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Flawless characterisation

Awesome presentation: Kalamandalam Rama Chakyar as Ravana.

While Koodiyattam, the sole extant form of traditional Sanskrit theatre, remained for many years a rarefied ritualistic art form, it was Prabandhakoottu that helped establish a sustainable rapport between a Chakyar on stage and the audience he addressed within the Koothambalam or in the Nalambalam. Koodiyattam and Nangiarkoothu came out of the Koothambalams in the Sixties. With UNESCO recognising this hoary heritage of histrionics as an intangible asset of humanity, both the forms have gained acceptance in some of the more familiar cultural and artistic milieus within Kerala and outside. Yet the most popularly known genre akin to this theatre tradition is the Prabandhakoottu.

Among those few practitioners of Koothu today, Kalamandalam Rama Chakyar is an indomitable presence in the temple festivals and cultural events all over Kerala and abroad. He had also worked for a while at the Theater Department of Stony Brook University in the United States. The Kerala Sangeeta Natak Akademi honoured this master for his contributions to Koothu and Koodiyattam. The Kalamandalam Award came his way several years ago.

Koyappa Chakyar Madhom in Painkulam village of Thrissur district has a glorious lineage of Chakyars who captivated samajikaas with their sterling performances in the theatre segment of Koodiyattam plays and in the Prabandhakoothu. Kalamandalam Rama Chakyar, grand nephew of the legendary Painkulam Rama Chakyar, was privileged to be part of the training sessions and performance events that revealed the genius of his uncle in his traditional profession. His father, Ammannoor Parameswara Chakyar, was known for his matchless erudition in the kramadeepikas and aattaprakarams. Young Raman was exposed to the science and aesthetics of Koothu and Koodiyattam from childhood onwards.

When Painkulam Rama Chakyar stepped out of the confines of his house to the expanse of Kalamandalam in 1965, he took young Raman along with him and continued to impart conscientious training to him in the text, contexts and characterisations of plays such as ‘Subhadradhananjayam,’ ‘Thapathisamvaranam,’ ‘Soorpanakhangam,’ ‘Jatayuvadham,’ ‘Baalivadham,’ ‘Thoranayudham,’ ‘Bhagavadajjukam’ and so on.

The cholliyattakkalari of Koodiyattam at the Kalamandalam became instrumental for Raman to gain authority over the techniques of the four-fold concept of abhinaya. In the physical enactment and psychic explorations of characters, there was no room for ambiguities and enigmatic definitions since his great guru had an independent and rational mindset that thrust aside unnecessary rituals and conventions hitherto associated with Koothu and Koodiyattam. The young Rama Chakyar quickly realised the ways and means of transformation of both the forms from the rigidities of traditionalism to the necessities of professionalism.

With the generous support from cultural icons like Kapila Vatsyayan and Paris-based Milena Salvini, Kalamandalam could then open up numerous opportunities for its young disciples of Koodiyattam. Raman promptly grew up to be acknowledged widely as Kalamandalam Rama Chakyar.

While Rama Chakyar has proved himself to be reasonably good in Pacha and Kathi roles in Koodiyattam, his potential in mime and vachikabhinaya find their fullest expression as Vidooshakas, Sugriva, Hanuman, Jatayu and Soorpanakha.

As Kaundinya who closely follows Arjuna during his pilgrimage in the ‘Subhadradhananjayam’ play, Rama Chakyar is an accomplished storyteller. His nirvahanam that succeeds the sringara- laden scenes of Arjuna and Subhadra is an amazing blend of humour, sarcasm and enduring conflict of desires that dictate human life.

In the profoundly fascinating farce ‘Bhagavadajjukam’ of Bodhayana, Rama Chakyar has immortalised Saandilya, the one and only deferential disciple of Bhagavan, a sanyasin. The contrast between the sanyasin who has forsaken all worldly pleasures and Saandilya who is besieged by worldly temptations gives food for thought and evokes laughter through the words and actions of Rama Chakyar. There is never a jaded moment in the four-hour edited version of the farce in which the lead character all through is Saandilya.

The flavour and tenor of the Tamil-mixed old Malayalam spoken by Soorpanakha in ‘Soorpanakhangam’ is an awesome presentation of Rama Chakyar. He provides an intense theatrical expression to the insatiable lust and rage of this character who is rejected by Lord Rama and mutilated by Lakshmana. The simmering rage of Soorpanakha converging with the pangs of her unrequited love is a histrionic high point of the play.

The mythical bird Jatayu is yet another memorable character Rama Chakyar is famous for. In ‘Jatayuvadham,’ his enactment of the ‘pakshisthobham’ (predetermined set of movements to establish the character) followed by the precisely executed footsteps in Lakshmi talam carries a distinctive grace. Rama Chakyar as the intrepid Hanuman and as the cowardly Sugriva in ‘Balivadham’ is deeply engraved in the minds of true rasikas.

Koodiyattam needs discerning audience to appreciate it completely while Prabandhakoothu can be enjoyed by the uninitiated too. Rama Chakyar’s recognition as an artiste is largely dependent on the magical power of his diction, voice control, wit and wisdom when he appears on stage as the irresistible storyteller. His diatribes against those sitting amidst the audience could at times be personal yet have wider political and cultural ramifications.

Experienced listeners have found in his Koothu the inflection of Ammannoor Madhava Chakyar and the witticism of Painkulam Rama Chakyar.

All his achievements not withstanding, sadly Rama Chakyar has not been able to groom a gifted successor who has inherited his myriad qualities to carry on such a priceless tradition. It is high time he invested a legacy for posterity.

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