Keli, a Mumbai-based cultural organization, is conducting a three-day Kathakali performance focusing the Red Beard characters of the tradition from October 25. The festival is supported by ONGC and Dr. Y K Hamied Foundation.
In the world of Kathakali, Red Beard characters generally represent the demonic, unregenerate, evil anti-heroes with attitudes shrouded in darkness. At the same time they draw our conscious attention through the intensity of the message of their lives, the complex nature of the crisis they are forced to face and over-come, and the minute nature of the political philosophy they exemplify. They were, by and large, confined to the dark corridors of injustice as decreed by those holding the scepter of authority with an assumed aura of divinity around them.
They present on the stage the life-struggles of a whole generation using only limited acting techniques such as the use of the eyes, demonstration of physical strength and vocalisation through loud and varied roars. This three-day festival will feature some of the most powerful Red Beard characters from three traditional stories of the Kathakali repertoire.
Keli is dedicated to the task of preserving, developing and propagating the traditional classical art forms of India.
The year 2007 marks the completion of 15 years of Keli's relentless pursuit of excellence in the traditional art forms of India. In observance of its 15th anniversary Keli has devised an appropriate innovative programme featuring different art forms, spread over a whole year. The celebrations began in Jan 2007 with a three-day rhythm festival and a three-day Nangiar Koothu Festival (A 1,200 years old Women's Sanskrit Theatre Tradition) in Aug 2007.
Programme details:
Thursday 25th October, 2007, Y B Chavan Centre, at 6.45 p.m.
Melappadam (A vocal percussion ensemble) presented by Kerala Kalamandalam
Kathakali : Ravanodbhavam presented by Kalamandalam Ramachandran
Unnithan, Kottakkal Devadas and Kerala Kalamandalam Troupe.
Gist of story : Lanka was the Kingdom ruled by the three powerful demon brothers, Malyavan, Sumali and Mali who belonged to the first dynasty of demon kings. Their very names brought terror to the entire universe and they waged constant wars with the race of the Gods who lived in absolute fear of the three demons. But at the end of one such battle, Malyavan gets killed and the other two, Mali and Sumali were banished to the netherworld. This marks the end of the first dynasty of demon kings of Lanka. (Kaikasi, the daughter of Sumali was the mother of Ravana, who established the second dynasty of demon kings in Lanka)
Friday 26th October, 2007, Nalanda Dance Research Centre, Juhu, 7.00 p.m.
In association with the Nalanda Dance Research Centre
Kathakali : Bali Vadham presented by Nelliyodu Vasudevan Namboodiri,
Kalamandalam Ramachandran Unnithan and the Kerala Kalamandalam Troupe
Gist of story : Bali was the son of Indra, the ruler of the race of Gods. He had the added advantage of a boon, which ensured that half the physical strength of anyone attacking him would be automatically transferred to him. But when an arrow shot secretly from behind a tree in the most unjust application of Kshatriya ethics and morality, the society's attempt then was to justify this act by giving it an aura of divinity. The total absence of logic in this evaluation has, through time, agitated the conscience of poets and artists, one of whom even perpetuated it in a stone sculpture and described it as the very first political assassination in the history of mankind.
Saturday 27th October, 2007, Old Community Centre, Anushakti Nagar,
Trombay, 6.30 p.m.
In association with the Trombay Township Fine Arts Club, Anushakti Nagar
Kathakali : Rajasooyam (Jarasandha Vadham) presented by Kottakkal
Devadas and the Kerala Kalamandalam Troupe
Gist of story : Jarasandha, the ruler of Magadha, was an ardent devotee of the Brahmins. At the same time there was no king in those days who would not shudder at the thought of Jarasandha's might. The task of eradicating Jarasandha falls on Bhima. Bhima approaches him in the guise of a Brahmin, and cleverly exploiting Jarasandha's love and respect for Brahmins, asks for alms in the form of a duel with him and during the duel, kills him. With this, the dynasty of Jarasandha comes to an end.
Lecture Demonstration : Music in Kathakali
Sunday 28th October, 2007, Prithvi Theatre, Juhu, 11.00 a.m.
In association with the Prithvi Theatre Festival
Presented by Kerala Kalamandalam
Artistes participating in this festival :
Actors: Nelliyodu Vasudevan Namboodiri, Kalamandalam Ramachandran Unnithan, Kottakkal Devadas, Kalamandalam Surya Narayanan, Kalamandalam Hari R Nair, Kalamandalam Partha Sarathi, Kalamandalam Ebin Babu, Kalamandalam Sabarinath, Kalamandalam Vishwanatha Manu
Vocal Music: Kalamandalam Babu Namboodiri, Kalamandalam Vinod
Chenda: Kalamandalam M Narayanan Namboodiri, Kalamandalam Balasundaram
Maddalam: Kalamandalam Sasikumar, Kalamandalam Haridasan
Make-up: Kalamandalam Balan, Kalamandalam Satheesh Kumar
Green Room: Kalamandalam Kunjan, Kalamandalam Balakrishnan, Kalamandalam Muralidharan
Free Entry Passes are available at Prithvi Theatre, Rhythm House, Y B Chavan Centre and Giri Stores, Matunga, three days prior to the festival. |
