Varanattu Narayana Kurup, 71, straddles the ancient and the advanced with characteristic ease.

A doyen of Kerala’s ritualistic folk theatre Mudiyettu, he’s old-fashioned in relations and prefers hand-written letters to e-mail. As a flag-bearer of tradition, he’s a stickler for rules. But there’s a whiff of freshness in his outlook that belies fastidious traditions.

“While you have women temple attendants, why shouldn’t girls perform Mudiyettu?” he had asked in an interview to The Hindu a while ago.

Two girls are among the students learning percussion (chenda) from the maestro.

Nanu Kurup, as the master performer is known in the South Koratty neighbourhood where his Kizhakke Varanattu Mudiyettu Kalasangham is located, is now on a mission to popularise the shamanistic art among the youth. A well-designed website extols the contours of the art.

With the UNESCO inscribing the ecological theatre with ultramodern devices — comprising Kalamezhuthu (pictorial drawing of irate Kali using organic powders) followed by elaborate enactment of the battle between Goddess Bhadrakali and demon Darika with nature in the backdrop — on the list of intangible heritage of humanity, Kurup submitted a project, titled ‘Purappadu’, explaining ways to popularise Mudiyettu.

Using the grant extended by UNESCO through Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi with donations raised from performances thrown in, he’s giving lecture-demonstrations across colleges in the State.

“We do Kalamezhuthu in traditional style as part of the presentation besides organising a show of costumes and gears used for Mudiyettu performance.

“Actual performance is also undertaken on demand. The goal is to take it to as many colleges and higher secondary schools as possible,” says Nanu Kurup.

The first of such full-scale performances was conducted at St Xavier’s College at Aluva.

Lecture-demos

Lecture-demonstrations have been given at several institutions including the University College and campus at Thiruvananthapuram; NSS College at Neeramankara; Namboodiri’s Institute of Higher Education at Irinjalakuda; Brahmaswom Madom at Thrissur.

“The reception has been encouraging. I feel privileged to be able to take the art to the youth,” he says.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by S. Anandan / September 08th, 2015