102nd Birth Anniversary Celebration and Kalasagar Awards Presented on May 28

Art World Remembers Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval 102nd Birth Anniversary Celebration and Kalasagar Awards Presented on May 28.

Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval, who composed rhythmic masterpieces on the Kathakali stage through the strokes of the chenda, was born on May 28, 1924, to Thelakkattu Madhavan Namboothiri and Pappi (Parvathi Poduvalsyar) of Vellinezhi Kavil Pothuvatil. His first guru was his maternal uncle, Kavil Pothuvatil Govinda Poduval. It was under him that Krishnankutty Poduval learned all the traditional temple percussion forms and disciplines including thayambaka, keli, kottippadi seva, pooja kottu, and various temple rituals and conventions.

Whenever Poduval took his place at the rear right side of the stage, seated with closed eyes as though freeing himself from all distracting thoughts and immersing in total concentration, the chenda rhythms that flowed from him carried both brilliance and vitality. His powerful percussion infused actors on stage with energy and inspiration.

Artists who received universal recognition across regions in the world of Kathakali, like Poduval, are indeed rare. His extraordinary gift lay in understanding deeply the nature of the story, the psychology of the characters, the dignity of ritual, and the meaningful appropriateness required in performance, and then blending perfectly with them through his artistry.

Another unforgettable chapter in Kathakali history was the majestic melappadam created through the combination of the maddalam of the contemporary maestro Kalamandalam Appukkutti Poduval and the chenda of Krishnankutty Poduval. Their performances elevated Kathakali connoisseurs to the heights of aesthetic experience and immersed them in an ocean of rasa. Equally remarkable was the famed “Kutti Trio” — the grand combination of the heroic performances of Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, especially in kathivesham roles, along with the percussion brilliance of the Poduvals. The magical impact created by these three masters together on stage is beyond words.

Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval, the towering genius who left his unique imprint in every sphere of Kathakali, was remembered through his 102nd birth anniversary celebrations held on May 28 at the Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair Memorial Trust Hall with the support of the Central Ministry of Culture. The event was organized by Kalasagar.

In memory of Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval, Kalasagar honoured distinguished personalities connected with Kathakali through the Kalasagar Awards this year. The awardees were Sri K. B. Raj Anand (Art Criticism), Sri Kalluvazhi Vasu (Performance), Sri Kottakkal P. D. Namboothiri (Music), Sri Kalamandalam Narayanankutty & Smt. Vijayamaniyamma (Chenda), Sri Kodassery Parameswaran Nair (Maddalam), and Sri Kottakkal Ramachandran (Chutti).

The memorial meeting began at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 28, at the Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair Memorial Hall. The welcome address and introductory speech were delivered by Sri Vellinezhi Anand. The meeting, presided over by Sri T. K. Achyuthan, President of Kalasagar, was inaugurated by Padmashri Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar, Patron of Kalasagar.

Sri V. Kaladharan spoke in detail about the non-percussion artistic perspectives of Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval. In simple yet profound language, he explained how Poduval shared his deep knowledge of various aspects of Kathakali with actors, students of different art forms, and art lovers alike. The audience received his insightful speech with great appreciation and applause.

Sri Kalamandalam Unnikrishnan, former Principal of Kerala Kalamandalam, introduced this year’s Kalasagar award recipients to the audience. Sri Peethambaran Anamangad, Secretary of the Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair Memorial Trust, delivered the vote of thanks.

A special highlight of the event was the presentation of the crown once used for many years by the late Kathakali acharya Narippatta Thirumeni, recently passed away, by his family to the Kunchu Nair Trust. It was this very crown that adorned Sadanam Krishnankutty in his famous portrayal of Keechakan.

Following the award ceremony, the Kathakali performance “Keechakavadham” was staged. Dr. Sadanam Krishnankutty performed as Keechakan, Sri Kalamandalam Keshavan Namboothiri as Sairandhri, Sri Vellinezhi Haridasan as Sudeshna, and Sri Kottakkal Devadas as Vallalan. The music was rendered by Sri Nedumpally Ram Mohan and Sri Sadanam Jyothish Babu, while the percussion ensemble was led by Sri Sadanam Ramakrishnan, Sri Sadanam Jithin, and Sri Sadanam Devadas. Chutti was done by Sri Kalamandalam Sreejith, and the backstage arrangements were handled by Sri Kalamandalam Balan and team. The costume arrangements were by Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair Memorial Trust, while the presentation was by Kalasagar, Kavalappara.

The “Keechakavadham” performance turned out to be a unique artistic offering that gave art lovers an unforgettable aesthetic experience.