Perhaps there’s none that we know who would still perform at the age of 99, but for Kathakali maestro Chamancheri Kunjiraman of Kerala, dancing comes naturally. It was a very moving occasion when Kuchipudi exponent Ramadevi, a Keralite, but born here, recounted the achievements while recalling Kuniraman at a function arranged at Ravindra Bharati to present an award named after her mother Meenakshi Amma, to this veteran Kathakali and Kerala Nartanam exponent. She lamented that none in the central government thought of awarding the exponent, not even ‘Padma Shri’. Kunjiraman could not make it to the function but sent his son Sankar to receive the award on his behalf.
Kunjiraman’s life story has many a hues that inspire many a young dancer of the present generation. In fact, when Ramadevi was narrating this guru’s story there was applause all around. Kunjiraman is particularly known for the role of Srikrishna, his choice character, for he was known to play this role in Mahabharata or Bhagavatha themes at least a thousand times. Ramadevi says he is good at Kerala Nartanam too. Chemancheri, is near his village Cheliya, where he was born. At the age of 15 he joined ‘Radhakrishna Kathakali yogum troupe’. Ironically it was theatre artiste Govind Menon who introduced him to Karunakara Menon who taught him Kathakali, the art he is still practicing and teaching. He is trained in different modes of dance — Kacha Kettal, Kanji, Kalari. Later he began giving plenty of performances that lasted whole night.
After Kunjiraman’s guru passed away the dance unit also got disbanded, immobilising Kunjiraman. Later he became part of Kadathanattu Kathakalai Yogam, but old values of the system began changing. He created a style almost akin to Kathakali. In Fifties he got trained in ‘Kerala Nartanam’ and ‘Mohiniyattam’ by Kalamandalam Madhavan Nair, creativity ruling the roost that helped him to teach students. He also learned Bharatanatyam too. He opened a couple of schools in Malabar and began teaching these arts. It was said that he even taught these dances to artistes in a circus company at their request and began touring with them for a while. He opened many schools including his ‘Cheliya Kathakali Vidyalayam’ at his village in the Eighties.
As Kunjiraman’s base dance art Kathakali was losing its grip on audience, he brought together all his artistes and created a troupe of his own close to his home. His dream till now is to stage Kathakali, even at this advanced age. It was said that he happened to have a darsan of Mahatma Gandhi to whom he donated some of his valuable ornaments in 1934. He still keeps his spirits alive to be in touch with his art teaching students at his Cheliya Kathakali Vidyalaya at Koyilandy. Krishna’s role in ‘Kuchela Vritham’ remains his favourite for it was his master who played Kuchela with him. He was recipient of Kerala Kalamandalam award and a Fellowship in 1999. Looking at his age and vigour to promote Kathakali, his students are trying to get his name recorded in Guinness Book of world Records.
