Kalasagar founded by Kalamandalam
Krishnankutty Poduval, a genius in Chenda, the percussion, is an outstanding
institution promoting the traditional art forms of Kerala. Kalasagar in association
with Palakkad Kathakali Trust organized the 90th birthday
celebration of its founder on 28 May 2014 titled as ORU PIRANNALINTE ORMAKAI.
The event held at Municipal Town Hall, Palakkad was inaugurated by Dr K G
Paulose, the former vice chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam. Other dignitaries
including Shri P Jayapala Menon, Chairman, Palakkad Kathakali Trust, scholar
and national award winner Shri M N Paloor, Padmashri Mattanoor Sankarakutty
Marar, Padmashri Sivan Namboodiri, Shri K B Rajanand, Kalamandalam Narayanan
Nair, Dr. Manoj Kurur, V Kaladharan and Kavi KKS Ongaloor were present in the
function.
The Awards and Awardees
Dr. N P Vijayakrishnan briefed
the importance of organizing the event. Shri
M P Mohan, President of
Kalasagar welcomed the guests to the event. Awards in
various categories of Indian classical art forms, especially the traditional
arts of Kerala, were presented in the function.
The list of awardees and their categories : Kottakkal
Devadas - Kathakali Vesham, Kalamandalam Subrahmanian – Sangeetham (Music),
Kalamandalam Varanasi Narayanan Namboodiri
- Chenda (percussion), Kalamandalam
Sankara Varrier - Maddalam (percussion), Kayyandam Neelakandan Namboodiri -
Chutty (make-up), Smt. K V Prabhavati -
Ottenthullal, Kalamandalam Eeswaranunni for Chakyarkoothu , Mrs. Usha Nangiyar
- Koodiyattam, Kalamandalam Himavathi - Mohiniyattam, Smt. Soumya Sathish -
Bharathanatyam, Smt. Anupama Mohan - Kuchipudi, Kalloor Raman Kutty Marar - Thayambaka, Parakkattu Thankappan Marar -
Panchavadyam Thimila (percussion), Kallekulangara Krishna Varrier - Maddalam,
Pallavooor Santhosh - Edakka, Chelakkara
Sooryan - Thalam (cymbals) and Oodakkali
Murali - Kombu (musical instrument). The session was concluded with a vote of
thanks by Shri Raghunandana Menon, Managing Trustee, Palakkad Kathakali Trust.
Cultural Programs
Followed by the inaugural session
and award presentation, Navabhava, a vadyanjali
(orchestra) , by nine students of Kalamandalam Krishnankutty
Poduval was presented. Kathakali plays on stories, Bheeshma prathijna,
written & directed by Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval, Dasamukharavanan choreographed
by Kalamandalam Vijayakrishnan and Balvadham, with the make up style conceived
by Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval were subsequently staged. Eminent artists
viz. Sadanam Krishnankutty, Kottakkal
Chandrasekhara Varrier, Kalluvazhi Vasu, Kalamandalam Ramachandranunnithan,
Kottakkal Devadas, Nelliyode Vasudevan Namboodiri, Sadanam Krishnadas, Thiruvalla Gopikuttan
Nair, Kalamandalam Unnikrishnan (Panjal)
from New Delhi, Kalamandalam Prabhakara Poduval, Balaraman, Kurur Vasudevan
Namboodiri, Shri P D Namboodiri and many others participated and paid their
tribute to the late mastero. The event ended up with rich and fond memories
of the maestro among the artists and art lovers. Rajan Poduval, Secretary of Kalasagar
expressed his gratitude to all those participated and joined hands to make the
event yet another memorable one.