Through the Memory Line of Kathakali

The navarasas:  love, contempt, sorrow, fury, courage, fear, disgust, wonder, peace.

 In dance as in life, we do not need more than nine ways to express ourselves. You may call these the nine faces of heart.

In time each one of them would remember it differently. But for as long as they lived, it wouldn’t ever that fade: the memory of that moment of grace.

                                                                  (p.1) Mistress By Anita Nair

I’ve just started reading Anita Nair’s novel Mistress and got stuck in the cover page itself. The cover page is of Kathakali¹, the very own art form of my birth place. It was an art form that I enthusiastically watched during my childhood and put in the back corner in the following years. Still, when I hear someone talks about Kathakali my ears go to it without even understanding the main share of the conversation.

Shaantam²

The deafening and enticing music, the feeling of tender breeze on a hot summer night, the glimpses of mythical characters in bright costumes before my little sleepy eyes, the eager faces of my beloved ones to watch the performance, the soft whisper of Valiamman³  or Amma⁴ explaining each of the movements,  the drip into sleep during the early hours of dawn, the sleep on sweet smelling  grass and soft prickling sand and finally the faint feeling of my beloved ones' protective hands around me with the rhythm of music. My first childhood memories of the great art of Kathakali are these.

I never realized the greatness of Kathakali as an art form in my childhood days. It was just an art to pass time as movies and film music. Amma used to talk about it as fluently as she tells anything about a movie. At my Ammath⁵, the only music that one can hear was those of Kathakali songs or Carnatic music. The Mathrubhumi weekly that I regularly followed in those days always carried articles or autobiographies of Kathakali artists. Naturally, the aesthetic taste for Kathakali seemed to be so natural at that time. I was familiar with the names of Pattikkamthodi Asan, Ramankutty Asan, Kalamandalam Gopi Asan and Kottkkal Sivaraman as I am with Mohanlal, Mammootty, and Amitabh Bachchan etc in these days.

I remember the performance days when Nelliodu Vasudevan Nambudiri, his son and his daughter Maya took rest at our home. I was so excited to meet them as I get a chance to meet film stars. As the father, son and daughter took new roles Dussana, Roudra Bhima and Draupadi in Duryodhana Vadham⁶, I actually wondered on their wonderful talent to change from soft-spoken personas in real life to the powerful or violent characters on the stage.  

Karunam⁷

Days passed and so changed my interests too. After the loss of my grandparents, Amma didn’t try to make any possible excuse to visit Ammath. Thus, reduced my chances to watch Kathakali performances and to get authentic comments on it from Valiammaman. Amma kept her natural interest in the art, watching the performances on TV or by visiting any nearby performances. The performances on the TV were less interesting for me than the live shows. I accompanied her on some live performances and soon stopped as other things in life took my priority. The last performance, for which I went there was a rain and I remember taking shelter on the stage itself!

The scene from Duryodhana Vadham

Very soon, my interest in the Kathakali decreased to the diminishing point. However a spark of interest lay under the ashes. That may be the reason that I found the lyrics in Duryodhana Vadham⁸, where Draupadi addresses Lord Krishna as a friend to help her in keeping her vows became so dear to me. For years I played and replayed the Padam⁹ ‘Pari Pahi Mam Hare¹⁰,’ whenever there was a slight reason to worry. Miraculously the lyrics and the voice of Sri Venmani Haridas in this padam used to revive my spirits.

Haasyam¹¹, Raudram¹², Beebhalsam¹³ & Veeram¹⁴

In life you won’t be enjoying the same pleasures at every time. When you are in bad times, you might feel intolerable for everything you had in your good times. So felt me too. At first, fear kept me close with prayers and devotional music. Later, when life started to take me through the roller coaster drive, I felt furious and disgusted! At this time, my faith in Lord Krishna swayed to the root and even in my interest in music stopped. I didn’t listen to music for years. 

Sringaaram¹⁵

There is a turning point for every good or bad event in life.  After the storms the sky became clear with the radiance of love in my life. That’s when we met some people who are madly in love with the art of Kathakali. Though we were not discussing the art during our meetings, the hidden interest started to spark again in me. I watched two-three performances again on TV and realized that I can’t understand even a bit of the story without assistance.

There are many people in my generation who finds the interest in this art form trendy and pursue it with attentive efforts. But, where did I leave my interest in this art? 

Adbhutham¹⁶

Kathakali performances not much interest me as it did in my childhood days. I still love the ‘Padams’ but far away from the aesthetic sense to Kathakali that my family possess. I still have the respect for the art but can’t decipher its intricate forms. I still marvel some stories that are too familiar to me. When I see notifications for any Kathakali performances in nearby auditoriums, my heart longs to see the performance, though I cannot make it at many times. 

Even then, sometimes I hear the loud music and see glittering images of Kathakali in my dreams. I wonder is this because the spark of interest for this art, passed through my lineage lies dormant in me!

 Glossary

1. Kathakali: It’s not easy to give an explanation for Kathakali in a short paragraph. Born in Kerala during 17^th century, this art form comprises many other art forms in it such as dance, music, instrumental music, make up etc. In earlier days, Kathakali used to be performed in temples but now has got stages in auditoriums and abroad too. You may get more authentic information here (http://www.kathakali.info/)
2. Shaantham: The literal translation of the Malayalam word can be peaceful detachment. This is a form of expression in Kathakali. In the present context the word implies blissful detachment from worldly affairs due to childhood ignorance.
3. Valiammaman: Eldest maternal uncle
4. Amma: Mother
5. Ammath: Grandmother’s house
6. Duryodhana Vadham: This story comprises the final events in Mahabharatha. The events include Duryodhana’s visit to Indraprastha, his humiliation, the planned dice game, the insult of Draupadi, her vow to tie her hair with Dussana’a blood, Lord Krishna’s visit to Duryodhana as a messenger, the war between Dussana and Bhima, Draupadi fulfilling her vow and Bhima being blessed by Lord Krishna.
7. Karunam:  The literal translation for the Malayalam word Karunam is mercy or kindness. It can also mean sorrow in Kathakali and so is implied in the present context.
8. Duryodhana Vadham: Same as in 6
9. Padam: Padam means lyrics or music used in a Kathakali. The music for a story is usually referred as Kathakali Padam.
10. Pari Pahi Mam: This is a beautiful scene in Duryodhana Vadham. In this story, Draupadi addresses Lord Krishna as a friend and request him to help her keeping the vow. She is sceptical that her husbands may agree for reconciliation if Duryodhana inclines for it and forget about her vow. So she beseeches Krishna that he should go after seeing the pitiable state of her hair after the vow and should do his part to commence the war.
11.  
12. Haasyam 12.Raudram 13.Bheebhalsam 14. Veeram: These expressions in Kathakali means Contempt or mockery, fear or anger, disgust or dangerous and courage or valour respectively. In Kathakali as in life, these expressions signify bad times. In the present context, they imply the idea that I felt fear and disgust at the initial stage of my bad days that turned into contempt in the later days. However it required ample courage to save myself from these negative auras.

15. Sringaaram: Many of you may not need explanation for this word since in any language one might learn the word for love.

16. Adbhutham: The literal translation for this word means wonder or surprise. In the present context the expression indicates my wonder at the curious ways of life.