As per conventions of the Koodiyattam stage, presentation of the first act, known as ‘Parnasaalaankam’ , of Sakthibhadra’s Sanskrit play Ascharyachoodamani requires about 30 hours spread over 16 days.
Although Koodiyattam is usually described as Kerala’s ancient theatre of Sanskrit plays, the actors do not confine themselves to the play’s text. They follow the elaborate manual of acting ( attaprakaram ) penned by maestros, endowed with astonishing insight into aesthetic beauty and shed light on all aspects of the playwright’s statement, including subtexts.
In a recent performance in the capital city, Kapila Venu essayed the role of Lalitha in the episode of Soorpanakha in Ascharyachoodaamani . Lalitha is the beautiful form assumed by the demoness Soorpanakha, Ravana’s widowed sister.
The origin of the Rakshasa clan, Ravana capturing Lanka, the demon king’s wedding, how Soorpanakha becomes a widow and her present mission in search of an eligible spouse constituted the first part of Lalitha’s ‘nirvahanam’, serving as the backdrop of the second part.
Kapila Venu during the Ascharyachoodamani Koodiyattam recital
She traverses all parts of the universe but rejects all the gods she meets for various reasons. Dissatisfied with everyone with some standing among the gods, she returns to her starting point, Janasthana. While roaming on the banks of the river Godavari, she comes across Rama and is enchanted by him.
Kapila delineated the above sequence of events dexterously, showcasing her prowess on stage. Moving away from the beaten path, she embellished her presentation with imaginative and contextually appropriate improvisations involving a detailed comparison of the physical features of Rama and herself. Subsequently, through her magical powers, Soorpanakha conceals her fierce and uncouth features and assumes the form of the enchantress,Lalitha.
Rama’s response to the damsel’s proposal was enacted through the technique of ‘kettaattam’, which is essentially a delineation of what the character on the stage listens to. Following Rama’s advice, she approaches Lakshmana, whose attractive features equal that of Rama’s and impress her.
Kapila’s presentation extended beyond the traditional limits of Lalitha’s ‘nirvahanam’ and spread over to some of the initial scenes of the subsequent section. Laudably, this helped her build into the presentation of impressive layers of transformational acting.
Kalamandalam Narayanan Nambiar and Kalamandalam Vineesh on the mizhavu and Kalanilayam Kaladharan on the edakka, supported by Margi Usha on the thalam, lent a fitting ambience to Kapila’s nuanced show.
The performance was held under the aegis of SNA Kutiyattam Kendra.
