Kavalappara Narayanan Nair
Encyclopedia
Kavalappara Narayanan Nair (1882–1948) was a prominent 20th-century Kathakali
artiste and tutor who specialised in the Hanuman
roles of the classical dance-drama from Kerala
in south India
.
A contemporary of greats like Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon
and Guru Kunchu Kurup, Narayanan Nair also shone in virtuous slots like Bahukan and Brihannala, anti-hero roles like Shishupala
n and Keechakan, grotesque characters like Raudra Bhima
n and even minor roles like Mannaan, Aanakkaran, Narasimham, Bheeru and Yavanan. His ability to instantaneously improvise on the stage by employing realistic touches to facial expressions and hand gestures won him massive following in south Kerala's Travancore belt as well. In fact, Narayanan Nair was the only northerner Kathakali artiste to figure on the regular pay rolls of the royal palace in Thiruvananthapuram
.
His white-beard (vella thaadi) roles in the form of the monkey-god Hanuman gained him fame, and even inspired Malayalam poet Edasseri Govindan Nair
to pen a poem titled "Lavanasuravadhathile Hanuman".
Narayanan Nair, a native of Kavalappara east of Shoranur
in Palakkad
district, was primarily trained under his guru Puthenveettil Sekhara Menon at the local Kaliyogam (Kathakali school) run by the Kavalappara palace. He had been an instructor with leading performing arts institutes like Kerala Kalamandalam
, PSV Natyasangham in Kottakkal
and Kadathanattu Kaliyogam.
Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair
was a flag-bearing disciple of Kavalappara, having worked on his guru's portrayal of Hanuman roles. His other prominent disciples include Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair
, Guru Gopinath
, Kottakkal Krishnankutty Nair, Ananda Sivaram and Kelu Nair. Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair
too had his northern-style classes under Naraynan Nair.
Kathakali
Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
artiste and tutor who specialised in the Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
roles of the classical dance-drama from Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
in south India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
A contemporary of greats like Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon
Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon
Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon was a pivotal figure in the history of Kathakali, having played a crucial role in remoulding and refining its grammar in the famed Kalluvazhi tradition of the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India...
and Guru Kunchu Kurup, Narayanan Nair also shone in virtuous slots like Bahukan and Brihannala, anti-hero roles like Shishupala
Shishupala
Shishupala or Sisupala was son of Damaghosha, king of Chedi, by Srutadeva, sister of Vasudeva. Therefore he was not only cousin of Krishna, but also Krishna's implacable foe, because Krishna had carried off Rukmini, his intended wife...
n and Keechakan, grotesque characters like Raudra Bhima
Bhima
In the Mahābhārata, Bhima is one of the central characters of Mahabharata and the second of the Pandava brothers...
n and even minor roles like Mannaan, Aanakkaran, Narasimham, Bheeru and Yavanan. His ability to instantaneously improvise on the stage by employing realistic touches to facial expressions and hand gestures won him massive following in south Kerala's Travancore belt as well. In fact, Narayanan Nair was the only northerner Kathakali artiste to figure on the regular pay rolls of the royal palace in Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
.
His white-beard (vella thaadi) roles in the form of the monkey-god Hanuman gained him fame, and even inspired Malayalam poet Edasseri Govindan Nair
Edasseri Govindan Nair
Edasseri Govindan Nair is a prominent Malayalam poet. His works include 19 books and over 300 poems in 10 anthologies, 6 books of plays and a collection of essays....
to pen a poem titled "Lavanasuravadhathile Hanuman".
Narayanan Nair, a native of Kavalappara east of Shoranur
Shoranur
Shoranur is a town and a municipality in Palakkad district, Kerala,located on the banks of the Bharathapuzha River spread over an area of 32.28 km2.it is a major transport hub , having the largest railway station in the state .Kerala Kalamandalam which is the premier centre for the learning...
in Palakkad
Palakkad
Palakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...
district, was primarily trained under his guru Puthenveettil Sekhara Menon at the local Kaliyogam (Kathakali school) run by the Kavalappara palace. He had been an instructor with leading performing arts institutes like Kerala Kalamandalam
Kerala Kalamandalam
Kerala Kalamandalam , lately renamed as Kalamandalam Deemed University of Art and Culture, is a major centre for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the southern state of India, with the special emphasis on Kerala. It is situated in the village of Cheruthuruthy in...
, PSV Natyasangham in Kottakkal
Kottakkal
Kottakkal is a town and a municipality in Malappuram District in Kerala, south India. It has 32 Wards. The National Highway 17 separates the municipality from Edarikkode Panchayath on some part in the west. It is an Eranadan town located 12 km south-west of Malappuram, the district...
and Kadathanattu Kaliyogam.
Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair
Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair
Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair is one of the most senior performers of Kathakali, having been a grand and sober presence on the art form's stage for a span of over seven decades...
was a flag-bearing disciple of Kavalappara, having worked on his guru's portrayal of Hanuman roles. His other prominent disciples include Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair
Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair
Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair was one of the most renowned Kathakali artists of any time, and arguably the greatest in the history of the four-century-old classical dance-drama from Kerala in southern India...
, Guru Gopinath
Guru Gopinath
Guru Gopinath was an Indian classical dancer, Kathakali master and mentor of a relatively new creative modern dancing style called Kerala Natanam. - Significance :...
, Kottakkal Krishnankutty Nair, Ananda Sivaram and Kelu Nair. Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair
Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair
Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair was a pioneering Kathakali artiste who brought to prominence female characters in the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India....
too had his northern-style classes under Naraynan Nair.
See also
- KathakaliKathakaliKathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
- Guru GopinathGuru GopinathGuru Gopinath was an Indian classical dancer, Kathakali master and mentor of a relatively new creative modern dancing style called Kerala Natanam. - Significance :...
- Mani Madhava ChakyarMani Madhava ChakyarGuru Mani Madhava Chakyar was a celebrated master performance artist and Sanskrit scholar from Kerala, South India, considered to be the greatest Chakyar Koothu and Koodiyattam artist and authority of modern times...