Vazhenkada
Encyclopedia
Vazhenkada is a village, known for its Kathakali
heritage, on the banks of the river Thootha
in Malappuram district of Kerala
in southern India
. The nearest small towns are Cherpulassery (in Palakkad district
) to its south and Perintalmanna
to its north, both eight kilometres away.
Vazhenkada's place on the cultural map owes largely to having been the native place of eminent Kathakali artiste, Padma Shri
Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair
, a frontline disciple of the legendary Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon
. Kunchu Nair's son, Vazhenkada Vijayan
, is a Kathakali artiste of repute, having retired from Kerala Kalamandalam
, where his father too had worked as a teacher for long. Another of Kunchu Nair's son, P.V. Sreevalsan, is a Kathakali aesthete and author of a Malayalam novel called Keshabharam.
Kunchu Nair lived close to the Narasimhamoorthy temple in Vazhenkada but there is no one living in his house now. It wears a dilapidated look.
Other famous Kathakali artistes hailing from Vazhenkada include Kalamandalam Balaraman and Kalamandalam Krishnadas (chenda
), Kottakkal Devadas (actor-dancer) and Vazhenkada Anandan (Kathakali musician), besides the late Vazhenkada Govinda Warrier (Kathakali make-up), Vazhenkada Kunjunni Nair, Kalamandalam Rajagopal, Vazhenkada Krishna Warrier and Vazhenkada Rama Warrier.
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...
heritage, on the banks of the river Thootha
Thuthapuzha
Thuthapuzha River is one of the main tributaries of the Bharathapuzha River, the second-longest river in Kerala, south India. Kunthipuzha that flows through the Silent Valley is one of its tributaries...
in Malappuram district 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....
in southern 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...
. The nearest small towns are Cherpulassery (in Palakkad district
Palakkad district
Palakkad District is one of the 14 districts of the Indian state of Kerala. The city of Palakkad is the district headquarters. Palakkad is bordered on the northwest by the Malappuram District, on the southwest by the Thrissur District and on the east by Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. The...
) to its south and Perintalmanna
Perintalmanna
Perinthalmanna is a city and municipality in Malappuram district of Kerala. Perinthalmanna's name is derived from Perumthallu . It was the capital city of Valluvanad, a princely state ruled by the Valluvakonathiris, a suspected branch of the Pallava dynasty of the ancient Tamil kingdoms...
to its north, both eight kilometres away.
Vazhenkada's place on the cultural map owes largely to having been the native place of eminent Kathakali artiste, Padma Shri
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...
Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair
Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair
Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, also spelt Kunju Nair, was a prominent Kathakali exponent of the 20th century and the first principal of Kerala Kalamandalam, the premier performing arts institute of Kerala in south India....
, a frontline disciple of the legendary Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon
Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon
Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon was a pivotal figure in the history of Kathakali, having played a crucial role in remoulding and refining its grammar in the famed Kalluvazhi tradition of the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India...
. Kunchu Nair's son, Vazhenkada Vijayan
Vazhenkada Vijayan
Vazhenkada Vijayan is a senior Kathakali exponent and a retired principal of Kerala Kalamandalam, the performing art institute where he was trained in the classical dance-drama from Kerala in southern India...
, is a Kathakali artiste of repute, having retired from 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...
, where his father too had worked as a teacher for long. Another of Kunchu Nair's son, P.V. Sreevalsan, is a Kathakali aesthete and author of a Malayalam novel called Keshabharam.
Kunchu Nair lived close to the Narasimhamoorthy temple in Vazhenkada but there is no one living in his house now. It wears a dilapidated look.
Other famous Kathakali artistes hailing from Vazhenkada include Kalamandalam Balaraman and Kalamandalam Krishnadas (chenda
Chenda
The Chenda is a cylindrical percussion instrument used widely in the state of Kerala, and Tulu Nadu of Karnataka State in India. In Tulu Nadu it is known as Chande....
), Kottakkal Devadas (actor-dancer) and Vazhenkada Anandan (Kathakali musician), besides the late Vazhenkada Govinda Warrier (Kathakali make-up), Vazhenkada Kunjunni Nair, Kalamandalam Rajagopal, Vazhenkada Krishna Warrier and Vazhenkada Rama Warrier.