All The World's A Stage!

Tracing the sands of time for Kuttiyattam with Venu G on the various shades of oral tradition, including its rightful claimers

- Deepa Chakravarthy

N the dim light of the nila vilakku (sacred lamp), as the beats of the mizhavu (drum) fades, a deafening silence amplifies as the valiant Bali comes to fall, struck by the arrow of Sri Rama. Playing the role of Bali, on that occasion, was the legendary Ammannur Madhava Chakyar, whose mastery is in how he prolongs the act of dying to nearly an hour, holding the attention of audience. As his breathing gets heavier, the audience let out their gasps; as his moaning grows painful, the audience feel choked in their throat. Immersed in the act, the audience will witness the prowess of the actor as he emotes intensely showing the light of life slipping away using his eyes.

Narrating the acting of Ammannur Chakyar is Venu G, his disciple, who shared that sitting in the audience, watching Chakyar perform on that day was Pina Bausch, a German dancer and choreographer, known for the neo-expressionist movement tradition. Moved by the intensity and profoundness in the dramatisation of Bali, Bausch expressed to Venu for an audience with him. Obliging the request, Venu ushered her backstage. On entering the greenroom, Ms Bausch went up to Ammannur Chakyar and prostrated in front of him. But in response, Venu shared how Chakyar had not even acknowledged her.