The long-pending demand for a fitting memorial to legendary Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon who redefined Kathakali during early 20th Century will be a reality soon with his daughter donating 20 cents of land in the artists’ village Vellinezhi, near here.
It was on Monday Pattikkamthodi’s daughter Cherukandath Padmavathiyamma handed over the land to the local grama panchayat for the memorial and the location where the artist was laid to rest in 1948 falls in the piece of land.
The memorial, which would comprise a smrithi mandiram, Kathakali kalari and auditorium, will add to the attractions of the ongoing artists’ village project initiated in Vellinezhi by the State government. The multi-crore project will showcase Vellinezhi as a live cultural museum to the world outside.
Located on the banks of Bharathapuzha’s tributary Kunthipuzha, the scenic village is known for keeping alive over 40 performing art forms of Kerala.
Rich legacy
Vellinezhi has a rich legacy of evolving the most popular and refined style of performing Kathakali, the world famous Kalluvazhi Chitta. In evolving the style, the contributions of Pattikkamthodi are immense.
According to P.K. Sasi, MLA, ₹25 lakh has been sanctioned from his local area development fund for the memorial for Pattikkamthodi. The ₹2-crore project will be completed in a year.
On completion, the memorial will support over four dozen training centres in the village for Kathakali in Kalluvazhi Chitta. Vellinezhi has a large number of training centres for other performing arts like Koodiyattom and Thullal.
The legendary artist promoted Kathakali for 60 years till his death. Pattikkamthodi was an integral part of the reviving process of Kathakali in the 1930s. When Kerala Kalamandalam was started, Pattikkamthodi became its first head.
He is known for his Manodharma (power of imagination) Abhinaya among the connoisseurs.
