The mother-of-all-fests is well in gear, the competition is cutting edge and the frenzy enough to challenge a cricket match.
The 55th Kerala State School Youth Festival underway in the city is warming up to a thumping climax. Competitors battle it out in 232 events that intend to be a snapshot of Kerala’s cultural identity. Classical arts fighting for life, folk forms in the fringes and local performance forms that never lived beyond small festivals are equal participants at the fest. Koodiyattam and Chakiarkoothu, Daffmuttu and Arabanamuttu, Margamkalli and Chavittunatakam, Naadanpaattu and Vanchippatu all have their place. MetroPlus speaks to veterans in five chosen fields on what the inclusion of their art in the fest has done to it.
Harish Nambiar
Koothu artiste on Chakyarkoothu
I have judged Chakyarkoothu performances at the youth festival for nine years. Chakyarkoothu has been part of the fest for many years now. For instance, I won the first prize in Chakyarkoothu as a class 10 student over 20 years ago.
With the form part of the festival, those who want to learn it without losing its intrinsic artistic value, has risen. Traditional performance arts like this are part of the State school curriculum. So, there is already a collective understanding of the form which grows when a student takes it up for performance. The competition becomes the “goal” in sight.
Chakyarkoothu at the fest is largely taught and performed the way it should be; the manual of conditions is often followed strictly. In the span of 20 minutes, the essence of Chakyarkoothu is showcased. Until a few years ago, girls were allowed to take part in the Chakyarkoothu competition and the level of performance was worthy of appreciation.
At the State level, professionals take care of the backdrop like mizhavu, pakkavadyam and costume. So there are no false notes there. The only person who can go wrong in this system is the student performer.
However, the flip is when parents consider it merely a competition. Art dies when grace marks become the first priority. From a judging point of view, it would be better if teachers taught competitors different prabandham (texts). In most cases, competitors would have taken up the same text with the same chorus. It definitely lessens the quality and is never challenging enough for a judge. Often students learn from the CD given to them by the teacher. If there is an unscripted cough on the tape — the teacher would have coughed because he badly wanted to — it would be copied diligently by the performer. The element of “opportune reaction” — an awareness about when to make a satirical observation from what a Chakyar sees unfolding in front of him at a given moment — is what a competitor needs to cultivate. That brings vibrancy to a performance and one learns about that better from the gurumugham — at least one would never copy a misplaced cough.
Mathews A.C.
Naadanpattu performer
Naadanpattu is fairly new to the fest; in fact this is the third year of competition. I have been a Naadanpattu performer for the past 15 years and the performance group Wayanad Naattukoottam was born seven years ago.
With the item now part of the festival, the market value of Naadanpattu teachers have suddenly shot up. So too the reach of the form. A few children who are already part of our troupe along with a few others are taking part in the fest this year. From the traditional base of Naadanpaattu, the form is now reaching out to new performers. For the small section already performing it, it is a way of life, something they might take up professionally. When it spreads beyond, it creates a sense of understanding and empathy towards marginalised life and culture.
However, false notes arise when Naadanpaattu is merely taken up as a competition event. Often the tradition of it is not taken seriously. For instance, when it comes to the music of the tribespeople, there are 52 gothras and each has its songs. It is impossible for the judges to be familiar with the music of all the gothras. It is definitely possible to take them for a ride once. For instance, some songs attributed to the Vedar community was performed which was completely in Malayalam. To begin with the Vedar language is never pure Malayalam, but a mix of Tamil and Malayalam.
A foolproof method would be to have the lyrics and history of a song submitted like they do for theatre. That way judges can have a fair idea of the authenticity of the song and can also do their homework. Also, Naadanpattu is hardly tightly composed. So when extremely tuneful compositions walk away with the top slots it is likely that competitors might prefer these tight compositions to the ones that are true to tradition.
Margi Sathi
Koodiyattam performer on Koodiyattam and Nangiarkoothu
Koodiyattam has been an item at the youth festival for many years while Nangiarkoothu came in a years ago. The inclusion of these ancient performing arts may have created an awareness about it among the young; but the way it has been performed has often broken my heart.
Koodiyattam and Nangiarkoothu are performing traditions that have been preserved through generations. I don’t know where the fault is, but at the fests, the chollals (rendering) has at times come out of CDs and the crowns have been carved out of thermocol.
If the scramble earlier was for the first and second spot, now it is for school points. Teachers too get entangled in this mad scramble for school points. They should desist that — they are the ones who teach. Parents often bring their child to me insisting he or she is interested in the art form. By the time I start with the basic eye exercises, subtle requests would come in to prepare the child for the fest. I resist that, but there have been instances when they have put the child on stage with the help of others.
It takes a child two to three years to perform Koodiyattam and Nangiarkoothu on stage with at least a semblance of professionalism. I have had students who have trained under me for six years and yet did not win the top slot which eventually went to celebrity performers.
What should change is the perception of competition. Healthy competition is always good. When I see the hue and cry over fests today, I remember the fests when I was a student. Each of the 14 contestants showcasing an art form were the finest examples of exemplary talent and dedication. I just need to close my eyes to remember those performances again despite the years gone by.
Thambi Payyapalli
Chavittunatakam artiste
I have been a Chavittunatakam artiste for the past 32 years and I am part of the Yuvajana Chavittunatakam Kala Samithi at Gothuruth, Ernakulam. About 60-70 years ago, one play was performed over 15 nights. Then it shrunk to three days, nine hours, then five and now no performance is over three hours long. At the fests, Chavittunatakam is given a 20-minute slot.
Chavittunatakam was introduced at the fest three years ago and I have been an active part in it these years. I am also training students for the event and this year 120 students of mine across eight districts are taking part. At most schools, training begins soon after the vacation and most of them would have been trained for 8-9 months.
Probably because of the colourful costume and high drama, I think Chavittunatakam was always popular among students. It has been part of annual festivals, so many are familiar with it. When a play is compressed into 20-minutes, the intention is to incorporate into the limited time all the vital ingredients of the form — be it the chuvadukala (foot movements), paatu (songs), thalam (rhythm) and costume. One or two segments of a play are often performed. Since it is a form with a lot of thandava movements, children with stamina are often chosen. The choice of the performing 10 is often made from 50-100 aspirants. I would say that the artistic value of the form has not been diluted to suit a festival format. In fact, it has seen a resurrection.
Of course, there would be children who consider it another event to get some extra marks. But there are also those who persist and have travelled with our troupe for performances in various cities.
Mangat Kunhimoosa
Kolkali and Kalaripayattu performer
I have been a kolkali performer for the past 20 years. On a routine basis, our Choorakkodi Kalari Sangam has at least five performances a month. Kolkali has been part of the fest for long and it is one event which gets children very excited. It is a physically active performance form which has for company old mappila songs, an engaging rhythm and the music of the kol (stick). It whips up an energy which is infectious and peaks in the climax. The sheer sight of Kolkali artistes, performers all of the same height and similar physique, in itself is pleasing.
By being part of festivals, Kolkali has effectively moved out of its traditional performing spaces which were weddings and religious festivals. A Kolkali performance can go on for two hours, but at the fest, the time slot is for 20 minutes. I am giving training to students from a couple of schools and since I am also a Kalaripayattu performer, I try to bring a physical flexibility to Kolkali. Being a fest event has definitely raised awareness about the form. A lot of people who are keen to learn come to me. There will always be students who come to a traditional form to earn a few extra marks. However, as Kolkali happens to be a very physical form, many return and continue to learn to keep themselves fit.
