Though Koodiyattom, a classical Sanskrit theatre tradition of Tamilagam (Tamil-speaking Southern peninsula) has its earliest recorded reference in the 1500-year old Tamil epic, ‘Silappadikaram’, it is believed to be more than 2,000 years old. It was re-structured into its present avatar by the Chera King, Kulasekara Varma in the 11th century and in 2001, it was officially recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Koodiyattom was performed as a temple ritual by men of the Chakyar community along with women of the Ambalavasi Nambiar community in specially-erected Koothambalams within the temple premises. The performances took place at night after the temple rituals were over and concluded before the morning ceremonies. It is believed that in some temples, the door to the sanctum sanctorum would remain open during the performance in deference to the offering being made.
A Koodiyattom play lasts several days -- on the first day, the invocatory rituals and the ‘Purappadu’ which includes abstract movements, take place; for the next few days is the ‘Niravaahanam’ or the flashback, in which each main character introduces himself or herself and describes his or her past including past lives. The vidushaka or the court-jester comes next; he relates the story of the play in Prakrit or Malayalam. The play is enacted on the final day with as many characters as necessary -- the name Koodiyattom is derived from the ‘coming together of artists’. There is no time for an entire story to be enacted, it is most often restricted to one incident or one act from a play.
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‘Uthareeyam,’ a society promoting the classical art forms of Kerala in Chennai, presented a Koodiyattom play, ‘Jatayuvadhnka,’ the fourth act from Aascharyachoodamani by Shakti Bhadra Kavi. While it was thrilling to watch perhaps the oldest theatre tradition in the world, the experience was made more powerful by the accomplished artists, Painkulam Narayana Chakyar (Jatayu) and Ammannur Rajaneesh Chakiyar (Ravana) along with Kalapeedam Aswathy Prasad (Seeta), Kalapeedam Rahul (suta), Kalamandalam Ravikumar, Kalamandalam Vineesh, Kalamandalam Vineeth (mizhavu), Kalanilayam Unnikrishnan (edakka), Kalamandalam Nikhil (chutti) and Kalapeedam Anamika (thalam).
This art form has no music and no pure dance. It is undiluted natya, theatre, with only bhava and rasa at the forefront. The dialogue is in the form of Sanskrit slokas recited in a peculiar elongated manner within the framework of ‘swaras’ that are set tunes for every mood. It is, in a sense an austere art form.
But once you work through the peculiarities of the style, you will appreciate the finer aspects of the acting that is subtle and skilful. The play begins at the exact moment Ravana’s disguise as maya Rama slips. Seeta is shivering in fright and Ravana is puzzled by the happening. He launches into a soliloquy, ‘Naham bandhuragaathri...’ in which he tries to calm Seeta promising to protect her and convincing her of his valour. He goes on to describe Seeta’s beauty in a varnana- kama charam. There is a structure for the description- the ‘Panchangam’ covers five aspects- hair, eyes, face, breasts and feet. He alternates her beauty with her present fearful state, capturing both sides with delicacy.
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Jatayu is a special character with special make-up and specific movements, but he had a dramatic soliloquy as well when he taunts Ravana, ‘Jaanaami jaanaami.. Kailasa sanumathi...’, listing his failures in fights. A heated exchange between them leads to a physical fight in which Jatayu is fatally wounded.
The play goes back to the opening scene with a shivering Seeta (who maintained the same sthayi throughout), a reassuring Ravana now ready to move on and a compliant charioteer. Koodiyattom maybe an old art form, but it is certainly one of the most sophisticated.