The Hindu
Monday, Apr 07, 2003 Metro Plus Thiruvananthapuram 

The divine dance


A full-fledged Krishnanattom performance, perhaps the first in the city in
several decades, was held at the Perur Sree Krishna temple. It assumes
significance as this art form has rarely been staged outside Guruvayur.


THE DECISION of the Perur Sree Krishnaswamy Devaswom to stage Krishnanattom
at its festivals for the next eight years assumes significance as the art
form is rarely staged outside Guruvayur.

The Guruvayur Devaswom holds the exclusive right to stage Krishnanattom and
train artistes.

Though considered a forerunner of Kathakali, Krishnanattom did not achieve
worldwide renown as it was confined to the precincts of the Guruvayur
temple.

A Zamorin's (Manavedan) devotion to Lord Krishna had found expression in the
Sanskrit poem, Krishnagiti, and in the dance-drama, Krishnanattom.

This art form traces Krishna's story right from nativity, and is performed
in eight parts over eight days. Originally staged only in the Zamorin's
palace, it was later endowed as a votive offering to Guruvayurappan.


The first part of the series, `Avatharam', staged at the Perur temple in the
city, recounted the birth of Krishna in tumultuous circumstances.

According to the temple authorities, a Devaprasnam had led to the resolution
that traditional art forms such as Kathakali and Koodiyattom would be given
the pride of place in the temple festival. Though Krishnanattam had been
staged as part of the tourism week celebrations, this was the first
full-fledged show of the art form in the city, said the troupe manager, P.
C. C. Elayathu.

`Kaliyamardanam', `Rasakrida', `Kamsavadham', `Swayamvaram', `Banayuddham',
`Vividhavadham' and `Swargarohanam' will be performed in the coming years,
he added.

The decision of the temple authorities takes on importance in the light of
an incident buried in the mists of time, which had kept Krishnanattom beyond
the frontiers of Travancore for long.

Long ago, a Maharajah of Travancore had invited the troupe for a
performance.

In an attempt to test the divine powers that the mudi (head dress)
supposedly bestows on the actor playing Krishna, the Maharajah got a real
elephant for the role of Kuvalayapeedom (Kamsa's elephant), in the play
`Kamsavadham'. By placing the mudi on the head of the child actor playing
Krishna, he was pacified by the asan (master).

It is believed that this act transformed the child into the Lord himself.

And to the horror of the Maharajah, he single-handedly killed the elephant
and would have killed `Kamsa' too, but for the timely intervention of the
asan, who removed the mudi from his head. F

ollowing this incident, which enraged the Zamorin, Krishnanattom was not
staged in Travancore for long.

However, this tradition ended with the Zamorin's death.

Since the 1960s, the Kaliyogam had been performing frequently not just in
Kerala, but even abroad, said Elayathu.

This year's show was staged by a 30-member troupe. Kamsa was played by
Narayanan Nambudiri, Vasudevan by Sasidharan, Devaki by Aravindan and Lord
Krishna by Krishnakumar.

The other artistes were T. P. Narayanan Pisharadi (vocals), M. K.
Narayananan and K. Raveendran (instrumental support).

NARAYANI HARIGOVINDAN