Chutti

Kathakali make up is an elaborate process lasting for 3 hours.It helps in giving a super human look to the actors.The make up of the male character other than the saint,is tedious.The Make Up is directly applied to the face and it does not obstruct the full expression of face and eyes.

All the colours used in the make-up are obtained from natural substances and herbs. For example, the red and yellow colours are made by powdering stones like Chaayilyam and Manayola respectively. A mixture of lime and rice flour serves for white. The green colour is produced by mixing Manayola and Neelam (blue). Coconut oil is used as the base for mixing these stone powders. Another stone, Chenchilyam is powdered and applied in order to protect the skin from burns. Kanmashi or Kajal (the black substance) is prepared by burning gingelly oil. Kumkumam or saffron is also used for the make-up. However, now-a-days many of these colour mixing processes have been replaced by easily available material like paper pulp etc.

Chutti

Theppu is the first stage where the artiste himself applies the basic facial paintings. On this the Chuttikkaran (make-up man) puts the Chutti(a series of white ridges built up from the chin to the either side of the cheek) which forms the second stage of make-up.

The actor lies flat on a matted floor and the expert starts drawing “the designs” on the face.The most elaborate part of the make up is the chuttiAfter face part make up the actor stands up to put on the costume.The skirt is a well starched and pressed into frills garment.Before the skirt is put on,the actor ties 20 to 40 pieces of short cloth around the waist by the help of a large cloth twisted rope in order to give the skirt a oval shape.He then puts the jacket etc. The actor is profusely ornamented with garlands of beast,armlets,cupped mirrors etc.The head dresses are huge and large.

The Chutti plays a crucial role in differentiating the characters and their personality and has the following basic classification Pachha(green), Katti(knife), Tadi(beard), Kari, Minukku.

The make up colour also plays an important role in Kathakali.According to Sastras color symbolism has got significance.They reflect certain categories of emotions and gunas(attributes).The classification and nature of character are as follows.

• Green represents Sattivika nature
• Red represents Rajasic nature
• Black represents Tamasic nature
• Yellow  represents Sattivika &Rajasic nature
• Green goes with godliness,white with spirituality,red with ambition and violence,yellow with passivity,and black with evil.

Pacha

Pacha

Mythological characters are classified into different categories.  The first inthe order of precedence is the Dhirodatta, the noble hearted, upright hero.  The make-up known as Pacha (Green) is allotted to such characters.  Examples are the Gods of the elements, noble kings like Nala, Yudhishtra, Rukmangada, Arjuna and Bhimsena.  Even Daksha is given Pacha, although he ultimately turns out to be arrogant and wayward.  All characters who do Pacha also wear Kiritas (Headgear).  But when it comes to characters like Vishnu, Krishna or Rama (the incarnation) hear gear is changed to what is called Mudi.  This costume also has now come to be referred to as ‘Mudi’.  For both Mudi and Pacha, the facial make-up is the same. krishna wears a dark jacket as distinct from the purple or red jackets of Pacha.

Kathi

Kathi

Kathi, another prominent costume of kathakali is devoted to heroes who are not too particular about the means they use to gain their needs.  The costume in general is similar to Pacha, except that in the make-up, a knife-shaped pattern is drawn on either cheek in red pigment.  In addition, a small ball is fixed to the tip of the nose and another one in the fore-head.  kathi represents restlessness easily swayed towards wickedness and is the costume of characters like Ravana, Kamsa and Duryodhana.  Kathi can be said to denote a combination of royalty and evil.  Kings of demons like Ravana, or demons among kings and villains are depicted in Kathi.  Whereas ‘Pacha’ characters do not open their mouths or create any noise ‘Kathi’ characters are permitted to make weird noises appropriate to the occasion or to the emotion expressed.

Thadi (Beard)

Red thadi

The costume that represents Thamoguna (wickedness) is Thadi.  Thadi means beard.  There are red, black and white thadis, each depicting a distinct type of wickedness.  Red thadi has the face painted in frightening dark portions and wears an impressive red beard.  The head gear is round in shape and much larger in size than those worn by Kathi.  Red thadi is usually given to extremely wicked characters like Rakshasas or despicable men like Dussasana.  Examples of Rakshasas are Bakasura and Jatasura.  The concept of the red thadi is only of the destructive evil force with little or no thinking faculty.  The costume has, therefore, been extended to portray roles like Srichakra and Veerabhadra.  Srichakra is the all powerful weapon of Vishnu.  Annihilation without thought is its motto.  So also Veerabhadra who is born out of the fire of Siva, the Destroyer, is nothing but an agency for destruction and blind obedience.

Vella thadi

A further extension of thadi is its application  to monkey kings like Vali and Sugriva.  Here again, the human contempt for the unthinking monkey has influenced this decision.  There is no doubt, a slight modification in the white make-up pattern, but it is noticed only by careful observation.White Thadi or white beard is a further refinement of the Thadi group of characters.  A good example is Hanuman, the monkey God.  The intricate patterns drawn on the face with red, black and white, suggests a monkey face almost similar to the baboons of african forests.  Hanuman, the monkey God of the epic Ramayana merit special mention.  The crown is known as Vattamudi, a ceremonial military hat-like headgear and a white beard.  The make-up is different from the ones usually given to the monkeys.  Hanuman occupies a very special place in Hindu mythology.  So also in Kathakali.  Hanuman is also permitted to make weird noises appropriate to the occasion.
The black Thadi or black beard is a costume given to a character like Kali in ‘Nalacharitra’.  The character is as evil as the red Thadi but has the subtle distinction of denoting a schemer as well.  The make-up is the same as red Thadi, the beard alone being black in colour.

Kari (Black)

Kari

The ‘Kari’ is an all black costume.  The face is painted in black; the jackets and skirts are blacker still.  The headgear is primitive. The costume is used for depicting the lowest of primitive human beings both men and women.  The noises they produce can almost amount to howling.  Characters portrayed in this costume are demonesses and evil beings of the ‘under world’.

Chutti

Chutti

The ‘Chutti’ or white make-up plays a very important role in Kathakali make-up.  In the olden days, the chutti was laid, layer after layer with a mixture of rice paste and lime.  It used to take about three to four hours to get an actor’s ‘Chutti’ done.  Today, the base is laid with a paste and the rest made of paper.  The purpose of the ‘Chutti’ is to raise the contours of the face so that the area of aesthetic expression is clearly marked out.  It also helps to draw the eyes of the audience to the actor’s facial expression.

Minukku

Minukk

The make-up used for gentle characters is ‘Minukku’.  It consists of a mere painting of the face with yellowish orange pigment.  There is no white chutty  make-up and no elaborate clothing as in other characters.  Women, sages and Brahmanas appear in ‘Minukku’.  Other characters who appear in Minukku are charioteers and messengers.

The Mask conception in Kathakali

The Chau dance of Bihar and the Balinese dance are mask dances, but they hardly bear any resemblance to Kathakali, which is known for its exaggerated mime and dramatic exposition.  Still there are many who mistake the Kathakali make-up as masks.  The painted face and the white frames made on the face (chutti) certainly give the dubious appearance of a mask, but they are not, and they are drawn and painted on the face each day employing a different artist, who is again specialised in this art of Kathakali make-up.  The rich colours are obtained from special indigenous stones ground in coconut oil and mixed in the right proportions to get the right shades.  The mixing of these colours and grinding of the stones another art, which again needs sense of proportion and precision.  A wrong proportion could give a wrong chemical reaction, which could affect even the face and eyes of the actor.

The Red Eyes

People are often puzzled and fascinated by the red eyes of the Kathakali performers and they wonder how it is done.  Making the eyes red has two objectives.   One is to equate the colour combination on the face; if one watches a kathakali painted face without the eyes being red, you will realise how dead the face looks with pale eyes.  Therefore against the green or black background for the face, the eyes must have a red base to stand out vividly.

കേ രള സംഗീത നാടക അക്കാദമിയുടെ ഇത്തവണത്തെ അവാര്‍ഡു ജേതാക്കളില്‍ ഒരാള്‍ ബംഗാളിയാണ്‌. നൃത്ത വിഭാഗത്തില്‍ അക്കാദമി അവാര്‍ഡു നല്‌കി ആദരിക്കുന്ന ആദ്യത്തെ മറുനാട്ടുകാരിയായ പല്ലവികൃഷ്‌ണന്‍ ഒട്ടേറെ ‘ആദ്യ’ത്തിന്റെ ഉടമയും കൂടിയാണ്‌. പല്ലവിയുടെ നൃത്തവിശേഷങ്ങളിലൂടെ…..

ഭരതനാട്യത്തേയും ഒഡീസിയേയുമൊക്കെ അപേക്ഷിച്ച്‌ മോഹിനിയാട്ടത്തിന്റെ അവസ്ഥ പിറകിലാണ്‌. ഇന്ന്‌ ഒരു പരിധിവരെ മോഹിനിയാട്ടവും ദേശീയ-അന്തര്‍ദേശീയ തലത്തില്‍ അംഗീകരിക്കപ്പെട്ടു. അന്യസംസ്ഥാനക്കാരും മോഹിനിയാട്ട രംഗത്ത്‌ ശ്രദ്ധിക്കാന്‍ തുടങ്ങി; മലയാളി മങ്കയുടെ സ്വന്തം നൃത്തരൂപത്തെ നെഞ്ചിലേറ്റി ഇവര്‍ കേവലം ഒരു കേരളീയ നൃത്തരൂപം എന്നതിലുപരി ഭാരതീയ ലാസ്യ മോഹനയായി വളര്‍ത്തിയെടുത്തു. ഇന്ന്‌ യുവതലമുറയിലെ ശ്രദ്ധേയരായ മോഹിനിയാട്ട നര്‍ത്തകിമാരില്‍ പ്രഥമഗണനീയയാണ്‌ ബംഗാളിയായ പല്ലവികൃഷ്‌ണന്‍. കേരള സംഗീത നാടക അക്കാദമി അവരുടെ പുരസ്‌കാരം നല്‌കി പല്ലവിയെ ആദരിക്കുമ്പോള്‍ അതു മോഹിനിയാട്ടത്തിന്റെ ഉജ്ജ്വല വളര്‍ച്ചയെയും അടിവരയിടുന്നു; പല്ലവി ജന്മം കൊണ്ട്‌ ബംഗാളിയും കര്‍മംകൊണ്ട്‌ മലയാളിയും ആണ്‌.

ശാന്തിനികേതനിലും കേരള കലാമണ്ഡലത്തിലും അഭ്യസിച്ച ഏകനര്‍ത്തകിയും പല്ലവിതന്നെ. ഈ രണ്ടു സ്ഥാപനങ്ങളും ആദാനപ്രദാനങ്ങളിലൂടെ സാംസ്‌കാരിക വിനിമയം നടത്തണമെന്നാഗ്രഹിച്ച ടാഗോറിന്റെയും വള്ളത്തോളിന്റെയും മഹത്തരമായ ചേതോവികാരം പൂവണിഞ്ഞത്‌ പഴയ കിഴക്കന്‍ ബംഗാളില്‍ (ബംഗ്ലാദേശ്‌) കുടുംബവേരുകളുള്ള പല്ലവിയിലൂടെ എന്നത്‌ യാദൃച്ഛികമാവാം.

2008 മുതല്‍ പല്ലവി ഭാരതസര്‍ക്കാറിന്റെ ഇന്ത്യന്‍ കൗണ്‍സില്‍ ഫോര്‍ കള്‍ച്ചറല്‍ റിലേഷനും ബംഗ്ലാദേശിലെ ഇന്ത്യന്‍ ഹൈക്കമ്മീഷനുമായി ചേര്‍ന്നു സംയുക്തമായി നടത്തുന്ന ഒരു പ്രൊജക്ടുമായി സഹകരിച്ചുവരികയാണ്‌- കേരളീയകലയായ മോഹിനിയാട്ടം അയല്‍ രാജ്യമായ ബംഗ്ലാദേശില്‍ പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കുക- ക്ലാസുകള്‍, ശില്‌പശാലകള്‍, നൃത്താവതരണം എന്നിവയിലൂടെ. ഇതിന്നായി ആറുമാസത്തെിലൊരിക്കല്‍ ആറാഴ്‌ചയെങ്കിലും ബംഗ്ലാദേശില്‍ ചെന്നേപറ്റൂ.

രണ്ടാമത്തെ യാത്ര കഴിഞ്ഞ്‌ ഈ വിഷുവിന്റെ തലേന്നാളാണ്‌ പല്ലവി തിരിച്ചെത്തിയത്‌.
ദുര്‍ഗാപൂരിലെ ബര്‍ദ്‌ബാന്‍ സര്‍വകലാശാലയില്‍ നിന്നും സയന്‍സില്‍ ബിരുദം നേടിയശേഷമാണ്‌ പല്ലവി നൃത്തത്തില്‍ കൂടുതല്‍ ആകൃഷ്‌ടയായത്‌. കഥകില്‍ തുടങ്ങി കൂടുതല്‍ ചലനപ്രദമായ ഒരു നൃത്ത രൂപം അന്വേഷിച്ച്‌ കലാമണ്ഡലം ശങ്കരനാരായണന്റെ (ശാന്തിനികേതന്‍) കീഴില്‍ ഭരതനാട്യവും മോഹിനിയാട്ടവും പഠിക്കാനിടയായ പല്ലവി തുടര്‍ന്ന്‌ ശാന്തിനികേതനില്‍ കഥകളി മുഖ്യവിഷയമായെടുത്ത്‌ നൃത്തവിഭാഗത്തില്‍ ബിരുദത്തിന്‌ ചേര്‍ന്നു. ”പ്രധാനലക്ഷ്യം ശങ്കര്‍ദായുടെ കീഴില്‍ സായാഹ്നങ്ങളിലും അനധ്യായ ദിവസങ്ങളിലും വാരാന്ത്യങ്ങളിലുമൊക്കെ ഭരതനാട്യവും മോഹിനിയാട്ടവും അഭ്യസിക്കലായിരുന്നു. ” പഠനകാലം മുഴുവന്‍ പ്രശസ്‌തമായ വിശ്വഭാരതി സ്‌കോളര്‍ഷിപ്പ്‌ നേടി ഡിസ്റ്റിങ്‌ഷനില്‍ ഒന്നാം റാങ്കോടെ ബിരുദം നേടിയ പല്ലവിയുടെ ഓര്‍മകള്‍ പിന്നോട്ടുപോയി.

”ശാന്തിനികേതനിലെ പഠനം കഴിഞ്ഞപ്പോഴേക്കും അഭിനയ പ്രധാനമായ ലാസ്യചലനങ്ങളോടുള്ള എന്റെ താത്‌പര്യം ഏറി; ഞാന്‍ മോഹിനിയാട്ടത്തില്‍ കൂടുതല്‍ ശ്രദ്ധിക്കണമെന്ന താത്‌പര്യത്തോടെ ശങ്കര്‍ദാ എന്നെ കേരളത്തിലേക്ക്‌ കൊണ്ടുവന്നു കലാമണ്ഡലത്തില്‍ ചേര്‍ത്തു. അന്ന്‌ മോഹിനിയാട്ടത്തിന്റെ അമ്മ തന്നെയായ സത്യഭാമ ടീച്ചര്‍ ആയിരുന്നു കലാമണ്ഡലം പ്രിന്‍സിപ്പല്‍. ശങ്കര്‍ദായുടെ ശുപാര്‍ശയില്‍ ടീച്ചര്‍ എന്നെ കലാമണ്ഡലത്തില്‍ ചേരാനനുവദിച്ച്‌ നേരെ ലീലാമ്മ ടീച്ചറുടെ കളരിയിലേക്ക്‌ വിട്ടു.”

പഠനശേഷം പല്ലവിയെ പ്രൊതിമാബേദി ബാംഗ്ലൂരിലുള്ള നൃത്യഗ്രാമിലേക്ക്‌ ക്ഷണിച്ചു, ഭാരതി ശിവജിയുടെ കീഴില്‍ പഠനം തുടരാന്‍. എന്നാല്‍ നൃത്യഗ്രാമില്‍ ചില ഗ്രൂപ്പ്‌ ഇനങ്ങള്‍ റെക്കോര്‍ഡ്‌ സംഗീതത്തിനൊത്ത്‌ അവതരിപ്പിക്കുക എന്നതില്‍ കവിഞ്ഞ സാധ്യതകള്‍ ഇല്ലാഞ്ഞതിനാല്‍ താമസിയാതെ പ്രൊതിമയുടെ അനുമതിയോടെ തന്നെ നൃത്യഗ്രാമം വിട്ടു കേരളത്തിലേക്ക്‌ വന്നു. തുടര്‍ന്ന്‌ നാലു വര്‍ഷത്തോളം ഭാരതി ശിവജിയുടെ കീഴിലും പിന്നീട്‌ കലാമണ്ഡലം ക്ഷേമാവതി, കലാമണ്ഡലം സുഗന്ധി തുടങ്ങിയവരുടെ കീഴിലും പഠിച്ചു.

മോഹിനിയാട്ടത്തെ ആദിതാളത്തില്‍ മാത്രം തളച്ചിടാതെ ചാരുതയും വൈവിധ്യവുമാര്‍ന്ന അപൂര്‍വകേരളീയ താളങ്ങളും സംഗീതത്തിന്റെ ശാസ്‌ത്രീയമാസ്‌മരികതയും അഭിനയസംഗീതത്തിന്റെ വശ്യതാരുണ്യവും ചേരുംപടി ചേര്‍ത്തിണക്കിയതാണ്‌ പല്ലവിയുടെ ചിട്ടപ്പെടുത്തലുകള്‍. രബീന്ദ്രസംഗീതത്തില്‍ നേടിയ സാമ്പ്രദായിക പരിശീലനവും വിശ്വപ്രശസ്‌തരായ വിവിധ മേഖലകളിലെ, ഗുരുക്കന്മാരുമായി ലോകത്തെമ്പാടുമുള്ള വേദികള്‍ പങ്കിട്ടതിലൂടെ നേടിയ അനുഭവവും തന്റെ കലയുടെ സമസ്‌തമേഖലകളിലും പല്ലവി പ്രാവര്‍ത്തികമാക്കുന്നു. അതുകൊണ്ടുതന്നെ പല്ലവി അനന്യസാധാരണമായ ഒരു പരീക്ഷണമനസ്സിന്റെ ഉടമയും ഭാരതീയ നൃത്തരംഗത്തെ വേറിട്ടൊരു വക്താവുമാകുന്നു.

പരീക്ഷണ കൗതുകിയായ ആ ഗവേഷണ മനസ്സ്‌ താളങ്ങളുടെയും രാഗങ്ങളുടെയും സന്ദര്‍ഭാനുസാരിയായ ഭാവാനുഭൂതിയുടെയും വേരുകള്‍ തേടി നിരന്തരം മറ്റു മേഖലകളിലെ കലാകാരന്മാരുമായും സംവേദിക്കുന്നു. പരേതരായ പല്ലാവൂര്‍ അപ്പുമാരാര്‍, വാദ്യകലാപണ്ഡിതന്‍ എ.എസ്‌.എന്‍. നമ്പീശന്‍ തുടങ്ങിയവരില്‍ നിന്നൊക്കെ ഇനിയും പലതും പഠിക്കാനുണ്ടായിരുന്നല്ലോ എന്നാണ്‌ പല്ലവിയുടെ കുണ്‌ഠിതം. പല്ലവിയുടെ പ്രിയപ്പെട്ട വാദ്യചക്രവര്‍ത്തിയാണ്‌ ചെണ്ടയിലെ നാദവിസ്‌മയമായ മട്ടന്നൂര്‍ ശങ്കരമാരാര്‍. ഇരുകൂട്ടരുടെയും തിരക്കും യാത്രയും കാരണം ഉദ്ദേശിച്ച പലചര്‍ച്ചകളും അനന്തമായി നീണ്ടുപോവുന്നു എന്നാണ്‌ വിഷമം. പല്ലവിയുടെ പ്രശസ്‌തമായ ഗ്രൂപ്പ്‌ കോറിയോഗ്രാഫികളിലൊന്നായ ‘സാലഭഞ്‌ജിക’യുടെ സംഗീതത്തില്‍ യശഃശരീരനായ കലാമണ്ഡലം ഹൈദരാലി നല്‍കിയ സംഭാവനകള്‍ നിസ്‌തുലമാണെന്നോര്‍ക്കുന്നു അവര്‍. കാവാലം നാരായണപ്പണിക്കരുടെ കൃതികളും രംഗത്ത്‌ അവതരിപ്പിക്കാനുള്ള പല്ലവിയുടെ പുതിയ കോറിയോഗ്രാഫിയാണ്‌ പൂന്താനത്തിന്റെ ‘ജ്ഞാനപ്പാന’.

ഇതൊക്കെയാണെങ്കിലും പുതിയ ഒരിനം ചിട്ടപ്പെടുത്തിയാല്‍ നാട്യശാസ്‌ത്രവിദഗ്‌ധനായ സി.പി. ഉണ്ണികൃഷ്‌ണന്‍, കലാമണ്ഡലം സുഗന്ധി, കലാമണ്ഡലം ക്ഷേമാവതി തുടങ്ങിയ പ്രഗല്‌ഭരുടെ വീട്ടില്‍ച്ചെന്ന്‌ അവരുടെ മുന്നിലും അവതരിപ്പിച്ച്‌ കാണിച്ച്‌ അവരുടെയൊക്കെ അഭിപ്രായമാരാഞ്ഞ്‌ ഉപദേശം കൂടി കണക്കിലെടുത്തേ പല്ലവി രംഗത്ത്‌ അവതരിപ്പിക്കുകയുള്ളൂ. ”കൂടുതല്‍ വര്‍ക്കു ചെയ്യുകയും അറിവും അനുഭവമുള്ളവരുമായി സംവേദിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുമ്പോഴാണ്‌ എന്റെ താത്‌പര്യം ഏറുന്നതും എന്നേക്കുറിച്ചു തന്നെ ഞാന്‍ ബോധവതിയാവുന്നതും”.

പല്ലവി കേരളത്തില്‍ വന്ന്‌ മോഹിനിയാട്ടത്തില്‍ മാത്രം ശ്രദ്ധയൂന്നി കലര്‍പ്പില്ലാത്തതും കറതീര്‍ന്നതുമായ ഒരു ശൈലിയുടെ വക്താവായി നിരവധിവേദികളില്‍ സോളോ പരിപാടി അവതരിപ്പിച്ചു നേടിയ പ്രശംസയും മാധ്യമ പിന്തുണയും ഒരുപാട്‌ യുവനര്‍ത്തകികള്‍ക്ക്‌ മോഹിനിയാട്ടത്തില്‍ മാത്രം ശ്രദ്ധ ചെലുത്താന്‍ പ്രേരകമായി; ഭരതനാട്യത്തിലും കുച്ചുപ്പുടിയിലും ശ്രദ്ധചെലുത്താനായി ചെന്നൈയിലേക്ക്‌ വണ്ടികയറിയ ചിലരൊക്കെ നാട്ടിലേക്ക്‌ തിരിച്ചുവന്ന്‌ വീണ്ടും മോഹിനിയാട്ടത്തിന്റെ ആഹാര്യമണിയാന്‍ തുടങ്ങി. കേരളകലാമണ്ഡലത്തില്‍ നിന്നും കലാമണ്ഡലം ലീലാമ്മ തുടങ്ങിയവരുടെ തലമുറയ്‌ക്കുശേഷം പഠിച്ചു പുറത്തുവന്ന കഴിഞ്ഞ മൂന്നു പതിറ്റാണ്ടില്‍ പഠിച്ചിറങ്ങി ഇന്ന്‌ ദേശീയ-അന്തര്‍ദേശീയതലത്തില്‍ അറിയപ്പെടുന്ന ഏകനര്‍ത്തകിയും പല്ലവി എന്ന വംഗപുത്രിതന്നെ. മലയാളത്തിന്റെ മരുമകളായി ഒരു ശരാശരി മലയാളിയേക്കാളും നല്ല മലയാളിയായി, ഒഴിവുവേളകളില്‍ സെറ്റുമുണ്ടും കളഭക്കുറിയും തുളസിക്കതിരും അണിഞ്ഞ്‌ ക്ഷേത്രദര്‍ശനങ്ങള്‍ നടത്തി ശുദ്ധമലയാളം പറഞ്ഞ്‌ അവര്‍ തന്റെ സാന്നിധ്യം ആരവങ്ങളില്ലാതെ രേഖപ്പെടുത്തുന്നു, 1994 മുതല്‍ കേരളത്തിന്റെ സാംസ്‌കാരിക തലസ്ഥാനത്ത്‌.

കേരള സംഗീത നാടക അക്കാദമി അവാര്‍ഡ്‌ നേടിയ വിവരമറിഞ്ഞ്‌ കാലത്ത്‌ ലഭിച്ച ആദ്യത്തെ ഫോണ്‍ സത്യഭാമടീച്ചറുടെതായിരുന്നു എന്നത്‌ പല്ലവിയെകൂടുതല്‍ ആഹ്ല്‌ളാദചിത്തയാക്കുന്നു. ”വളരെ സന്തോഷമുണ്ട്‌, കുട്ടി ഇത്‌ അര്‍ഹിക്കുന്നു, ഇനിയും വലിയ അംഗീകാരങ്ങള്‍ തേടിവരട്ടെ” എന്ന ടീച്ചറുടെ അനുഗ്രഹത്തിന്‌ പിറകേ പഴയ ഗുരുക്കന്മാര്‍ ഉള്‍പ്പെടെ ഒരുപാട്‌ നൃത്തഗുരുക്കന്മാരും പഴയസഹപാഠികളുമൊക്കെ പല്ലവിയെ വിളിച്ച്‌ അനുമോദിച്ചു. ”കഥകളിയായാലും മോഹിനിയാട്ടമായാലും മേളമായാലും കേരളീയ ഗുരുക്കന്മാരുടെ ലാളിത്യവും വിനയവും കാപട്യവുമില്ലാത്ത സ്‌നേഹവും മറ്റു സംസ്ഥാനങ്ങളില്‍ കാണുമെന്ന്‌ തോന്നുന്നില്ല” പല്ലവിയുടെ കണ്‌ഠമിടറി.

ഉറവിടം : മാതൃഭൂമി വാരാന്തപതിപ്പ് 10 മെയ്‌ 2009

Awards & Honours

Mallika Sarabhai

Mallika Sarabhai, a multifaceted personality, is a noted Kuchipudi and Bharatnatyam dancer. She has immensely contributed to the fields of acting, writing and publishing. She is a social activist and has participated in many socio-developmental projects initiated by the United Nations. Mallika Sarabhai has also received the “French Palme D’or”, the highest civilian award of  France

Life
Born to famous dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai and reputed space scientist Vikram

Mallika Sarabhai

Sarabhai, Mallika is a woman of many dimensions and talents. She is a noted dancer, film maker, TV anchor and social activist. Mallika Sarabhai, an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, was trained by R. Acharyelu in Kuchipudi. As a young dancer, Mallika won many international awards for her classical dance including the “French Palme D’or”, the highest civilian award of France. In 1977, she took over the reigns of Darpana, the arts academy founded by her parents.

Theater and Dances

Mallika Sarabhai’s theatre works reflect the challenges of the society and sends a strong message. Her natural charm with conviction creates a unique style of presentation. Following are some of the works performed by her:

Unheard Voices
“Unheard Voices” is a physical, musical theatre piece. It is based on Harsh Mander’s book “Unheard Voices”. The story is about the lives of marginalized faces – the beggars, children at the Traffic Signal and “chhotu”, the little child at roadside restaurant. These are stores of struggle and courage.

India
Then, Now, Forever: This revolves around the multiple lifestyle of the people of India. It attempts to show the resemblance between the life of the tribal of Mizoram and their lifestyles with the bollywood. The show takes the audience from the temples of southern India to the forests of the Dangs and the minds of today’s creators.

Actor
Mallika Sarabhai started her acting career at the age of fifteen and has worked in more than 30 films. In 1984, she played the character of Draupadi in “The Mahabharata”, directed by renowned director Peter Brook. The movie was launched in French and English. Some of her critically acclaimed films include “Lovesongs: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow”, Peter Brook’s “The Mahabharata”, “Kahkasha”, “A Thousand Flowers” and “Katha”.

In 1982, she founded the “Darpana for Development” concentrating on the development of performance as a language for change. She also formed “JANAVAK”, the voice of the people, to archive and preserve the folk and tribal culture of India.

Deeply excited by the possibility of continuing the work as an activist on TV, in 2001 she launched Darpana Communications. She has also produced over 2500 hours of broadcast programming in Gujarati dealing, with social issues like gender bias, communal hatred, the environment, corruption, violence etc.

Publisher
Mallika Sarabhai never tried to confine herself into a single character. After being recognized as a reputed dancer and film actor, she has also made herself count in the world of publications. In 1979, Mallika Sarabhai published India’s first design magazine, called Inside Outside. Following are some of the acclaimed books published by Mallika Sarabahi and Mapin Publishing Private Limited.

• India’s Daughters
• Cultural Guide to Ahmedabad
• Spectacular India
• Jute Handlooms of India
• Sufism And Beyond
• Romance of Golconda Diamonds
• From Mustard Fields to Disco Lights
• Parvati: Goddess of Love
• Documenting Chandigarh
• Image & Imagination:5 Indian Artists
• Performing Arts of Kerala
• Understanding Kuchipudi (Co-Author)
• Krishna as Shrinathji: Miniature Paintings From Nathdwara

Social Thinker
In an effort to serve the society, Mallika Sarabhai took up many developmental projects including the “The Acting Healthy Project” (2008). The project supported by ArtVenture took crucial learning on how to avoid maternal deaths and infant deaths amongst the very deprived communities. Besides, she has also played an active role in the UNICEF Peer Educators Project, UNICEF Anandshala Project in 2005- 2007 FATEHPURA Model village project and UNICEF Rural Health Project.

• Crystal Award by World Economic Forum, 2008 for recognition of her contribution in art and culture to promote global peace.
• Theatre Pasta Theatre Award,2007
• Nominated as one among 1000 women for Nobel Peace Prize ,2005 
• Indian for Collective Actions Honour Award,, 2004
• Kala Shiromani Purskar , Institute of Economic Studies,2004
• Woman of the Year , Indian Merchants’ Chamber (IMC),2003
• Knight of the Order of Arts & Letters, French Government 2002
• Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Creative Dance, 2001 
• Chevalier des Palmes Academiques, French Government, 1999 
• Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress, Sheesha ,1984
• Best Film Actress Award, Mena Gurjari,Govt.of Gujarat,1975
• Film Critics Award for Best Actress, Muthi Bhar Chawal 1974 

Awards:

Pallavi Krishnan

Pallavi Krishnan is a leading exponent of Mohiniyattam. She is known for her efforts to promote and preserve this style of Indian classical dance as a living tradition. Initially Pallavi trained in Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam under Guru Kalamandalam Sankaranarayanan. She completed her graduation in Kathakali from Shantiniketan(Viswa Bharati University). Her passion for Mohiniyattam led her from Shantiniketan to Kerala Kalamandalam making her the only Indian dancer who is an alumnus of these two coveted national arts academies. Pallavi continued her studies under Guru Bharati Shivaji and later developed a style of her own, which is marked by creativity in her performance. Her skilful choreography has enriched her repertoire and inspired many young dancers to take up the form. In 1995, Pallavi Krishnan founded the Lasya Academy of Mohiniyattam, based in Thrissur, Kerala. Lasya is a centre for the promotion of and professional training in Mohiniyattam. Her uncompromising teaching has attracted students from all over the world.

Academic qualifications/training:

• B.Sc. in Bio Science from Burdwan University of West Bengal
• Trained in Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam under Guru Kalamandalam Sankarnarayanan.
• B. Mus. in Dance (Kathakali) from Shantiniketan (Viswa Bharati University).
• Two years of intensive training in Mohiniyattam at the Kerala Kalamandalam.
• Specialised training in Mohiniyattam under Guru Bharati Shivaji.

• Sushree award of the Vichar-March, Kolkata, for most outstanding talents in Indian Classical Dance (1991).
• National scholarship from the Government of India for higher studies in Mohiniyattam (1995-1997).
• Fellowship of the Govt. of India, Department of Culture, to create new dance pieces using traditional Kerala music. (1998).
• Production Grant of the Govt. of India, Department of Culture, to choreograph Rituranga (2002)
• Production Grant of the Govt. of India, Department of Culture, to choreograph Salabhanjika (2004)
• Grant of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Govt. of India, to conduct a workshop on Mohiniyattam (2005)
• Production Grant of the Govt. of India, Department of Culture, to choreograph Vikramorvasheeyam (2006)
• Production Grant of Sangeet Natak Akademi, Govt. of India, to choreograph celebrated Kerala poet late Ulloor’s Pingala (2007).

Collaborations:

• Pallavi’s collaboration with the renowned scholar and composer, Kavalam Narayana Panikkar, has enriched the repertoire of Mohiniyattam. She has choreographed many of his compositions that employ the ragas and talas (rhythm) of Kerala’s nearly extinct Sopana music.
• Pallavi collaborated with Danse-Kalashas, a well-known dance company based in Montreal, Canada. This project was funded by the SHASTRI INDO-CANADIAN INSTITUTE (2004).

Significant performances

IN INDIA

• Santiniketan, West Bengal (2001, 2002, & 2005).
• Performance at various centres in Eastern India under the aegis of the East Zone Cultural Centre (EZCC), Kolkata (2001, 2004, 2006)
• Rabindra Bharati University (2004, 2006)
• Soorya Festival, Thiruvananthapuram (2001,2003 & 2006)
• Nishagandhi Festival of Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of Kerala (2001 & 2005)
• Mamallapuram Festival of the Govt of Tamil Nadu (2002)
• Malabar Mahotsav (Kozhikode) of State Dept of Tourism (2004)
• Doverlane Music Conference, Kolkata (2001 & 2004)
• Performance at various locations under the aegis of the South Zone Cultural Centre (SZCC), Chennai (2002, 2004)
• Performance at various cities in Kerala & Kolkata under the auspices of the Kerala Sangeet Natak Academy (2001, 2002, 2004 & 2006)
• National Dance Festival of the Central Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi, at Goa, Kolkata and Manipur (2004, 2005, 2006)
• India International Centre, New Delhi (2004)
• World Women’s day celebration festival of Smitalay (Smita Patel Memorial Trust), Mumbai (2005)
• Bharat Kalachar & Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai (2005)
• Natyanjali Festival at Chidambaram Shiva temple (2005)
• National Festival of Dance on the occasion of the inauguration of the year long Platinum jubilee celebrations of the Kerala Kalamandalam (2006)
• Natya Kala Conference of Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai (2006)
• Konark Festival of Govt. of Orissa (2006)
• Govt of Kerala’s Festival of Music & Dance celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the formation of Kerala state (2007)
• National Festival of Dance on the occasion of the concluding ceremonies of the Platinum jubilee celebrations of the Kerala Kalamandalam (2007)
• Deccan Festival at Hyderabad of State Dept. of Culture (2007)
• Mudra Festival of Dept of Culture, Govt. of Kerala (2007)
• Vasanta Utsav, Bhubaneswar (2008)

ABROAD

• Woodford Festival, Australia (2001)
• Performances at various locations in Canada including Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto under the auspices of the ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) – 2003
• Toronto International Dance Festival, Performance & Residency – 2004
• Performances & Workshops in Europe – 2005
• UK – Nehru Centre, London and Rose Bruford College, Kent.
• Poland – Interactions Art Festival, Warsaw.
• Austria – UN Centre, Vienna.
• Switzerland – Art India, Bern.
• Dhaka, Bangladesh –
• Deputation to Bangladesh as Cultural Ambassador under the aegis of the Indian High Commission, Dhaka, and the ICCR, to popularise the art of Mohiniyattam by giving short-term intensive residencies and performances – 2008.
• Macau International Arts Festival – May 2008, Macau.
• Kerala Festival – Doha-Qatar – May 2008

Photo Gallery

Video Gallery

Contact Information

Lasya Akademi of Mohiniyattam
‘Charulata’, 16th St. Hari Nagar, Trichur – 680 002, Kerala, India.
Tel: +91-487-2381584
Email: pallavikrishnan@yahoo.com & lasyanritta@gmail.com
Website: www.pallavikrishnan.com

Kottakkal Sivaraman

Kottakkal Sivaraman is an acclaimed performing artiste who revolutionalised the portrayal of female roles in Kathakali, the classical dance-drama from Kerala in southern India. He did have a forerunner in that mission in the form of the late Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair, but Sivaraman indisputably took stree vesham (female roles) to hitherto-unimaginable prominence. Kathakali, being a largely masculine dance form with an all-male presence (at least till the end of the first half of the 20th century), tended to give female roles a secondary status. This is despite some of its classical stories having dense and slow-paced songs (padams) set for female characters like Lalitha (in Kirmeeravadham, Bakavadham) or Urvashi (in Kalakeyavadham) besides characters like Damayanti (Nalacharitam) or Mohini (Rugmangadacharitam) or Sairandhri (or Malini in Keechakavadham) which demanded fertile imagination and a insight about their profile for brighter enactment. The 1936-born Sivaraman, a disciple of his uncle-guru Padma Shri Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair at the PSV Natyasangham in Kottakkal in north-central Kerala’s Malappuram district, decided to change all this subordination. By the 1960s, he had experimented those ideas on stage with success, much to the appreciation of aesthetes not only in his native Valluvanad, an erstwhile central-Kerala fiefdom which has been the homestead for the refined Kalluvazhi style of Kathakali, but across Kerala and subsequently the rest of the world. His Karalmanna village, north of Cherpulassery, in Palakkad district thus further affixed its name on the Kathakali map. Over the years, Sivaraman has acted with actors of several generations across north and south Kerala, but it was with Kalamandalam Gopi that he teamed up well to gain repute as a phenomenal pair on the Kathakali stage. Together they acted, with Sivaraman as Damayanti and Gopi as Nalan, as Kunti-Karnan, as Mohini-Rukmangadan. Sivaraman’s portrayal of Sairandhri (Draupadi in disguise as a maid) in Keechakavadham opposite Padma Bhushan Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair (as Keechaka) also earned him lots of stages and fame. Sivaraman is one among the rare leading Kathakali artistes to have not taught in any leading performing-art institutions. Of late, Sivaraman has been cast more in male roles, where the magic of make-up would help him hide his advancing age. He still does female roles, but is also seen performing as Krishna (Kuchelavrittam) or Pushkara (Nalacharitam). He has choreographed a new storyplay (aattakkatha), Pingala, which is based on the 11th canto of the epic Bhagavatham. In its inaugural show, he enacted the lead role of Pingala. An artiste with keen interest in reading books, ranging from the Puranas to the latest works in his native Malayalam literature, Sivaraman is known as a garrulous talker even while being a deep-sighted thinker of his art form. Filmmaker M.R. Rajan has made a documentary on the master. The work, Nokku, went on to bag a national award in 2007.

Kalamandalam Gopi

Kalamandalam Gopi is one of the most famous Kathakali artistes from Kerala, southern India, celebrated for his seminal contributions to the aesthetics and popularity of the classical dance-drama across the world. With a happy blend of the solid body grammar of the highly stylised Kalluvazhi tradition in which he was groomed and the more flexible, part-realistic, emotion-laden southern style techniques he acquired later in his career, Gopi has won massive audience appreciation in Kerala and elsewhere regardless of one’s aesthetic choices and biases.

Tall, chirpy Gopiyasan, as he is fondly called by fans, is renowned for the romantic and dramatic portrayal of the virtuous pachcha roles in Kathakali, notable among them being Nalan, Karnan and Rukmangadan. He is equally adept in essaying the choreographically denser roles like Bheeman (in the stories Kalyanasougandhikam or Bakavadham), Arjuna (Subhadraharanam) and Dharmaputrar (that’s Yudhishthira in Kirmeeravadham). Gopi, a Padma Shri awardee, also excels in the yellow-faced pazhuppu roles such as Balabhadra, and has of late also branched out to portray variety roles like the anti-heroic Kathi (like Ravana, Keechaka and Duryodhana) black-bearded Kaatalan (Kiratham), red-bearded Bali (Balivijayam) and even the semi-realistic looking Brahmanan in Santanagopalam.

The 1937-born Gopi, a senior disciple of Padma Bhushan Kalamandalam

Kalamandalam Gopi as Krishnan in Kuchela Vritham

Ramankutty Nair and the late Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair besides Padma Shri Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair, had his training in Kathakali from Kerala Kalamandalam near Shoranur. Before that, he had a brief career as a practitioner of the more folksy Ottamthullal, the solo dance form with lyrics by the legendary Kunchan Nambiar, a pathbreaking satirist poet. That stint was followed by his initiation into Kathakali by a leading guru called Thekkinkattil Ramunni Nair at the Koodallur Mana (a mansion of an upper-caste Namboodiri family) near Gopi’s native Kothachira village in the cusp of Thrissur and Palakkad districts.

As a teenager itself, Gopi, whose real name is Vadakke Manalath Govindan Nair, was noticed as a promising student, and he didn’t belie expectations. (The story goes that Kalamandalam co-founder, poet Vallathol Narayana Menon, was so impressed with Gopi’s chiselled dusky facial features, that the candidate was made to skip the test of make-up ahead of his induction as a trainee.) Soon after completion of his course in Kalamandalam, Gopi was recruited as a staffer in his alma-mater. The institution then had a minor Kathakali troupe for its up-and-coming artistes, and Gopi soon turned out to be a rising star among them.

By 1960s, his charming male protagonist roles found an equally graceful complement in the form of Kottakkal Sivaraman, who too gained name as a leading exponent of female roles on the stage. Gopi, together with Sivaraman, a pupil of Padma Shri Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, soon made a glorious couple, especially as Nala-Damayanti. They still adorn stages as Karna and Kunthi, Rugmangadan and Mohini among many other roles. Of late, Gopi has a younger colleague, Margi Vijayakumar, acting opposite him oftener.

Gopi, a recipient of the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi award, retired from Kalamandalam in 1992 as its principal, aged 55, after 36 years of tutorial service, and now stays in Mundoor, a village 12 km north of Thrissur, with his wife and two sons. He, however, is still busy as a Kathakali artiste — gracing stages across his native Kerala, and the rest of India and abroad (mostly during the cultural off-season in his state). Scholars and avid Kathakali watchers alike acknowledge him as a legitimate successor to the legacy of Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, arguably the greatest-ever Kathakali artiste, who died in 1990 at the age of 75.

World-famous filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan has made a documentary movie on the master. Titled Kalamandalam Gopi, the film won rave reviews across venues, and was shown at the International Film Festival of India in 2000 besides several prestigious festivals within India and the West and Far East. Incidentally, Gopi has also acted (without Kathakali make-up or costumes) in a couple of Malayalam feature films like Vanaprastham (directed by Shaji N. Karun) and Shantham (by Jayaraj).

Photo Gallery

Alarmel Valli

Alarmel Valli is  internationally acclaimed as a creative artist whose work reveals the infinite spaces within the traditional form, Alarmel Valli bases her dance on the principle that Bharatanatyam is a superbly evocative language, where the dancer who has mastered and internalised the idiom can write her personal dance poetry. In her choreography, drawing on her knowledge of music and the rich, nuanced vocabulary of classical Indian dance, Valli explores the complex layers of meaning in poems and lyrics, giving them a visual and melodic dimension. Trained by great masters, Pandanainallur Sri Chokkalingam Pillai and his son Sri Subbaraya Pillai, she has enriched her dance vocabulary and extended the frontiers of her dance tradition to evolve her own distinctive style, which has been described as “uniquely individualistic…an effortless synchronisation of apparent contradictions – linearity and lyricism, symmetry and sinuosity, precision and poetry”. Her work, while remaining within the framework of classical Indian dance, is contemporary in its interpretation and scope to communicate and has been lauded for creating an international awareness of Bharatanatyam, as a dynamic, continuously evolving, classical dance form. A foreign critic writes – “Valli’s dance, is movement as pure joy… An Alarmel Valli or Suzanne Farrel can literally embody, infinite subtleties of the emotions, intricacies of design, glimpses of the Divine. They can, momentarily at least, wrench order out of chaos”.

Alarmel Valli’s perception of dance has also been enriched by her study of Odissi, under renowned Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and Guru Ramani Ranjan Jena. Her study of Padams and Javalis under the eminent classical musician Smt.T.Muktha, of the Veena Dhanammal style of music, has helped her explore the ideal of dance as visual music. Her work expresses the subtle distinction, between the literal translation of the lyric into body language and the mature, evolved transmutation of music into movement. The late A.K.Ramanujan says of the classical Tamil anthologies of Sangam poetry, authored around 2000 years ago, that “not to know them, is not to know a unique and major poetic achievement of Indian civilisation.” Valli’s extensive research on these poems, which are remarkable for their richness, subtlety and contemporaneity, has resulted in a significant body of work, which is a fusion of the poetry of words, music and movement.

Recipient of numerous awards, in 1991, Alarmel Valli was the youngest dancer to be conferred the President’s award of “Padmasri”. In 2004 she was awarded one of India’s highest civilian awards – the ‘Padma Bhushan’, conferred by the President of India. In the same year, the Government of France conferred on her, one of its highest distinctions – the award of Chevalier des Arts at des Lettres. She was honoured by the State Government with the award of Kalaimamani and by being made the State Artist of Tamilnadu. She has received the title of Nritya Choodamani from the Krishna Gana Sabha in Madras, the ‘Grande Medaille de la Ville de Paris’ from the City of Paris, the Award of the Sangeet Natak Akademy- the apex body for Music, Dance and Drama in India. She founded ‘Dipashikha’ -a Centre for Fine Arts and has choreographed works for her students that have been presented in Japan and the US. Through lecture demonstrations, master classes, workshops and seminars in India and abroad, Valli shares her thoughts on Bharatanatyam and on tradition as a dynamic process of renewal and change. A few of the forums in which she has worked, include Spic Macay in India, the Societe Italiana del Flauto Dolce, The Philharmonic society in Rome, the International Sommertanzwochen in Vienna and Universities across the US.

A film on Alarmel Valli was made for the Omnibus series, on BBC 2, by producer Michael Macintyre. Alarmel Valli has also been featured in dance documentaries by noted Indian producers like the late G. Aravindan and Prakash Jha, by the BBC (in The Spirit of Asia Series), the Nederlands Broadcasting Company, Arte (France) and Japanese National Television. The Films Division of India commissioned a film on her for the Indian National Archives. Titled ‘Pravahi’, it has been directed by eminent film-maker Arun Khopkar, with cinematography by Madhu Ambat.

Contact

“Lavanya”, 236 Garden Road, Kilpauk
Chennai – 600 010, INDIA
Phone: 91 – 44 – 26411348 and 26412026
Fax: 91 – 44 – 26411348
E-mail: alarmelvalli@gmail.com

Chitra Visweswaran as Dancer , Researcher & Choreographer

Chitra

Chitra viswesaran, a bharathanatyam dancer, transcends technique and liberates herself from the rigidity of grammar-be it as dancer,teacher choreographer or researcher.Her cerebral curiosity, aesthetic vision and spiritual quest give the form her individual signature. Though Chitra Visweswaran’s formal training in dance began with Western Classical Ballet in London at the age of five, her first Guru, at the age of three, was actually her mother, Smt. Rukmini Padmanabhan, who was an excellent dancer trained in the Uday Shankar School of dance and Bharatanatyam. It is to her that Chitra owes her artistic and creative vision . To this was harnessed an insatiable intellectual and cerebral quest which she owes to her ther, Sri. N. Padmanabhan, a brilliant Engineer. After initiation into dance by her mother, Chitra undertook training in Western Classical Ballet in London, which was followed by training in Manipuri and Kathak in Calcutta . At the age of ten, she went under the tutelage of one of the best devadasis of Tiruvidaimardur , Smt.T.A Rajalakshmi, who was settled in Calcutta. Her Arangetram (first maiden performance) took place with ten months, an astonishingly short period to achieve the degree of proficiency that Chitra did.

She continued her Bharatanatyam training in Kolkata and in parallel, studied

Chitra

the Uday Shankar School of dance. Her youth spent at Kolkata was studded with frequent, laudable, noteworthy stage appearances. Not confining herself to the physical aspect of dancing alone, Chitra, taking full advantage of the frequent closures of Calcutta University studied dance theory, dance history, philosophy and world religion entirely on her own and subsequently became deeply involved in interdisciplinary search and research. In 1970, on completion of B.A. (Hons.) in English from Calcutta University, she received the National Scholarship for advanced study in Bharatanatyam from the Government of India, at a time when only two scholarships were awarded throughout the country. She spent her scholarship period of four years under the doyen of Bharatanatyam, Vazhuvoor Ramaiyya Pillai, at Chennai. Her experience as his sishya widened her aesthetic vision even as her earlier Gurus’ training gave her excellent grammar and technique. On completion of her scholarship, Chitra started working on her own, bringing together the gift from her Gurus and her knowledge of the cognate forms of arts, harnessing to it a scholastic approach and holistic vision in order to develop a wholly individualistic philosophy of movement and language of communication. Her repertoire which is vast and unique is born of intense research at all levels of interpretation.

Chitra’s first piece of choreography was at the age of eleven. At thirteen, she choreographed the life of Saint Thyagaraja in the Varnam format. Opening numbers, jathiswarams, varnams, padams, thillanas and short thematic presentations rapidly followed. Her skill as a group choreographer came to light with her first major dance drama “Devi Ashta Rasa Malika” which took Madras by storm, in 1980.Several solo thematic, dance drama and dance theatre productions followed.

Solo Thematic Presentations

* Krishnanjali
* Purandara Krishnamritham
* Sadaa Venkatesam Smarami
* Sivarpanam
* Om Sakthi
* Sapta Sapti
* Sthree Shakthi
* Vishwam Vishnumayam
* Naveena Niruparana
* Sri Arunachala Ramana
* Sri Venkatakavi Bhakti Manjari
* Siva Ganamruta Vaibhavam
* Sarasa Vasantham

Dance Drama/Dance theatre

* Devi Ashta Rasa Malik
* Thiruneelakantar
* Raghuvamsa Thilakam
* Ayothi Mannan
* Devaki Pulambal
* Dwarakanatham Bhaje
* Akshayadhara
* Jai Gange
* Maithreem Bhajatha
* Mary Magdelena
* Panchali
* Dasavatharam
* Nritya Srinkhala
* Shakti Prabhavam
* Pravaaha
* Sneha I(based on human values)
* Sneha II(revolving around environmental issues)
* Sneha III(the success story of a child who is a cancer survivor)
* Sneha IV(based on Gandhiji’s doctrines of Ahimsa, Harijan upliftment
and selfless love for ones country)
* Sneha V (based on the teachings of Maha Swami of the Kanchi Kamakoti
Peeta advocating peace and harmony)
* Agastiyar
* Guru Mahima
* Shanmukha Vaibhavam

Chidambaram Academy of Performing Arts

Her institution CAPA has grown extensively and has satellite institutions all over the world headed by present and past students. In order to maintain exclusive quality, admission is highly selective and restricted. The holistic approach of CAPA has led to several national and international scholarships and fellowships being awarded to its students. Here dance, music, nattuvangam, theory, stagecraft, lighting, teaching methodology, philosophy of movement and a deep study of the cognate art forms is stressed upon. Besides drawing great joy of sharing her knowledge with all those who desire it, Chitra now has an added motive in her life – to collect funds for RASA, an institution using creative dance and music therapy for special children with learning disabilities.

Chitra’s husband, Sri R.Visweswaran, nephew of the legendary Carnatic musician, G.N Balasubramaniam is a vocalist, instrumentalist and composer and has a long experience of working in the genre of film music. He plays the Kashmir Santoor, veena and is a self-taught Flamenco guitarist. His knowledge and experience come together in composing and directing great music for Chitra’s solo work and group productions, for which he also lends his voice. Together they are considered a contributive force to be reckoned with in the field of Classical Indian Dance. Chitra and Visweswaran celebrated the 25th anniversary of CAPA in 2000.

Awards

Padma Shri Award
Kalaimamani
Nrityachoodamani
Nritya Vilas
Natya Padmam
Natya kala sarathy
Nrithya Kala Siromani
Nritya Ratna
Stree Ratna Award

Amongst several other titles and awards from national and international cultural associations all over India.

Contact

10  Sri Labdi Colony,
Alwarpet,
Chennai – 600 018
Telefax : 91 44 499 2566,
Telephone : 91 44 499 0036
email : chitra@chitra-visweswaran.com

Choreography

Vyjayanthi Kashi

Vyjayanthi Kashi’s career spans an impressive spectrum of performance, choreography, therapy, teaching and research. Her solo dance recitals have revealed a distinctive style of which has been said that “the expressions of the face of  Kashi are so good that is seems they make one wonder. Every single muscle is following her.”…Gesten Verdichtet, Germany.

Her works has been featured in several international festivals including the Oriental Dance Festival Germany, Festival of India in Africa, India Film Festival in Malaga, Olympus Festival in Italy, the dance and music festival in US, International Dance & Music Festival in Egypt, Malta, Tunisia, Karmiel Dance Festival in Israel and many more.  She serves on the Arts and Cultural Committee of the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural, Government of India. She has been honored with several awards including Kala Shree, Zee Astitva, Araya Bhatta and Vocational Excellence Awards.

Vyjayanthi is a frequent presenter at international dance conferences and symposia. Her film and television credits include documentaries and interviews in the broadcasting media. She is a regular motivational speaker and workshop leader, speaking on Arts and life, dance and yoga, therapy and body language, creativity and collaborations in the arts. She serves on the Art & Cultural Committee of the Govt of India, Ministry of Culture. With a vision to promote artistic and professional excellence, she founded Shambhavi School of Dance in 1993 and trained many dance aspirants round the world.

Navarasa – nine sentiments
Ten directions – vedic chants
Women of india – The ultimate creation
Srishti – creation of the universe
Janani Janma Bhoomischa – for our mother land
Natyashastra – the essence of dance
Kunti – the epic woman
Ambe – tiny star of mahabharat
Saptapadi – the seven steps
Urvashi – origin of dance
Yagna – the sacrifice
Stabdha – the silence
Bhavya bhoomi – Tribute to India
Kshreesagara Mathana – churning of the milky ocean
Ardhanareeshwara – two energies creating balance
Basava Sandesha- A tribute to sage basavana
Kuchipudi Vaibhavam – the grandeur of Kuchipudi

Dance Therapy

Vyjayanthi Kashi is a pioneer in the field of Indian Dance Therapy. Her devotion and dedication to special need children elevated her as an iconoclast in this field.

Having mastered the art form for two decades, she has worked with physically and mentally challenged children in India and abroad and is constantly thriving to make them come out of their seclusion and isolation. She has made a difference in the lives of many HIV Positive, depressed women, the challenged using the strength and sanctity of Indian dance as a healing therapy and extends solace to the world.

Vyjayanthi has successfully conducted thought provoking therapeutic workshops for specialeducators, therapists, mental health professionals, universities, special needs institutions in India and abroad.

Through her innovative choreography, she has conceived and efficiently executed ‘Therapeutic Theatre Projects’ like Unity is Bliss, Introspection, Awake and many more which have won acclaim.

Contact

#601 9th C main 6th cross,
RPC layout, Vijayanagar 2nd Stage,
Bangalore 560 040
Contact Phone: +91-80-2335 7457
Mobile: +91-94481 46110
email: vyjudance@yahoo.com
Wbsite: www.vyjayanthikashi.com

Photo Gallery

Video Gallery

Photo Gallery

Sujata Mohapatra

A distinguished practitioner of Odissi; Ms. Sujata Mohapatra made her initial foray into the dancing arena in her early childhood. Born into a rich cultural background, she grew up in an artistic environment that delicately nourished her creativity and brought out her innate interest in dance.

As the disciple and daughter- in-law of the Late Guru Padmabibhushan Kelucharan Mohapatra, the legendary exponent of Odissi, she was blessed enough to inherit his ardent devotion and blind passion for the classical dance form. The eighteen years of rigorous training under the guidance of her Guru, had eventually moulded her into a graceful performer from a devoted and diligent disciple. She has also learnt Odissi and attended research work at the Odissi Research Centre, Bhubaneshwar.

Apart from being an excellent performer; Ms. Sujata Mohapatra is also actively involved in teaching Odissi. Presently, she holds the designation as the Principal of ‘Srjan’ (Odissi Nrityabhasa), a prime Odissi dance institution founded by Late Guru Padmabibhushan Kelucharan Mohapatra.

Contact

Sujata Mohapatra
Srjan, 1340, Kapilaprasad
Bhimatangi, Bhubaneswar-751020
Tele/Fax: 91-(0)674-592192
E-mail:srjanbbsr@yahoo.com

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