Chakyar Koothu (pronounced ) is a performance art from
Kerala, India. It is primarily a type of highly refined
monologue
In theatre, a monologue (from el, μονόλογος, from μόνος ''mónos'', "alone, solitary" and λόγος ''lógos'', "speech") is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes a ...
where the performer narrates episodes from
Hindu epics (such as the ''
Ramayana'' and the ''
Mahabharata'') and stories from the
Puranas
Purana (; sa, , '; literally meaning "ancient, old"Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature (1995 Edition), Article on Puranas, , page 915) is a vast genre of Indian literature about a wide range of topics, particularly about legends an ...
.
Sometimes, however, it is also a traditional equivalent of the modern
stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedy, comedic performance to a live audience in which the performer addresses the audience directly from the stage. The performer is known as a comedian, a comic or a stand-up.
Stand-up comedy consists of One-line joke ...
act, incorporating commentary on current socio-political events (and personal comments directed at the members of the audience).
The performance
"Koothu" means dance ... which is a misnomer, as facial expressions are emphasized and there is minimal
choreography
Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which Motion (physics), motion or Visual appearance, form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design ...
. It is performed in the
Koothambalam; a place inside Hindu temples specifically designed for performing
Kutiyattam and Chakyar Koothu. Ideally, the performance takes place in conjunction with festivals, presented by members of the
Chakyar community along with the
Ambalavasi Nambiars.
It is a solo performance, by a narrator in a distinctive headgear and black moustache with his torso smeared with sandalwood paste and red dots all over the body. The headgear resembles snake’s hood, to symbolise the narration by Anantha, the thousand headed serpent.
The Chakyar narrates the story based on the Sanskrit style of "
Champu Prabandha" - a mixture of prose (''
gadya'') and poetry (''
shloka''). He begins with a prayer to the deity of the temple. He then goes on to narrate a verse in Sanskrit before explaining it in Malayalam. The narration uses wit and humor to draw parallels with current events and local situations.
Koothu has traditionally been performed only by the
Chakyar community. Two instruments accompany the performance - a
mizhavu and a pair of
ilathalam
Elathalam, or Ilathalam, is a metallic musical instrument which resembles a miniature pair of cymbals. This instrument from Kerala in southern India is completely made out of bronze and has two pieces in it.
Elathalam is played by keeping one pa ...
. This is different from the
Nangiar Koothu, which is performed by women called
Nangyaramma
The Nambiar (also written as Nambyar) is a Hindu Ambalavasi caste of Kerala.
Ambalavasi Nambiars wear sacred thread like Brahmins and is traditionally considered as a higher caste to Nairs including same name bearing Nair-Nambiar caste which us ...
s who belong to the
Nambiar caste, and is a more highly refined theatre art.
Māni Mādhava Chākyār
Chakyar Koothu was originally performed only in Koothambalams of Hindu temples. It was ''Natyacharya''- meaning a great teacher and practitioner of ''natyam'' (dramaturgy), a title accorded in his honour-
Padma Shri Māni Mādhava Chākyār, a virtuoso of this art, who took Koothu and Kudiyattam outside the temples to the common people. He was the first to perform Chakyar Koothu for
All India Radio and
Doordarshan
Doordarshan (abbreviated as DD; Hindi: , ) is an Indian public service broadcaster founded by the Government of India, owned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and one of Prasar Bharati's two divisions. One of India's largest bro ...
. Many consider him to be the greatest Chakyar Koothu and Kutiyattam artist of modern times.
The story goes that his guru, ''
Rama Varma Parikshith Thampuran
Darsanakalanidhi Parikshith Thampuran (died 1964) was the last official ruler of the Cochin princely state. He was also known as Ramavarman or Kunjunni Tampuran. He was born in 1876 as the son of Raman Nambutiri of Ottur House and Manku Tampur ...
'' wrote a Sanskrit ''champu prabandha'' called ''
Prahlādacharita
Prahlādacharitam (or Prahlādacharita) is a Sanskrit Kavya, written in '' Champu'' style by the Sanskrit scholar ''Darsanakalanidhi'' Rama Varma Parikshith Thampuran (former Maharaja of Cochin). It is the story of Asura prince Prahlāda
...
'' and requested some senior artists to study and perform it, but they found it impossible to do. It was then young Māni Mādhava Chākyār's turn to try. He agreed and studied a part of the ''prabandha'' overnight and performed it the next day at
Tripunithura, then the capital of the
Kingdom of Cochin. The incident proved his mastery of both Sanskrit and the classical art forms. After some months, he performed the entire ''Prahlādacharita '' on the same stage.
The late
Ammannur Madhava Chakyar and
Painkulam Raman Chakyar were another important 20th century figure in this art form.
See also
*
Arts of Kerala
*
Chakyar
*
Mani Madhava Chakyar
*
Mani Damodara Chakyar
*
Painkulam Raman Chakyar
*
Kathakali
Kathakali ( ml, കഥകളി) is a major form of classical Indian dance. It is a "story play" genre of art, but one distinguished by the elaborately colourful make-up and costumes of the traditional male actor-dancers. It is native to the M ...
*
Koodiyattam
*
Koothambalam
*
Mohiniyattam
*
Nambiar
*
Natyakalpadrumam
*
Ottamthullal
*
Parayan Thullal
*
Panchavadyam
References
External links
Chakyarkoothu artkerala.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chakyar Koothu
Hindu dance traditions
Theatre in India
Arts of Kerala