Natyakalpadrumam
Encyclopedia
Nātyakalpadrumam is a book written by (late) Nātyāchārya Vidūshakaratnam Padma Shri
Guru Māni Mādhava Chākyār
(who was the ultimate exponent of Koodiyattam
and Abhinaya
) about all aspects of ancient Sanskrit
drama theatre tradition of Kerala
- Kutiyattam. It was first published in Malayalam (1975) by Kerala Kalamandalam
, with financial assistance of Sangeet Natak Academi, New Delhi
. This monumental work serves as the reference to scholars and students. The entire book is written in the old Sanskrit
text style closely following Nātyaśāstra. Both structure and content of the book illustrates the excellence of the author in both Sanskrit and Nātyaśāstra. It has received the prestigious Kerala Sahitya Academy Award for the year 1975. The book has been translated and published in Hindi
by Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.
in his monumental work Nātyaśāstra and salutes the sage. Then in one stanza the author narrates his horoscope (Jataka) which depicts his scholarship in Jyotisha
. Then again he prays for the blessings of sage Bharatha the propagator of Nātya on the earth.
In the last stanza he compares his work to the Kalpadruma- the heavenly tree which gives everything requested. Nātyakalpadruma also gives all details about Nātya that is Koodiyattam and so the name of the work Nātyakalpadruma is meaningful in all senses.
The first chapter Samjnaprakarana gives the names of costumes and other materials used in Koodiyattam. A detailed description of different names etc used in Koodiyattam for different steps, actions etc are also given in this chapter.
The second chapter Paribhashapakarana gives the names and descriptions of different types of narration, inacting, characters, their languages, characteristic features etc. This chapter also narrates different types of acting
which are included in koodiyattam on special occasions. For example how to act on stage without dialogue such things like capital city, mountain, trees, garden, hermitage, seasons, heaven etc are given presicely. Famous Abhinayas (acting) such as Kailasoddhārana (lifting of Kailasa), Pārvatī Viraha (separation of Pārvatī) etc are also included in this chapter. Details of wearing different costumes and different types of abhinaya are also given here.
The third chapter Mudra-Taalaprakarana gives elaborate narration of Mudra
s (movements of hands and fingers), their names and their usage in Abhinaya. Different Taala
s used in Koodiyattam are also described here. The usage of different Taalas according to different Swara
s (Rāga
s) and different contexts is the next point discussed in this chapter.
The fourth chapter, Swaraprakarana deals with different Swaras (Ragas) used in Koodiyattam they are 20 in number which are called Muddan, Shreekantthi, Thondu, Aarthan, Indalam, Muralindalam, Veladhuli, Danam, Veeratarkan, Tarkan, Korakkurunji, Paurali, Poraneeru, Dukkhagandharam, Chetipanchamam, Bhinnapanchamam, Shreekamaram, Kaishiki, Ghattanthari and Anthari. Details of their usage in abhinaya according to Rasas, Characters, Contexts etc are also narrated with suitable examples.
The fifth chapter which is called Rasaprakarana deals with Satwika-Abhinaya (Satwikābhinaya)- the most important one among the four types of Abhinayas. Topics such as Nātya, Nritya, Nritta, Rasa, Bhava, Vibhava, Anubhāva, Satwikabhāva, Vyabhicharibhāva, their inacting, movements of eyes for different Rasas and Bhava
s etc are also discussed here . Some examples of Rasābhinaya (Rasa-Abhinaya) are also given. Thus this chapter gives a clear picture of the theory and practice regarding Rasābhinaya. The minute details of Netrābhinaya- enacting with eyes, eyes only are given here by the greatest master of Netrābhinaya.
The sixth chapter Abhyāsaprakarana deals with practical training in Koodiyattam. Here the author gives twenty one types of eye movement which are to be practiced by a Koodiyattam artist who specialises in Rasābhinaya. These are very important for Koodiyattam artist as well as artists from other classical art forms. Special duties of Chakiar
s (actors), Nangiarammas (actresses) and Nambiars (drummers who play Mizhavu
) are also narrated here in detail .
Drishtāntaprakarana the seventh chapter contains examples of different types of abhinaya, narrations of different types of stories and conversations etc used in Koodiyattams. Peculiarities of languaes to be used in different contexts by different characters are also given here.
The last chapter Vaisheshikaprakarana gives Slokas used as benedictory verses in the beginning of different Koodiyattams with and without Abhinaya, Slokas used in Nirvahana, Slokas used at the time of elobarate special Abhinayas such as the beauty of heroine etc, Slokas used by Vidūshaka (Vidushaka) which are mostly in regional language Malayalam or Prakrit
, examples of stories used by Vidushaka etc. It also gives the details of special stage arrangements to be made for the performance of some rare scenes. Then the author gives the special rules and regulations to be observed by the Koodiyattam troop at the time of performance especially when it is done in a Koothampalam (traditional theatre) or in a traditional Hindu
temple
which are the real stages of this traditional, classical art form. Some special rights of traditional families of artists are also given. Details of special performance in some traditional Hindu temples in Kerala are also discussed in this chapter.
Thus the work as a whole contains all details regarding the traditional classical temple art. One can see the footsteps of the great scholar, great artist and great Achārya (teacher or Guru) who lived on the stage for about 80 golden years, in this commendable work. His skill in all aspects of Koodiyattam especially the unparallel Netrābhinaya are world famous.
by Sangeet Natak Akademi
, New Delhi
(1996). The translation was done by Chakyar Koothu
- Koodiyattam artist and son of Guru Māni Mādhava Chākyār, PK Govindan Nambiar- and edited by Dr. Prem Lata Sharma
.
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
Guru Māni Mādhava Chākyār
Mani Madhava Chakyar
Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar was a celebrated master performance artist and Sanskrit scholar from Kerala, South India, considered to be the greatest Chakyar Koothu and Koodiyattam artist and authority of modern times...
(who was the ultimate exponent of Koodiyattam
Koodiyattam
Koodiyattam or Kutiyattam is a form of Sanskrit theatre traditionally performed in the state of Kerala, India. Performed in the Sanskrit language in Hindu temples, it is believed to be 2,000 years old...
and Abhinaya
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
) about all aspects of ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
drama theatre tradition of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
- Kutiyattam. It was first published in Malayalam (1975) by 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...
, with financial assistance of Sangeet Natak Academi, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
. This monumental work serves as the reference to scholars and students. The entire book is written in the old Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
text style closely following Nātyaśāstra. Both structure and content of the book illustrates the excellence of the author in both Sanskrit and Nātyaśāstra. It has received the prestigious Kerala Sahitya Academy Award for the year 1975. The book has been translated and published in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
by Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.
Contents
Natyakalpadruma- theatrical study written by Mani Madhava Chakiar the great Guru of Koodiyattam the traditional Sanskrit theatre, is divided into eight chapters. The cover photo shows the famous Pakarnnaatta-Abhinaya (male character enacting female character) of the maestro in Koodiyattam. Preface of the book is written by renowned scholar Shri Kunjunni Raja. The book contains Navarasa photos of the maestro along with many of his rare Koodiyattam photos.Introduction
The author begins his work with an introduction and a few benedictory and introductory versus written in Sanskrit language. Here he salutes Gods, Goddesses and his great Gurus like Panditaratnam Pannisseri Sankaran Nampoothiripad and His Highness Darsanakalanidhi Rama Varma Parikshith Thampuran. Then he summarises the beginning of Nātya and Nātyaveda as told by the great sage- BharataBharata Muni
Bharata was an ancient Indian musicologist who authored the Natya Shastra, a theoretical treatise on ancient Indian dramaturgy and histrionics, dated to between roughly 400 BC and 200 BC. Indian dance and music find their root in the Natyashastra...
in his monumental work Nātyaśāstra and salutes the sage. Then in one stanza the author narrates his horoscope (Jataka) which depicts his scholarship in Jyotisha
Jyotisha
Hindu astrology , also Jyotish or Jyotisha, from Sanskrit , from "light, heavenly body") is the ancient Indian system of astronomy and astrology...
. Then again he prays for the blessings of sage Bharatha the propagator of Nātya on the earth.
In the last stanza he compares his work to the Kalpadruma- the heavenly tree which gives everything requested. Nātyakalpadruma also gives all details about Nātya that is Koodiyattam and so the name of the work Nātyakalpadruma is meaningful in all senses.
Chapters
The eight chapters included in this work are- Samjnāprakarana
- Paribhāshāprakarana
- Mudra-Taalaprakarana
- Swaraprakarana
- Rasaprakarana
- Abhyasaprakarana
- Drishtāntaprakarana
- Vaisheshikaprakarana.
The first chapter Samjnaprakarana gives the names of costumes and other materials used in Koodiyattam. A detailed description of different names etc used in Koodiyattam for different steps, actions etc are also given in this chapter.
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
which are included in koodiyattam on special occasions. For example how to act on stage without dialogue such things like capital city, mountain, trees, garden, hermitage, seasons, heaven etc are given presicely. Famous Abhinayas (acting) such as Kailasoddhārana (lifting of Kailasa), Pārvatī Viraha (separation of Pārvatī) etc are also included in this chapter. Details of wearing different costumes and different types of abhinaya are also given here.
The third chapter Mudra-Taalaprakarana gives elaborate narration of Mudra
Mudra
A mudrā is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism. While some mudrās involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers...
s (movements of hands and fingers), their names and their usage in Abhinaya. Different Taala
Tala (music)
Tāla, Taal or Tal is the term used in Indian classical music for the rhythmic pattern of any composition and for the entire subject of rhythm, roughly corresponding to metre in Western music, though closer conceptual equivalents are to be found in other Asian classical systems such as the notion...
s used in Koodiyattam are also described here. The usage of different Taalas according to different Swara
Swara
The seven notes of the scale , in Indian music are named shadja, rishabh, gandhar, madhyam, pancham, dhaivat and nishad, and are shortened to Sa, Ri or Re , Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha, and Ni and written S, R, G, M, P, D, N. Collectively these notes are known as the sargam...
s (Rāga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
s) and different contexts is the next point discussed in this chapter.
The fourth chapter, Swaraprakarana deals with different Swaras (Ragas) used in Koodiyattam they are 20 in number which are called Muddan, Shreekantthi, Thondu, Aarthan, Indalam, Muralindalam, Veladhuli, Danam, Veeratarkan, Tarkan, Korakkurunji, Paurali, Poraneeru, Dukkhagandharam, Chetipanchamam, Bhinnapanchamam, Shreekamaram, Kaishiki, Ghattanthari and Anthari. Details of their usage in abhinaya according to Rasas, Characters, Contexts etc are also narrated with suitable examples.
The fifth chapter which is called Rasaprakarana deals with Satwika-Abhinaya (Satwikābhinaya)- the most important one among the four types of Abhinayas. Topics such as Nātya, Nritya, Nritta, Rasa, Bhava, Vibhava, Anubhāva, Satwikabhāva, Vyabhicharibhāva, their inacting, movements of eyes for different Rasas and Bhava
Bhava
The term bhāva is often translated as feeling, emotion, mood, devotional state of mind. In Buddhist thought, bhāva denotes the continuity of life and death, including reincarnation, and the maturation arising therefrom...
s etc are also discussed here . Some examples of Rasābhinaya (Rasa-Abhinaya) are also given. Thus this chapter gives a clear picture of the theory and practice regarding Rasābhinaya. The minute details of Netrābhinaya- enacting with eyes, eyes only are given here by the greatest master of Netrābhinaya.
Chakyar
Chakyar is a Brahmin caste coming under the Ambalavasi community of Hindus in the Kerala state of South India. The women in this caste are called Illotammas....
s (actors), Nangiarammas (actresses) and Nambiars (drummers who play Mizhavu
Mizhavu
A mizhav or mizhavu is a big copper drum played as an accompanying percussion instrument in the Koodiyattam and Koothu, performing arts of Kerala . It is played by the Ambalavasi Nambiar community.The drum is played only with hands...
) are also narrated here in detail .
Drishtāntaprakarana the seventh chapter contains examples of different types of abhinaya, narrations of different types of stories and conversations etc used in Koodiyattams. Peculiarities of languaes to be used in different contexts by different characters are also given here.
The last chapter Vaisheshikaprakarana gives Slokas used as benedictory verses in the beginning of different Koodiyattams with and without Abhinaya, Slokas used in Nirvahana, Slokas used at the time of elobarate special Abhinayas such as the beauty of heroine etc, Slokas used by Vidūshaka (Vidushaka) which are mostly in regional language Malayalam or Prakrit
Prakrit
Prakrit is the name for a group of Middle Indic, Indo-Aryan languages, derived from Old Indic dialects. The word itself has a flexible definition, being defined sometimes as, "original, natural, artless, normal, ordinary, usual", or "vernacular", in contrast to the literary and religious...
, examples of stories used by Vidushaka etc. It also gives the details of special stage arrangements to be made for the performance of some rare scenes. Then the author gives the special rules and regulations to be observed by the Koodiyattam troop at the time of performance especially when it is done in a Koothampalam (traditional theatre) or in a traditional Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
which are the real stages of this traditional, classical art form. Some special rights of traditional families of artists are also given. Details of special performance in some traditional Hindu temples in Kerala are also discussed in this chapter.
Thus the work as a whole contains all details regarding the traditional classical temple art. One can see the footsteps of the great scholar, great artist and great Achārya (teacher or Guru) who lived on the stage for about 80 golden years, in this commendable work. His skill in all aspects of Koodiyattam especially the unparallel Netrābhinaya are world famous.
Translation
This monumental work has been published in HindiHindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
by Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India.-History:...
, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
(1996). The translation was done by Chakyar Koothu
Chakyar koothu
Chakyar Koothu is a performance art from Kerala, South India. It is primarily a type of highly refined monologue where the performer narrates episodes from Hindu epics and stories from the Puranas...
- Koodiyattam artist and son of Guru Māni Mādhava Chākyār, PK Govindan Nambiar- and edited by Dr. Prem Lata Sharma
Prem Lata Sharma
Prem Lata Sharma was a musicologist, scholar and educator. She was born in Punjab and completed her doctorate in the Banaras Hindu University....
.
See also
- Māni Mādhava ChākyārMani Madhava ChakyarGuru Mani Madhava Chakyar was a celebrated master performance artist and Sanskrit scholar from Kerala, South India, considered to be the greatest Chakyar Koothu and Koodiyattam artist and authority of modern times...
- Natyashastra
- AbhinayaAbhinayaAbhinaya is a concept in Indian dance and drama derived from Bharata's Natya Shastra. Although now, the word has come to mean 'the art of expression', etymologically it derives from Sanskrit abhi- 'towards' + nii- 'leading/guide', so literally it means a 'leading towards' Aside from its clear...
- Navarasa
- Chakyar KoothuChakyar koothuChakyar Koothu is a performance art from Kerala, South India. It is primarily a type of highly refined monologue where the performer narrates episodes from Hindu epics and stories from the Puranas...
- KoodiyattamKoodiyattamKoodiyattam or Kutiyattam is a form of Sanskrit theatre traditionally performed in the state of Kerala, India. Performed in the Sanskrit language in Hindu temples, it is believed to be 2,000 years old...
- Sanskrit Theatre
- Mani Damodara ChakyarMani Damodara ChakyarMani Damodara Chakyar is a renowned Kutiyattam and Chakyar Koothu artist in Kerala state of south India. He is a nephew and disciple of legendary guru Nātyāchārya Vidūshakaratnam Padma Shri Māni Mādhava Chākyār...
- KathakaliKathakaliKathakali 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...
- Mohiniyattam
- Thulall