Broadway. “It has been uncanny, how when we needed help it came from unexpected quarters,” says Gita.
She adds that their professional handling of things went a long way in building credibility with various organizations that were initially skeptical but later very impressed by the package that was sent to them. The efficient way their questions and concerns were handled impressed the organizers who decided to present the show in various cities. The organizers have also been given 9 different stories to choose from, so what was performed in Atlanta may not necessarily be the choice of another city organizer. The Kathakali dancers, musician and make up artist are all masters of their craft. They are extremely enthusiastic about being pitted against each other, says Gita, as it challenges them and brings out the best in their own performances. Narender Reddy says that he has been very happy to provide whatever assistance he could because he feels that there are so many beautiful Indian classical art forms besides Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi that are showcased frequently. Kathakali which lost popularity in the 19th century, and was again resuscitated is a must see for all audiences with its vibrancy, color and theatrics and so he chipped in. The pulsating energy, the delicate movements, the dazzling makeup and colorful costumes all went on to create a memorable evening of drama, music and mime for those present.