Ninth edition of International Kathakali & Koodiyaattam Festival (IKKF) to showcase 35 acclaimed artistes from Kerala

DUBAI-November 17, 2015: Known as ‘Ustavam 2015’, the ninth edition of International Kathakali and Koodiyaattam Festival (IKKF), under the aegis of the Consulate General of India in Dubai, will be staged from December 2 to 5 2015 at HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein Theatre, Gems Wellington High School, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. 

Organised by ‘Traditions Live’, the IKKF will feature the classical art forms of South Indian state of Kerala with much pomp and grandeur. Entry to the event is free.  

Ms. Meera Sanal, Managing Director of Traditions Live, said, “We are proud to announce the ninth edition of ‘Ustavam 2015’. Since its inception in 2006, the event attracts a huge number of spectators and enthusiasts from the UAE and other Gulf countries. This year, we have lined up about 35 acclaimed artistes from Kerala, considered to be doyens and virtuosos in their respective art forms. Supported by artistes from the UAE, these veterans will be unveiling panoply of classical art forms such as Keli, Purappadu, Melappadam, Kathakali, Nangiarkoothu and Thaayampaka during these four days and for over 45 hours.” 

“In order to mitigate the esotericism of these arts and heighten their appreciation, selected artistes would be giving lectures and expatiate on the techniques and nuances of these art forms. The lecture-demonstrations intend to provide a broad introduction to the art enthusiasts enabling them to enrich their understanding and appreciation of Kathakali in general and Kottayam Stories in particular,” she added. 

“We believe that through Utsavak-IKKF, we would be able to enhance the cultural profile of Kerala and India with these classical art forms among the cognoscenti of a very cosmopolitan UAE, thereby making them appreciate the longevity, richness and classicism of our arts and their relevance even in the modern era,” Ms. Sanal further said. 

The highlights of the 4-day programme are as below:
In Kathakali, one of the staples of Utsavam, all the attakathas [lyrical plays] written by Kottayam Thampuran, together known as Kottayam Kathakal or stories, will be staged in their pristine form. Kottayam Thampuran, who lived in the 17th century CE, has played a major role in giving the grammar of Kathakali its current form. These stories are not performed in the same venue consecutively even in Kerala, the home of Kathakali, these days. 

Nangiarkoothu, which is a solo act by women performers, has evolved from Koodiyaattam, which is classic Sanskrit theatre with an antiquity of over 2000 years. The renowned artiste Usha Nangiar is going to, in her Draupadiyam Nangiarkoothu spread over three days, elaborate on the three phases in the life of one of the strongest characters of Mahabharata, Draupadi, the wife of Pandavas. The first phase depicts the moral apprehensions of Draupadi when she learns that she has to share her wifehood with the five Pandava brothers. The second phase unveils the humiliation she had to undergo during her disrobing in the court of King of Kauravas. The third part depicts Draupadi after a bloody battle in which Draupadi has lost all her sons. 

The pièce de résistance of Utsavam is Thaayampaka, an ensemble drums and cymbals performance, popular among all the Malayalis. Accomplished artistes Panamanna Sasi and the budding young talent Chirakkal Nidhish promise a rousing performance, enough to have the audience on their feet.

Pathinja Keli, an innovation on the traditional percussive prelude, conceived by the acclaimed percussion artistes, Cherpulassery Sivan and Mattannur Shankarankutty Marar, will have it international debut in Utsavam’15 with the disciples of Cherpulassery Sivan, Sadanam Bharatharajan, and Cherpulassery Hariharan on maddalam, Panamanna Sasi and Sadanam Ramakrishnan on chenda. This traditional style, which is very rarely performed on stage, will be a revelation for the aficionados of Kathakali. 

Purappad, the traditional curtain-raiser of Kathakali, this time includes four nokku (or curtain appearance), rather than the usual two nokku. This will be followed by melappadam, another type of ensemble percussion, with Kalamandalam Raman Nampoothiri as the lead drummer. 

Traditions Live has always hand-picked the artistes, selecting the best exponents from the various schools of these arts. Kavungal Divakara Panicker, whose experience spans five decades, Kalamandalam Balasubramanian, a respected artiste with many decades of performances behind him, the promising Kalamandalam Manoj, Kalamandalam Shanmughadas, Dr. Haripriya Nampoothiri, and up-and-coming artistes like Kalamandalam Aadityan, and Kalamandalam Praveen will be donning the various roles in the Kottayam Stories.

Vocal accompaniment for Kathakali will be by Kottakkal Narayanan and Kalamandalam Babu Nampoothiri, supported by Nedumpally Ram Mohan and Kottakkal Vengeri Narayanan. Chenda accompanists will be Kalamandalam Raman Nampoothiri, Sadanam Ramakrishnan, and Panamanna Sasi. Maddlam players will be Kalamandalam Prakash, Sadanam Bharatharajan, and Kalamandalam Hariharan. 

In Nangiarkoothu, mizhavu players V.K.K. Hariharan, Kalamandalam Rajeev, and Kishore Pazhampilli and idaykka player Kalanilayam Unnikrishnan, and cymbal player Arati Hariharan will accompany Usha Nangiar. 

The lecture demonstrations would be compered by M.J. Shrichithran.