Cherukolpuzha, a small village nestling in the Pampa river basin in the upstream of Kozhencherry will be hosting a Kathakali festival, Kathakali Mela, organised by District Kathakali Club, from January 7 to 13.
The Kathakali Club secretary, V.R.Vimalraj and S. Dileepkumar, vice-president, said the week-long Kathakali Mela would be held at the specially prepared venue at the historic sandbed of river Pampa at Cherukolpuzha.
District Panchayat president Annapoornadevi, will inaugurate the Kathakali Mela at 5.30 p.m. on Monday. Kathakali Club president V.N.Unni will preside over the inaugural function.
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Veteran Kathakali vocalist Kalamandalam Jayaprakash will be presented with this year’s Natya Bharati Award instituted by the club on the occasion. T.N.Upendranatha Kurup, club patron’ Thomas Thampi, panchayat president, and Zacharia Mathew, club treasurer, will also take part.
The seventh part of the Thayambaka Arangettom by the Kalamandalam Centre at Ayroor will be held at 6.30 p.m. A Kathakali on ‘Uthara-swayamvarom’ will be staged at 7 p.m.
The `Lavanasura-vadhom’ Kathakali will be staged at 7 p.m on Tuesday.
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Kathakali on Kalakeya-vadhom Part-I, Kalakeya-vadhom Part-2, Nalacharithom Part-II, Nalacharithom Part-III, and Duryodhana-vadhom will be staged at 7 p.m. on all the remaining days from January 9 to 13.
Raju Abraham, MLA, will inaugurate the valedictory meet to be held on January 13 afternoon. Club patron P.S.Nair will preside over the function and Jose Parakkadavil, former principal of Thuruthicaud BAM College, will deliver the keynote address.
Ayroor Sadasivan Award
Manu V. Kadammanitta, vocalist, and K.B.Raj Anand, Kathakali critic, will be presented with the Ayroor Sadasivan Award and the Ayroor Raman Pillai Award respectively on the occasion.
The annual Kathakali fest will come to a close with the staging of the ‘Duryodhana-vadhom’ Kathakali, later.