Guided Tour

A Day With the Masters

It was in 2003 Kerala kalamandalam launched a distinctive project famously known as ‘a day with the masters’ in association with Kerala tourism. ‘A day with the masters’ is a pilgrimage to the most sacred temple of arts, with an unique menu of presentations that bring out the grandeur of the institution. Yet there had been no specific project to guide the visitors within the vast Vallathol Nagar campus of kalamandalam and the nila campus for decades. The guides are the project coordinator or the trained senior art-students who receive the visitor at the entrance of the huge kalamandalam campus at Vallathol Nagar.Then he/she can visit the Koothambalam(the traditional temple theater meant for the make-up, costuming and performance of art forms. Inside the koothambalam, there are granite pillars on which are carved 108 karanas/dance-poses taken from the natyasastra, the 2nd century treatise on Indian dramaturgy). The kalaries/classrooms are the space where students are trained in the different art-forms like chenda – the high sound instrument, maddalam – the one horizontally held by the player and played by both hands, edakka shaped like an hour-glass producing a mellifluous voice, mridangam and the powerful tones of mizhavu, thimila etc. These are the places where percussion-music is taught. Then one for training vocal music such as classes of kathakali music, karnatic music are also there.

Koothambalam (Traditional Temple-Theater)

Traditionally kuttu and kutiyattam performances are held in the kuttambalams. Some of the major temples in Kerala still have kuttambalams. Built as per the inscriptions laid down in sage bharata’s natyasastra of 2nd century A.D., kuttambalam is an architecturally elegant structure that gives perfect ambience for the staging of kutiyattam and nangyarkuttu. They are so designed to facilitate intense communication between the artists and the audience. Kuttambalams in the hindu temples like the one in Thrissur, Irinjalakuda, Moozhikkulam and Haripad face the sanctum-sanctorum and are considered a sacred space. As a pre-eminent institution for the teaching and performance of classical arts, Kerala kalamandalam felt the need for a koothambalam/natyagriha bringing together the classicism of ancient theatre architecture and modern amenities. In 1977 the natyagriha came into being under the architectural guidance of D. Appukuttan Nair and the aristry of Elavally Narayanan Achari, a master craftsman. The pillars of the kuttambalam are made of black granite. 108 karanas(dance-poses) specified in the natyasastra are carved on the pillars. Just behind the stage story of Arjuna getting the divine arrow, pashupatha from lord Shiva, is depicted beautifully in mural painting. The wooden platform and the clean unadorned frontal space ideally place the performers and the spectators during the festival days of kalamandalam. Subdued electric lights and microphones provide due effect to the dance/theatre/music recitals held overnight. People from far and near have invariably appreciated the architectural grandeur and aesthetic tone of kuttambalam, brimming with the glory of a distant past.

The Art-Gallery

The art-gallery was established in 2001. Kerala has a rich tradition of diverse art forms. Most of the art forms are unique and related to religion, their worship and rituals. It exhibits effigies of various characters from kathakali, and other performing arts, in full costume. Sculptures of various art forms are made of fibre. The exquisitely made beautiful sculptures representing Kathakali, Kutiyattam, Mohiniyattom and Thullal greet the visitors. Through it has not been possible to showcase all the forms of Kathakali and Kutiyattam in the art gallery, facial paintings in miniature are on display. These mannequins were sculped by Kerala’s renowed artist Namboothiri. For a novice, a visit to the gallery would be educational and inspiring. The famous historian Namboothiri has given shape and expression besides hand – gestures to the fiber sculptures.

Vallathol Museum

In 1935, Vallathol rented a house in Cheruthuruthy and moved into it with his family. Kerala kalamandalam in the 70’s proposed to purchase that house and convert it to a museum. Vallathol house was taken over by government and handed over to kalamandalam. However the project was delayed unduly. Hence a makeshift museum was set up in the ground floor of the main office of the kalamandalam building at Cheruthuruthy. The house has been converted into Vallathol museum which exhibits among others the precious manuscripts, gifts which the poet receieved from various countries, the different dresses he used on various occations, photographs of Vallathol with luminaries from all over the world and the audio-version of his select poems. The museum-building has been renovated and the display has been redesigned with architectural guidance from kaladhwani, a firm operating in New Delhi. The museum displayed the personal artefacts of mahakavi Vallathol, his portraits at various ages, books, diaries, his handwritten notes, some old kathakali costumes and awards received by kalamandalam. In 1985, Kerala government purchased the house for rupees 1 lakh and sixty thousand rupees. From 1985 to 1988 the vallathol house remains unused. One gatekeeper and one sweeper had appointed. From the early days of 1988, the conversion of Vallathol house into museum started in a very slow manner. It was only in april 1988 that the museum was formally declared by the erstwhile minister of culture. Since 1985, the museum has become an important cultural site, visited by hundreds of schools, regional, national and international members of the public as well. It is indeed a tribute to kalamandalam’s founder, mahakavi Sri Vallathol Narayana Menon. A visit to Vallathol museum has now become a cultural pilgrimage.