PERFORMANCE
According to mythology,in the battle field of Kurukshetra when Balarama saw his disciples Doryodhana and Bheema engaged in an unholy mortal combat,Balarama was tormented mentally. He felt desparate and withdrew to Naimisaranya where Sootha who was narrating the story disrespected him. Irate Balarama lifted Sootha with his personal weapon, the plough and threw him away. Sootha fell into the sea. Emerging from the sea Sootha continues his narration of story. The wavelets of the sea striking his waist and continuing to do so is,as per the current story,represented by the layered cloth girdle (Mattu)worn by the Chakyars.
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As the costuming and the marking of the Chakyar comes to completion, the 'Mizhavu' rattling also would have to its culmination.The Chakyar appears on the stage covering his face with upper clothing and with a water-pot on his left hand
After the Chakyar has entered the stage,the first ritual is 'Kriya' or action.The aim of the Kriya is to exhibit and recapture the dance expressions Nritha Bhavas which are said to have been performed in the world of Gods.After this the Chakyar has to sprinkle water on his face,hide his face and then appear in full form,facing the audience.Next there is the presentation of 'Vidooshaka Sthopa'.He has to cleanse his sacred thread(Poonul),chew betel leaves mixed with arecanut and lime,brush his hair softly,polish his moustaches,fan himself with his upper clothing.These actions are supplemented and complemented by the musical effect produced on the Mizhavu by the Nambyar and the lifting accompaniment of the Kuzhithalam by the Nangyar.The actions of the Chakyar provoke laughter and the humour is enjoyable to the audience.Every attentive person would be carried away to the world of fantasy of humour,pleasurability and enjoyment.
Classical scholars believe that the 'Vidooshaka Sthopa' is an extension from 'Koodiyattom' to 'Koothu'.After the 'Vidooshaka Sthopa'the Chakyar will express a sort of symbolic injunction.This injunction is a manual direction to stop playing on the 'Mizhavu'.It is called the 'Vilakkal'.
The next step of the art form moves towards an exposition of the story.It is an elaborate description of how,in order to attain salvation from this human boneage,consisting of births and deaths, one has to narrate stories.The Chakyar confesses in a humble way that though he is bereft of even an iota of the qualities required to do it, he is going to narrate a divine story and is submitting it at the feet of God with extreme devotion.He is hopeful of obtaining the blessings of the devotees, due to his own devotion to his Guru and praying fervently to the 'Goddess Lakshmy', the Chakyar closes his introduction.It should be noted that if in the middle of his exposition seeking the blessings, the Chakyar evokes the name of Sri Rama, the story will be centered on Ramayana.If it is the name of Vasudeva, then it will be about Mahabharatha and if the name of Chandrachuda is mentioned, it will be a story concerning Lord Shiva.
After the invocation and suggestion regarding the story,the Chakyar circumambulates the Peetha, the seat, salutes and then takes his seat on it.He covers his face with the upper clothing and repeates the Gayathri Manthra.Then he replaces the clothing and then goes on to narrate the story after giving a summary at first.
The principal scriptures relating to 'Chakyarkoothu'are the 'Champus'.In the earlier periods,the'BhashaChampus' were also used as sources in 'ChakyarKoothu'.After the advent of Melpathoor's regal and serious compositions, the Sanskrit compositions got replaced by a common Malayalam language compositions.The traditional mode of repeating and then elaborating it, is the method used in the 'Prabandam Koothu'. Being a common man's amusement the injunction is that English term should never be used by the 'Chakyars' in any contexts under any circumstance.Irony and ridicule,though utilised prolifically, was done in a solemn serious manner wthout any sort of bitterness or offences to anyone.The actor may sometimes make indirect reference to people present in the audience and may also refer to relevant topics only in a lighter vein.Vitriolic comments are avoided. The remarks should evoke humour and laughter, not bitterness or anger in anyone in spite of the ironical referance and statements . This art form with these specialities,had thus established it self from ancient times in the hearts of the general public.
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Even during the period of dictators and feudal lords, the Chakyar could in his performance ,indirectly refer to the defects,stupidities and serous short-comings of those in power.His liberty in such matters was infinite.Even during the period of rulers who were intolerant of oppositions or even minor criticism and had the tendency and power to chop off the heads of rebels, the Chakyar was the supreme performer who had the liberty to ridicule and engage in indirect criticism ,standing on the stage called the 'Koothambalam'. This art form, it must be mentioned, led to many social reforms and constructive approaches to the problems and relaxation of strict rules.
Audience participation,which was prevalent during the last days of Greek culture was prevalent and familiar in India.To ridicule anyone while narrating a story was theprevilage enjoyed by the Chakyar who never utilised his rights to inordinately eulogise,extol somebody or engage in sycophancy, with selfish motives.Thus this art form according to traditional scholars was the voice of the age and society,an enjoyable amusement which also enabled people to engage in ractification of their own defects and bring about reforms in society at large.
Balarama in mythalogy killed Sootha in Naimisaranya.Sootha was the supreme narrator of interesting stories.Consequent on his demise there was no one to narrative enlivering divine stories in the KaliYuga.As a result it is said that members from eighteen Brahmin families were chosen to do the work of Sootha and continue to provide entertainments.These eighteen families or members in the families continue to do the work and they came to be known as Chakyars today.Many eminent Chakyars from these eighteen families have contributed immensely.Among the great personalities in the field of Chakyar Koothu the names of Irinjalakuda Chachu Chakyar,the late Mani Madhava Chakyar and Panikulam Rama Chakyar who introduced Chakyar Koothu into the hearts of variegated audiences bringing out the art form out of the exclusive Koothambalam,to the stage at large.He was the first to perform Chakyar Koothu outside the traditional Koothambalam on the public stage.
According to traditional injunction when a Chakyar loses his divine capacities to perform in a spontaneous manner or a family becomes bereft of a qualified artist, the said family should collect the costumes and performance materials which are called 'Aneelam' wrap it up in silk clothes take the bundle to the Thiruvanchikulam temple periphery, and hang it on the nail driven there.Eighteen nails can even today be seen in the temple periphery of the said temple as silent witness to history.
The presentation of Koothu, the narration of the story, the exposition ,elaboration and the conclusion seated on 'the Peetha' the pious seat continous unbated in various forms and various places
In the middle of the hurry-burry, the noisy and mechanical picturesque and loquatious glut of various forms of entertainment which are presented with great paraphernalia ,cousing sometimes a lot of nervous tension and restlessness,let us pray that this cool,calm and divine art may continue to flourish among us! We shall pray that this pious solemn seat the Peetha may be eternally blessed with the occupation and presence of Sootha and may the ancient art form be performed and continued to be enjoyed by the general public
May the holy 'Mizhavu' which is the supreme solemn musical percussion instrument,symbol of etenity,continue to be played and enjoyed by the people.
The Chakyars who are the eternal artists whose words are appreciable and enjoyable as also laudable,continue to amuse and enliven the humanity at large .Let not the nails have any bundles containing the performance dress of the retaired Chakyars!!
With this solemn prayer we comes to the conclusion of this dissertation on'ChakyarKoothu',the divine solemn entertainment .
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