‘Banayudham’ (Bana’s Battle), authored by Balakavi Rama Sasthri (1772 -1840), is considered a ‘southern’ (thekkan) play. All the scenes of the play, except its opening one, used to be staged at festival grounds, mostly in South Kerala. Training centres in North Kerala, especially Kerala Kalamandalam, have not yet included this play in their curricula.
Connoisseurs as well as lay men used to throng venues to watch ace actors such as Chengannur Raman Pillai and Pallippuram Gopalan Nair donning the role of Bana, Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair and Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair enacting the roles of Bana’s beautiful daughter Usha and her companion Chithralekha respectively and Vechur Raman Pillai and Champakkulam Pachu Pillai shining on the stage as Bana’s minister Kumbhanda or as the personified anger (jvaram) of either Siva or of Vishnu.
The great grandson of Prahlada and son of Mahabali, Bana, the formidable demon king of Mahishmathi, had a thousand arms. Usha becomes besotted by Aniruddha, Krishna’s grandson, when she beholds him in a dream. Chithralekha surreptitiously brings Aniruddha to Usha’s private apartment. The king imprisons him. When Krishna’s forces are obstructed by Sivajvaram, Krishna challenges Bana to a fight and humbles him by chopping off all but four of his arms. Ultimately Usha and Aniruddha are united in wedlock.
The contexts of splendour in ‘Banayudham’ are the scenes involving the interaction of artistically dexterous Chithralekha and charmingly naïve Usha, and Bana’s majestic-cum-humorous description of the sights at the portals usually referred to as ‘Gopuraattam’.
In a recent performance in the capital city, only Bana’s role was highlighted. Kalamandalam Pradeep essayed the role. His thiranottam (when a character plays peek-a-boo with the audience with the help of a ceremonial curtain) naturally adhered to the northern style. The blatant romantic scene, however, appeared to be inappropriate. It is the not-too-laudable outcome of the playwright blindly following the tradition that a top class ‘kurumkathi’ character like Bana should invariably have the opportunity to exhibit his adeptness in amorous games also. The text of the play, as per Rama Sasthri’s script, begins with another romantic scene involving Lord Krishna and his consorts. Discerning organisers drop such scenes so that time can be profitably allotted to present more significant parts of the play.
Kalamandalam Pradeep’s presentation of the following sequences was impressive: providing dexterous percussion accompaniment to Lord Siva’s dance; ‘Gopuraattam’, involving interactions with Nandikesvara, Ganapathi and finally with Lord Siva himself; sympathising with the Lord for various reasons; contemptuously brushing aside Siva’s statement that before long he would come across a hero who would be his match.
Bana’s consort, Kumbhanda, Parvathi, Nandikeswara and Ganapathi were assigned to young artistes trained in Kalamandalam: Athul handled the first three; and Arunjith and Mahesh the last two respectively. They excelled in aahaaraya and acting.
The text was not familiar to singers Kalamandalam Jayaprakash and Kalanilayam Sinu but they rendered it flawlessly. Kalamandalam Krishnadas (chenda) provided inspiring support to the actors and Margi Ravindran’s maddalam was in harmony with the chenda. The play was organised under the aegis of Drisyavedi.
