Margi Sajeev
| Picture Credit score: Particular Association
Margi Sajeev Narayana Chakyar because the love-smitten Ravana sits glued to his peetam (stool) for a bit over three hours and slowly, utilizing solely his eyes and face, portrays the expressions on Ravana’s ten faces as they react to Sita’s magnificence. As Soorpanakha, his act evokes sympathy for the demoness. Each position that’s bodily demanding or wants lengthy intervals of focus is protected within the palms of this versatile actor.
A day-long occasion on June 2 to honour Sajeev on his sixtieth birthday was an event for the Koodiyattam group to rejoice the artwork type and on the similar time voice issues over its future. A standard chorus heard from many gurus and audio system is the failure to attract new college students, particularly boys, due to the shortage of patronage confronted by the artistes.
Sajeev, who has spent 45 years as a Koodiyattam actor and guru, says little or no has modified on this respect. “I nonetheless bear in mind the day I moved to Thiruvananthapuram from Moozhikkulam with my youthful brother Madhu. It was shortly after my arangetram at age 14. The transfer got here after Margi (well-liked establishment) began Koodiyattam courses and my father was appointed the trainer. We had been enthusiastic about going to an enormous metropolis however on the similar time like all Koodiyattam practitioners questioned if the artwork type can present a livelihood.”
Margi Sajeev making use of make up earlier than a efficiency at Ammannur Chachu Chakyar Gurukulam, Irinjalakuda
| Picture Credit score:
THULASI KAKKAT
Sajeev recollects with a chuckle that he and his brother began studying typewriting and shorthand as a backup choice, with half-hearted permission from his gurus. “Although I’m blissful to say right this moment that we by no means needed to fall again on it, the query of an unsure future continues to hassle Koodiyattam college students. It’s not simple to attract new learners. Some dropout halfway whereas some others take up different professions.
Sajeev, at the moment the pinnacle of Koodiyattam at Margi Thiruvananthapuram, was skilled within the conventional gurukula by his father Kochukuttan Chakyar and his uncle Ammannur Madhava Chakyar.
Koodiyattam was present process seismic shifts when Sajeev was rising up. The ritual artwork type, carried out solely in temples, moved to the efficiency area. As soon as taught solely at gurukulas run by the Chakyar households, coaching started to be imparted at establishments when Kerala Kalamandalam, now a performing arts college, provided courses in Koodiyattam for the primary time in 1965. And Koodiyattam ceased to be the unique area of Chakyar and Nambiar communities.
Margi Sajeev Narayana Chakyar, Margi Akhil and Kalamandalam Sindhu within the roles of Mayarama , Mayalakshmana and Sita, respectively.
| Picture Credit score:
Jawaharji Okay
In response to Sajeev, there have been main modifications on this planet of Koodiyattam — in the best way it’s taught and carried out, in its costumes, and in new tales which might be being tailored. Ammannur, a visiting professor at Margi, used to observe the gurukula system. “There was no syllabus. We took up a brand new story or position solely when our gurus thought we had mastered what was being taught. For instance, we did Nithyakriya, a preliminary pure dance sequence, for 3 years.”
The state of affairs had modified by the point Sajeev grew to become a trainer at Margi. “Now college students need to steadiness lecturers and Koodiyattam coaching. At Margi, we tailored by introducing weekend courses carried out from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Later these had been shortened to forenoon classes. Koodiyattam grew to become secondary to formal training.”
However Sajeev is reasonable and says such modifications are inevitable. “We should adapt to the altering instances with out compromising on the inherent values of the artwork type.”
Margi Sajeev Narayana Chakyar as Kaundinya
| Picture Credit score:
Jawaharji Okay
Sajeev finds younger Koodiyattam artistes gifted and dedicated. “However they lack alternatives. A lot of the Koodiyattam programmes now are of two-or three-hour length. So younger artistes have information of a restricted repertoire. There are only some venues the place the lengthy type of Koodiyattam is offered.”
Nonetheless, Sajeev is blissful that Nepathya at Moozhikkulam phases full performances in collaboration with students led by Prof David Shulman of Jerusalem College. “The Sangeet Natak Akademi has additionally been performing some nice work by its Koodiyattam Kendra in Thiruvananthapuram. We have to protect the one surviving Sanskrit theatre,” says Sajeev.
