It may, come as a surprise to many a women's lib activist, but it is historical reality that around 1,800 years ago, women belonging to the Nambiar community, in north Kerala, called Nangiars, were not only more independent than their male counterparts, but took active participation in socio-cultural activities - theatrical activities to wit.
Unlike the devadasis, who devoted both, their lives and art for kings and nobles, the Nangiars were a respected lot; they were given the independent task of performing Nangiyarkoothu in temple grounds for the art-yearning public. The Nangiars were not only given prime and important roles in this temple art form, but also allowed to retain a degree of freedom, something unheard of in any other form of theatre in India.
Nangiarkoothu is an offshoot of kooddiyattam, a Sanskritised traditional Kerala temple art form, which developed and flourished in Kerala during the 10th century, and continued to survive through the guarded discipline of the Chakyar families, who become the sole repositories of both the literary and theatrical traditions of this art form.
According to scholars, there were 18 Chakyar families who performed the Koodiyattam, but now only three can be mentioned: Koyyappa Rama Chakyar of Painkulam, Mani Madhava Chakyar of Potiyil and Ammannur Madhava Chakyar.
Kulasekhara Perumal, a famous king who ruled Kerala during the eighth century, took special interest in Koddiyattam. He is the author of two Koodiyattam plays-Subhadra Dhananjayam and Tapatisamvaranam. But, if the Chakyars were to merely restrict themselves to the form which was given to them by Perumal, there would have been every chance of a breakdown or total disintegration of the tradition.
Giving the Chakyars's presentation contemporary validity and significance through the use of local dialect, along with the liberty of ridiculing, have given the form enough scope for renewal, reinterpretation and improvisation. Movements, that are interpretive through a highly-evolved language of hand gestures (hastabhinaya), facial gestures (mukhabhinaya) and as also the movements of the eyes (netrabhinaya), performed by artists who use costume and make up through a symbolism of colour and design, assume importance in Koodiyattam. The angikabhinaya in Koodiyattam is the last word in the theatrical technique of the use of eyes and eyebrows, facial muscles, torso and hands.
The female characters in Koodiyattam were performed by the Nangiars. Historically Nangiarkoothu depicts the liberal and outward character enjoyed by the women in the Kerala society. Perhaps, this may be the first women's theatre in India where women were given so much freedom and liberty. But history has its own ups and downs. Koodiyattam and Nangiarkoothu faded away into dreams, making way for other popular art forms such as drama. Since it was considered as a temple art form, its performance was restricted inside the four walls of a temple and no other community than the Nambiars were allowed to perfrom it.
In the early sixties the late Painkulam Rama Chakyat took a revolutionary step by bringing the art form outside the temple. He also started a 'Koodiyattam section' at the famed Kerala Kala Mandalam, started by the well-known Malayalam poet and Kathakali exponent Vallathol Narayana Menon, in which entry was open to all. This step enabled other communities also to study Koodiyattam. But it was in the eighties when Ammannur Madhava Chakyar started the Chachu Chakyar Memorial at Irinjalakkuda that it assumed importance and got a respectable position in par with Kathakali or Mohiniattam. The highly-developed and stylised techniques of Koodiyattam remain a class by itself and has never been excelled by any other dance or drama or theatrical form in India.
Keli, a mumbai-based cultural group, in association with Prithvi Theatre is bringing this art form to the city by organising a three-day festival of ancient Indian Women's Classical Theatre, beginning from December 22. The festival is dedicated to Painkulam Rama Chakyar. During the festival the Padmashree award winning Koodiyattam performer Ammannur Madhava Chakyar, 84, will be felicitated, with the presentation of pattu and vala (traditional golden bangle and royal cloth). He is one of the foremost exponents of Koodiyattam today and has made significant contributions to the development of both Koodiyattam and Nangiarkoothu.