Kavalappara Narayanan Nair (1882–1948) was a prominent 20th-century

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 ...

artiste and tutor who specialised in the Hanuman roles of the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India. A contemporary of greats like

Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon (1880-1948) was a pivotal figure in the history of Kathakali, having played a crucial role in remoulding and refining its grammar in the famed Kalluvazhi tradition of the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south ...

and Guru Kunchu Kurup, Narayanan Nair also shone in virtuous slots like Bahukan and Brihannala, anti-hero roles like Shishupalan and Keechakan, grotesque characters like Raudra

Bhima In Hindu epic Mahabharata, Bhima ( sa, भीम, ) is the second among the five Pandavas. The ''Mahabharata'' relates many events that portray the might of Bhima. Bhima was born when Vayu, the wind god, granted a son to Kunti and Pandu. Af ...

n and even minor roles like Mannaan, Aanakkaran, Narasimham, Bheeru and Yavanan. His ability to instantaneously improvise on the stage by employing realistic touches to facial expressions and hand gestures won him massive following in south Kerala's Travancore belt as well. In fact, Narayanan Nair was the only northerner Kathakali artiste to figure on the regular pay rolls of the royal palace in Thiruvananthapuram. His white-beard (vella thaadi) roles in the form of the monkey-god Hanuman gained him fame, and even inspired Malayalam poet

Edasseri Govindan Nair Edasseri Govindan Nair ( ml, ഇടശ്ശേരി ഗോവിന്ദൻ നായർ; 23 December 1906 – 16 October 1974) was an Indian poet and playwright of Malayalam literature. Known as one of the major poets of Malayalam, Edasseri ...

to pen a poem titled "Lavanasuravadhathile Hanuman". Narayanan Nair, a native of Kavalappara east of Shoranur in Palakkad district, was primarily trained under his guru Puthenveettil Sekhara Menon at the local Kaliyogam (Kathakali school) run by the Kavalappara palace. He had been an instructor with leading performing arts institutes like Kerala Kalamandalam, PSV Natyasangham in Kottakkal and Kadathanattu Kaliyogam. Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair was a flag-bearing disciple of Kavalappara, having worked on his guru's portrayal of Hanuman roles. His other prominent disciples include Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, Guru Gopinath, Kottakkal Krishnankutty Nair, Ananda Sivaram and Kelu Nair. Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair too had his northern-style classes under Naraynan Nair.

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