Kathakali maestro remembered

For TH

Disciples and friends on Sunday recalled maestro Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair's contributions to Kathakali.

Addressing a function organised by the Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair Memorial Trust, Kalamandalam Gopi said that Padmanabhan Nair's greatest contribution to Kathakali was creating a new generation of Kathakali actors.

“He devoted all his energy to training and kept the purity of the artform alive. The void left by him cannot be filled,” Mr. Gopi said.

Recalling his student days under Padmanabhan Nair, Mr. Gopi said: “I owe my achievements to him. His capacity as a teacher was immense.”

The function was attended by many disciples of Padmanabhan Nair, including Kalamandalam Kuttan and K.G. Vasudevan.

Padmanabhan Nair's wife Kalamandalam Sathyabhama also attended the function.

M.P.S. Namboodiripad, Kalamandalam Padmanabhan, Kavungal Divakara Panicker and Kalamandalam Haridas were present.

Son of legendary Kathakali guru Pattikkanthodi Ravunni Menon, Padmanabhan Nair was an alumnus of Kerala Kalamandalam.

He later became a teacher at the institution and retired as its principal in 1990.

Scholar Killimangalam Vasudevan Namboodiripad was honoured at the function.

The staging of the Kathakali play, ‘Kalyana Sougandikam', followed the meeting.