Guru Mampuzha Madhava Panicker
Encyclopedia
Guru Mampuzha Madhava Panicker (1900–1973) was a traditional Kathakali
dancer and instructor. He was the former principal of the Kerala Kalamandalam
University of Art and Culture in Cheruthuruthi
in Kerala State in India
. Panicker was of the Kalluvazhi (midland) school of Kathakali.
, in Thrissur district
in 1900. Panicker was one of the first pupils of Pattikkantodi Ramunni Menon. He became an expert in handling heroes like Arjuna, Bhima, and Daksha, and villains like Ravana, Duryodhana, and Herod. His main contribution lay in presenting Biblical stories, compressing full-length productions, and even introducing Hindi songs. He was chief artiste in several palace troupes at Punnathur, Katathanad, and Nilampur, and art centres in Kerala and beyond. He taught at Kerala Kalamandalam and the International Centre for Kathakali, New Delhi, where he also served as principal. Mampuzha Madhava Panicker died in 1973.
Kathakali
Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
dancer and instructor. He was the former principal of the Kerala Kalamandalam
Kerala Kalamandalam
Kerala Kalamandalam , lately renamed as Kalamandalam Deemed University of Art and Culture, is a major centre for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the southern state of India, with the special emphasis on Kerala. It is situated in the village of Cheruthuruthy in...
University of Art and Culture in Cheruthuruthi
Cheruthuruthi
Cheruthuruthi a.k.a Vallathol Nagar is a small village in India near Wadakkanchery on the banks of the Nila river. It falls in Talappilly taluk of the revenue district of Thrissur...
in Kerala State in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Panicker was of the Kalluvazhi (midland) school of Kathakali.
Biography
He was born in Kottappadi, near GuruvayurGuruvayur
Guruvayur is a municipal town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India. It houses the famous Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple, the fourth biggest temple in India in terms of the number of devotees per day.-History:Guruvayur, according to the legends may be 5,000 years old as the Guruvayur...
, in Thrissur district
Thrissur district
Thrissur is a revenue district of Kerala situated in the central part of that state. Spanning an area of about 3,032 km2, Thrissur district is home to over 10% of Kerala’s population. Thrissur district was formed on July 1, 1949, with the headquarters at Thrissur City. Thrissur is known as...
in 1900. Panicker was one of the first pupils of Pattikkantodi Ramunni Menon. He became an expert in handling heroes like Arjuna, Bhima, and Daksha, and villains like Ravana, Duryodhana, and Herod. His main contribution lay in presenting Biblical stories, compressing full-length productions, and even introducing Hindi songs. He was chief artiste in several palace troupes at Punnathur, Katathanad, and Nilampur, and art centres in Kerala and beyond. He taught at Kerala Kalamandalam and the International Centre for Kathakali, New Delhi, where he also served as principal. Mampuzha Madhava Panicker died in 1973.