Kakkarissi Natakam

Kakkarissi Natakam is a folk art form of dance drama which includes music, originating in southern India, in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is especially associated with Kerala.

History

Kakkarissi Natakam originated in southern Kerala[1] and Tamil Nadu.[2] At first, the natakam would only be performed in front of minor Hindu deities, and audiences were mainly drawn from lower socio-economic classes and various lower castes. Performances were long, often lasting through much of the night.[1]

Description

This art form is more popular in the southern regions of Kerala. It is a form of musical drama, and the language used is a blend of Tamil and Malayalam.[2] It has all the elements of traditional Indian theatre, and combines music, dance, and mime. The performances are often humorous, and blend satire and social commentary into the narrative.[1] A play is performed with dance and songs, accompanied by musical instruments which include the mrudangam, harmonium, ganchira, chenda and kaimani.[3][4]

The story is built around Lord Shivan with his consort Parvathi Devi, who arrived on earth in the form of Kakkalan and Kakkathi, a nomadic tribe of fortune tellers.[2][1] Sundara Kakkan, Kakkathis, Vedan, and Thampuraan are some of the main characters in this art form.[2]

Notable practitioners

P. K. Rosy, the first actress in a Malayalam film, was an accomplished Kakkarissi Natakam performer in the 1920s, before she played the lead role in J. C. Daniel's 1928 film Vigathakumaran.[5][6][7]

Sreedharan Asan (born c. 1923), studied under Gopalan Asan, becoming a well-known artist and teacher of Kakkarissi Natakam. He led his own troupe, called Natana Kairali. When Travancore was a kingdom ruled by a Maharaja, the troupe performed for him at the "vetta and vilakku" festival of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, in Thiruvananthapuram. They also performed at the World Malayalam Conference, and in Delhi, for Indira Gandhi as well as Rajiv Gandhi. At the age of 89, Sreedharan Asan was feted by the Soorya Stage and Film Society, which organised a pooja for him.[1] In 2011, he won a Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award in the folk art (Keraleeya Kalakal) category.[8]

Writing

G. Bhargavan Pillai, a writer on Kerala folklore, published his work about the art form, titled Kakkarissinatakam, in 1976.[9][10][11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Ramnath, Ambili (11 October 2012). "Keeping the torch burning". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "Bringing Kakkarissi to life". The New Indian Express.
  3. ^ "Kakkarissi Natakam - a folk theatrical art form". www.keralaculture.org.
  4. ^ "Kakkarissi Natakam - a satirical dance-drama, Performing art". Kerala Tourism.
  5. ^ Rajendran, Sowmya (19 September 2019). "PK Rosy's story: How Malayalam cinema's first woman actor was forced to leave the state". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 20 September 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  6. ^ Shaji, K A (10 February 2023). "As Google honours Dalit heroine PK Rosy, Kerala film academy struggles to name award after her". The South First. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  7. ^ Pillai, Geetha Sunil (3 April 2025). "Dalit History Month: How the Caste System Buried Kerala's First Christian Filmmaker & Dalit Actress 97 Years Ago". The Mooknayak English - Voice Of The Voiceless. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  8. ^ "Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Awards announced". The New Indian Express. 11 January 2012. Archived from the original on 26 February 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  9. ^ "Kakkarissi Natakam - a satirical dance-drama, Performing art".
  10. ^ "Ji Bhārggavanpiḷḷa". Open Library. 28 August 2008. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  11. ^ Kakkarissi Natakam, library catalogue entry at the University of Calicut

Further reading

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