Kavalam Narayana Panicker (1 May 1928 – 26 June 2016) was an Indian dramatist, theatre director, and poet. He has written over 26 Malayalam plays, many adapted from classical
Sanskrit drama
The term Indian classical drama refers to the tradition of dramatic literature and performance in ancient India. The roots of drama in the Indian subcontinent can be traced back to the Rigveda (1200-1500 BCE), which contains a number of hymns in ...
and
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
, notably
Kalidasa
Kālidāsa (''fl.'' 4th–5th century CE) was a Classical Sanskrit author who is often considered ancient India's greatest poet and playwright. His plays and poetry are primarily based on the Vedas, the Rāmāyaṇa, the Mahābhārata and ...
's ''Vikramorvasiyam'' (1981, 1996), ''Shakuntalam'' (1982),
Bhasa's ''Madhyamavyayogam'' (1979), ''Karnabharam'' (1984, 2001), ''Uru Bhangam'' (1988), ''Swapnavasavadattam'', and ''Dootavakyam'' (1996). He was the founder director of theatre troupe, Sopanam, which led to the foundation of Bhashabharati: Centre for Performing Arts, Training and Research, in
Trivandrum
Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
.
He was awarded the
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IPA: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognit ...
for Direction in 1983 by
Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in English) is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India.
History
It was set up by the Indian education ministry on 31 May 1952 and ...
, and its highest award for lifetime achievement, the
Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 2002. In 2007, he was awarded the
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished servi ...
in the field of Arts, by the
Government of India
The Government of India ( ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...
. He died in his residence on 26 June 2016, aged 88, a few days after returning from the hospital.
Early life and education
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He was born in the village of
Kavalam, into an ancient family from
Kuttanad
Kuttanad ( ml, കുട്ടനാട്) is a region covering the Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta Districts, in the state of Kerala, India, well known for its vast paddy fields and geographical peculiarities. The region has the lo ...
in
Alappuzha
Alappuzha or Alleppey () is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha district in state of Kerala, India. The Backwaters of Alappuzha are one of the most popular tourist attractions in India which attracts millions of domestic and internat ...
, Kerala, India. His family name is Chalayil and he was a nephew of Sardar
Kavalam Madhava Panikkar and a cousin of Dr.
K. Ayyappa Panicker, a
Malayalam
Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry ( Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam wa ...
poet.
He attended
CMS College
The CMS College (CMS College Kottayam) is the first Western-style college in India.
Overview
The college now has 17 Undergraduate and 18 postgraduate departments. There are six research centres in the college. Research work leading to the degr ...
in
Kottayam
Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south ...
, whose alumni included
K. P. S. Menon and his uncle Sardar
K. M. Panikkar. He obtained a degree in economics from
Sanatana Dharma College
Sanatana Dharma College or S. D. College is an educational institution in Alappuzha, Kerala, India, affiliated with the University of Kerala. It is one of the oldest affiliated aided colleges under the University of Kerala. The college has been ...
(SD College),
Alappuzha
Alappuzha or Alleppey () is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha district in state of Kerala, India. The Backwaters of Alappuzha are one of the most popular tourist attractions in India which attracts millions of domestic and internat ...
and later a Bachelor of Law degree from
Madras Law College.
Career
He started his career as a lawyer in 1955 and practised law for six years before devoting himself to art and literature. In 1961 he was nominated as Secretary of
Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy, Thrissur and shifted his base to
Thrissur
Thrissur (), formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the third largest urban agglomeration in Kerala after Kochi and Kozhikode, and ...
, the cultural capital of Kerala. His work has always been rooted in both the classical and folk traditions of Kerala.
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In 1974, Kavalam shifted his residence to the state capital
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
. In this period his play ''Avanavan Kadamba'' was filmed by
G. Aravindan. He has worked in many countries, including the former
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
. In
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wit ...
he worked with Greek artists on a production of the ''Ilyayana'', a fusion of the Indian
Ramayana
The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th to 4th centuries BCE, and later stages e ...
and the Greek epic
Iliad
The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the '' Odys ...
.
He has directed two movies about the greatest
Kutiyattam maestro legendary actor Guru
Mani Madhava Chakyar
Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar ( IAST: ''Māṇi Mādhava Cākyār'')
(15 February 1899 – 14 January 1990) was a celebrated master performance artist and Sanskrit scholar
from Kerala, India, considered to be the greatest Chakyar Koothu and Koo ...
: ''
Mani Madhava Chakyar: The Master at Work'' (1994) and ''Parvati Viraham'' (1993) in
Kuttiyattam
Koodiyattam ( ml, കൂടിയാട്ടം; IAST: kūṭiyāṭṭaṁ; ) is a traditional performing art form in the state of Kerala, India. It is a combination of ancient Sanskrit theatre with elements of ''Koothu'', an ancient perfor ...
form featuring Mani Madhava Chakyar as
Ravana
Ravana (; , , ) is a rakshasa king of the island of Lanka, and the chief antagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' and its adaptations.
In the ''Ramayana'', Ravana is described to be the eldest son of sage Vishrava and rakshasi Kaikesi. ...
. As a lyricist in
Malayalam cinema
Malayalam cinema is an Indian film industry of Malayalam-language motion pictures. It is based in Kochi, Kerala, India. The films produced in Malayalam cinema are known for their cinematography and story-driven plots. In 1982, '' Elippat ...
, he has written for films like ''Ulsavapittennu'', ''
Manjadikuru
''Manjadikuru'' ( en, Lucky Red Seeds) is a 2008 Malayalam film written and directed by Anjali Menon. A shorter video version of the film was premiered at the 2008 International Film Festival of Kerala, and won the FIPRESCI Award for best Mala ...
'' (2008), ''Vadakakkoru Hridayam'' (1978) and ''
Marmaram'' (1982). He won
Kerala State Film Award
The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State C ...
for
Best Lyrics for the latter two films.
In 1993 Erin B. Mee directed his play ''Ottayan'' in New York City. The Village Voice said: "the haunting pungency of a rich Asian folk-theatre tradition shines through every stylized gesture."
Erin B. Mee devotes an entire chapter of her book ''Theatre of Roots'' to Panikkar's work. His work is also the subject of the volume ''K.N. Panikkar: The Theatre of Rasa'' edited by Udayan Vajpeyi. His play ''Aramba Chekkan'' is included in ''Drama Contemporary: India'', edited by Erin B. Mee and Erin B. Mee conducted an interview with him for PAJ magazine and his work is the subject of an interview by Erin B. Mee in Seagull Theatre Quarterly: 1995 "The Use of Folk Philosophy in Kavalam Narayana Panikkar's Poetic Theatre of Transformation." Seagull Theatre Quarterly 7:58-62.
He has remained a consultant at Asianet Communications and vice-chairman for
Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in English) is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India.
History
It was set up by the Indian education ministry on 31 May 1952 and ...
, New Delhi.
Personal life
He was married and had two sons. He lived in
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
with his wife Saradamani and also had another house in his native village of Kavalam. He had two sons Kavalam Harikrishnan and Kavalam Sreekumar. Kavalam Harikrishnan served as BHASABHARATHI's Chief contact person before he died of
cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bl ...
in October 2009. His younger son
Kavalam Sreekumar
Kavalam Sreekumar is a classical musician, Malayalam film singer and music composer from Kerala, India. His recitation of Ramayana is also famous. He has also rendered more than 60 famous Malayalam poems. He is the son of the noted Malayalam p ...
, is a singer in Kerala. Sreekumar sang folk and light music numbers over three decades. He also sang for
Malayalam films over the years.
Awards and recognition
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He was awarded
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IPA: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognit ...
in 1983 and
Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 2002 and the
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished servi ...
civilian decoration in 2007.
He has won
Kerala State Film Award
The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State C ...
for
Best Lyrics twice, in 1978 for ''Vadakakkoru Hridayam'' and in 1982 for ''
Marmaram'', and the
Kalidas Samman
The Kalidas Samman ( hi, कालिदास सम्मान) is an arts award presented annually by the Government of Madhya Pradesh in India. The award is named after Kālidāsa, a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer of ancient India. The ...
by the
Government of Madhya Pradesh
Government of Madhya Pradesh also known as the State Government of Madhya Pradesh, or locally as the State Government, is the supreme governing authority of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and its 52 districts. It consists of an executive, ...
in (1994–1995).
;Other
* 2013 – TTK Prestige-Vanitha Film Awards – Best Lyricist – ''
Amen
Amen ( he, אָמֵן, ; grc, ἀμήν, ; syc, ܐܡܝܢ, ; ar, آمين, ) is an Abrahamic declaration of affirmation which is first found in the Hebrew Bible, and subsequently found in the New Testament. It is used in Jewish, Christian, and ...
''
Best Male Singer
* 2013 –
Asiavision Awards
Asiavision Awards have been held annually since 2006 to honor the artistes and technicians of Indian cinema and television & is organized under the leadership of renowned journalist Nissar Syed.
More than 40,000 people across United Arab Emirates ...
– Best Lyricist
Works
* ''The Right to rule (Kōyma) ; and, The domain of the sun (Sūryasthāna)''. Seagull Books, 1989. .
* ''Folklore of Kerala''. National Book Trust, India, 1991.
* ''Karimkutty ; and, The lone tusker''. Seagull Books, 1991. .
References
Bibliography
* Mee, Erin B. 2008 ''Theatre of Roots: Redirecting the Modern Indian Stage''. Seagull Books.
* Mee, Erin B. 1995. "Kavalam Narayana Panikkar: Meaning Into Action." PAJ #55.
* Mee, Erin B. 1995 "The Use of Folk Philosophy in Kavalam Narayana Panikkar's Poetic Theatre of Transformation." Seagull Theatre Quarterly 7:58-62.
* Panikkar, K. N. "Aramba Chekkan" In Mee, Erin B. ed. 2001. ''DramaContemporary:India''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press
*
*
External links
Hits of Kavalam Narayana Panikkar– a detailed profile of Kavalam Narayana Paniker.
BhashaBharati, websiteKavalam Narayana Panicker at MSI
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Indian male dramatists and playwrights
Indian theatre directors
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Narayana, Panicker
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Kerala State Film Award winners
Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in arts
Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship
Malayalam-language dramatists and playwrights
Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award
20th-century Indian poets
Dramatists and playwrights from Kerala
20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights
CMS College Kottayam alumni
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20th-century Indian male writers