Kathakali+Training+Institutions+and+Gurus+by+William+Lee

By William Lee**
 * Renowned Kathakali Training Institutions and Gurus

The **Kerala Kalamundalam** is among the most established and esteemed Kathakali training institutions. The institution, now regarded as a university, is located in the Cheruthuruthy village of Thrissur District in central Kerala.

The school was founded by the poet Padmabhooshan Vallathol Narayana Menon in 1930. The Kalamandalam regards itself as "strictly a residential center of learning." In addition to Kathakali, Kalamandalam offers training in, Kudiyattam, Thullal, and other classical theater forms. Training is also provided in classical percussion instruments such as maddalam and chenda. Kalamandalam is widely credited as helping to give a second life to Kathakali when it almost died out under colonial regulations during the early 1900s.

Since its conception, Kalamandalam has trained students in the ancient tradition in which students and teachers live and learn in the same environment--Gurukula Sampradaya. Eligible applicants are interviewed each May at Kalamandalam. An Interview Board judges the aptitude of the of the applicants and considers any specialty he should be considered for. Judges rank physical appearance and histrionic taste when interviewing for acting and dancing students. They consider rhythm, voice-culture, and previous training when interviewing for vocalists and percussionists. The upper-age limit is 13.

Classes begin as early as 4:30 in the morning and continue until late at night. Early in the morning, lessons focus on physical fitness, body massage, and repetitions of lessons they have already learned. In the afternoons, acting and dancing is taught beginning around 2:00 PM. Sometimes spectators are allowed to watch the training performers. In the acting and dancing classes students learn and perform hand-gestures, eye-movements, facial expressions, leg-exercises, torso-movements, character-enactments and. In vocal classes, students of music learn lessons of classical Karnatic music. Eventually, these students learn and perform entire plays.

media type="youtube" key="nYioTlMiLQE" height="340" width="560" media type="youtube" key="30iwRWW2FLY" height="340" width="560" media type="youtube" key="eiepM0MO1vM" height="340" width="560" Students of percussion learn the vaytharis and then eventually learn strokes and fingerings in different rhythms and tempos. At the final stages of training, all of the classes are combined and students commit complete performances without costume or make-up. These are called Cholliyaattam. There are also classes specifically for make-up and body massage. These classes, especially make-up, can last for hours in order to effectively incorporate all of the traditional details.

Traditionally, research has not been a large part of the school's curriculum. Recently, there has been more of an attempt to incorporate research and ideas like academic criticism into the teachings. This demonstrates the school's intentions to solidify its status as a university.

Some masters that have taught and studied at the Kerala Kalamandalam include Kalamandalam Gopi, Padma Bhushan Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, and Kaluvazhi Vasu.
 * Kalamandalam Go****pi**, originally named Vadakke Manalath Govindan Nairfrom, was born in 1937 in Kerala. Kalamandalam Gopi has become well-known and widely acclaimed for his blend of the stylized, traditional Kalluvazhi form with the more emotional Southern style. He is primarily known for his portrayal of pachcha roles in Kathakali such as Nalan, Karnan, and Rukmangadan. According to legend, Vallathol Narayana Menon was so impressed by Gopi's features that he was pulled to the front of the line during induction as a trainee. He attended Kalamandalam in the mid 1950s and by the 1960s was a successful Kathakali performance artist. He often performed alongside other successful Kathakali performers such as Kottakkal Sivaraman who popularly took on the female roles. He portrays Nala/Bahuka in commonly performed scenes from Act IV of Nalacharita Attakatha.
 * [[image:biodata_kalluvazhi_vasu.jpg align="left" caption="Kaluvazhi Vasu"]]Kaluvazhi Vasu** studied for 8 years at Kerala Kalamandalam and has since served many times as a guest instructor at the school. Younger than some of the gurus he often performs alongside, Kaluvazhi Vasu was boring in the Palakkad District in 1950. He specializes in feminine roles. He commonly portrays the part of Keshini in scenes from Act IV of Nalacharita Attakatha.

The **PSV** **Natya Sangham**, located In Kottakal near Kozhikode, is also a renowned Kathakali arts training institution. To participate in this 8-year training program, students must have completed 7th class and then qualify in a talent test. This live-in, Gurukula Sampradaya institution was founded in 1939. The PSV Natya Sangham is run by a trust. Students in the school receive a yearly stipend. Admission occurs in June and provides for admission two seats in each category. The centre has nightly shows after Onam as well as providing public performances on the 5th of February each year. The school is currently run by Arya Vaidya Sala Kottakkal. The institution boasts such gurus as Kottakkal Sivaraman. A Kathakali student of PSV Natya Sangham, **Kottakkal Sivaraman** was selected in 2009 for the Kerala government's highest award for Kathakali artists-- the Kathakali Puraskaram. He is credited as helping to bring due recognition and encouragement for female roles in Kathakali. Appearing upon many stages throughout the past fifty years, Sivaraman has been lauded for his emotional range charisma. In his pursuit to change the attitudes about female characters in Kathakali, Sivaraman came up with many revolutionary ideas on stage. This won him appreciation not only in his native town of Valluvanad, but also in Kerala. Praised for his strict adherence to classical tradition while maintaining a dynamic versatility, Sivaraman has worked alongside other such performers as Kalamandalam Gopi and Kalamandalam Kirshnan Nair. His most outstanding pairing was with Gopi, whom he performed with many times to much praise. Their classic performances include ones with Sivaraman as Damayanti and Gopi as Nalan. He traditionally played the part of Damayanti in scenes from Act IV of Nalacharita Attakatha.

www.artindia.net/kathakali2.html www.cyberkerala.com/kathakali/artists/kalluvazhivasu.htm www.kalamandalam.org/ www.keralatourism.org/trainingcentres/centre_details.php?id=84 timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Thirupuram/State-honour-for-Kathakali-maestro-Sivaraman- /articleshow/4671861.cms wikipedia.org**
 * Sources: