Professional Documents
Culture Documents
IV
THEATRE I N R I T U A L
4.0
resplendent with all the elements of Theatre. Ritual arts like Theyyam, Padayani, Kakkarasi, Koodiyattom, Kathakali etc. are artistic embodiment!; of efficacy and entertainment bearing the true culture of theatre. In the performative level most of them appear to move towards pure theatre while sustaining the basic ritual qualities. The conceptual frame work of these ritual arts exposesthe widely acclaimed fact that they are basically rooted in theatre elements in the varied aspects like the concepts behind the formation of the performer, treatment of the
audience, and the stress given to the spectacular elements. Two of the popular rit.ua1 arts are taken for special study to
compare these aspects in them with the theatres of Artaud and Grotowski and with the modern Malayalam Theatre of the period selected.
4.1.0 Theyyam.. Theyyam is a form of worship performed by the people of Northern Kerala. It consists of a special combination of symbols, rituals and art forms, particularly dance. In this spectacular art form,the ghosts,,good and evil spirits in the manifestation
of subhuman, animate and inanimate beings, ancestor-spirits of legendary figures of great valour, extraordinary powers and Gods. and Goddesses like '~iva;'~akti,vishnu'
endowments, and
appear and are honoured. This is done by dressing up in the intended form ('~olan;) and performing artistically according to prescribed rites and rituals, developed through folk traditions with the accompaniments of Theyyam Theyyam of vocal be and instrumental on music. and
Divisions traditions.
can like
possible. based
folk
'gulikan', while
'chamundi', like
'Kurathi' etc.
manifest
Theyyams
'Vishumurthi' 'Daivathar', 'Makkoppothi' etc. show the Sanskrit tradition. From the classification of Theyyams we can conclude that most of them are of totemic origins. Durkheim is of the view that totemism is the most primitive form of worship. (1954; 47). Primitive peoples' worship of supernatural forces for
better life and prosperity led to the worship of corporel forces later. Totemic cults like tree-worship and animal- worship
originated like this. Theyyams originated as part of the cults of serpent, animal, ancestor, mothergoddess, spirits and heroes. (Nambiar, AK, 1988:55).
4.1.1
The ritual art of Theyyam is based on the culture, the religious beliefs and anthropological root of the society from ancient times. The castes who perform Theyyam in North Malabar are '~annan, ~ala~an', 'panan','velan, mnnuttan', 'mjuttan, ~avilari,
I
<
, *
'~avarnas' donot
..-
perform
Theyyam.
Madan
Bhapputti
whom
the
belonged
usually
Theyyam',
Theyyam', shrine of
'Pottan Theyyam' adjacent to his house. In the ritual, there is the participation of the whole community. The blacksmiths bring firewood used in various rituals. The ornaments, the various ritual implements, festival-ornaments are made by the goldsmiths, the efficacy of the ritual being monitored by the village
atmosphere. The low castes referredto.above become the performers The Harijan manual-labqrers bring raw materials to the shrine used for preparing Other the temple are space. by Muslims divine bring fireu
crackers.
posts
filled
possessions
('Velichappadus'). The high castes become the conductors and the patrons of the performance.
In most cases rituals become the symbolic actions of a culture. The expressive level of the symbol becomes the action part of a ritual. In the first chapter it is already pointed out that religious ritual is a symbolic effort of a community to establish relationship with reality which transcends words or deeds. The rituals of Theyyam differs with the nature of the myth of the Theyyam. However,the Theyyam rituals in genera1,have
common
frame.
The p u b l i c
Theyyam-perfo
annual
feature. diviner
according
is
f i n a l i s e d , t h e p r e p a r a t i o n of t h e p l a c e begins.
The i n v e s t i g a . t o r w i t n e s s e d t h e f o l l o w i n g s t a g e s of r i t u a l enactment in the In of Theyyam the ritual of of the the 'Pottan Theyyam' and a
afternoon
performance, officiating
after
purificatory
bath, then
priests The
is
purified
ritually.
job i s t o p r e p a r e t h e
toddy-pot.
( 'Kalasam' )
o f f e r i n g s s u c h as f r u i t s ,
coconuts,
grams,
flowers,
commencing ceremony i s l o c a l l y known a s ' t h u d a n g a l ' This is t h e 'thudi' thottam' important 'thottam'
of
( s m a l l drum).
i s a l s o known a s
'thudangi
t h o t t u = t o c r e a t e ) . The second
ritual
i s 'thottam
nilkal
(nilkal-to
s t a n d ) . The Theyyam-dancer emerged from t h e g r e e n room w i t h h i s initial make up and a special robe called 'Kacha' and stood
b e f o r e t h e i n s t a l l a t i o n of t h e 'Kottam' t h e Theyyam-dance of T.heyyams Theyyam began got their for sung 'pottan'. makeup the by
'thottam' there
When one
ready was
pelrforrnance, t h e Theyyav
was
'thottam' which
himself.
The
fourth
V i l i = i n v o c a t i o n ) . Each Theyyam c a n b e
its
this,
the
Theyyam
started the ciimax of dance. After the first 'Uranjattom', the Theyyam performed the sacrifice. The sacrifice followed another 'uranjattom' which .is known as 'Kalasamthullal' (end-performance)
Bhapputti whc performed the 'pottan Theyyam', told the investigator later that he went in to a trance and was
possessed by the spirit. It was in that state of trance that he made prophetic untterances which the elders were to take note (U-21) of& He called out from among the audience, to the dancing yard one by one in the order of seniority and status and blessed them. Generally the devotees reciprocated with cash offerings. The investigator was also called for blessings. The last stage of Theyvam is known as 'Kottikalasam' The Theyyarn performed a dance of a vigorous kind with the accompaniments of drums and at the end removed the crown. This is known as (removal of the crown). 'mutiazhichil'
The concept of the performer in ritual art is different from the actor in a theatre. Here, the performer is prepared not to perform the art before an audience, but he performs it out of the concept of dedication to the diety. He is turned in to a divine being while in performance. In all consideration, his is a total act. Proper traditional training is necessary for
effective ritual art which functions basically as a means of uniting one's true self with the infinite power of nature.
When
asked
about
the
training
he
got
for
Theyyam-
performance, Madan Bhapputti narrated the following things to the investigator. He began his training since the age of eight under his father. There was no systematic training methods. Many of the techniques were accompanying his learned from direct observation, while seven to eight months during
father from
festival season. After learning in this way he was sent to a village to study with a famous teacher. There the training was vigorous. The session began with jumps, remniscent of Kathakali, to jump high enough to position the legs out infront of the body and touch the forehead with toes. Such types of different body movements were practj-sed. Then he was taught the special yell peculiar to make his arms and hands vibrate, and various dancesequences. The names of important shrines where the diety was worshipped, the special language to address temple officials and important village members during the ritual etc. were taught. This special language made performance. him a type of authority during
He told the investigator that strict discipline cvritha'] is to be observed by t.he Theyyam-performer. One to fourteen days of 'vritha' is to be observed. He would take only vegitarian food and keep celibacy. Liquor is taken by certain Theyyams, tells Bhapputti. This would make mind and body fully prepared
'vritha',
'Manthra',
>
'Thanthra'
and
'Karma'.
The
Theyyam-
performer should always have the nMantrik upasana'. Bhapputti is a'manthravadi. When undergoing 'vritha' and painting the face,
4.2.2.
All
= .
the
four aspects
of
acting
said
in
Natyasastra,
'~ngika,~adhika', '~har~a'and'Satvika' are incorporated in to the enaction of Theyyam. This is supported by A.K.Nambiar
(1979-26).
Tie character is imposed on 'the actor' in theatre, while 'God' is imposed on the performer in Theyyam. In this respect, he points outf;hd$heyvam is a theatre. The 'thauryathrika' (keethai, '~rith~am' andCvadyad) is included in the whole performance of Thevvam. As the actors take the role of unwordly characters in the body painting and costumes, they try to bring in some divine aspects. The heavy and high head -gear, artificial eyes, claws, 'Chilampu' and masks make the act.or different. The intonation and dialogue are also extraordinary by their peculiar
stylisation.Artaudls theory that the actor should be different, he is like a magician by his craft and appearance is
4.2.3.
Transformation and transportation, When asked about the transformation and transportation of
the performer, the informant told the investigator the following detailst. After the make-up the performer looks into Valkannadi. There occurs the meeting of God by the performer and here
The masks
transformation occurs, he is aware of the role he is to perform. But he is not aware that he is aware. The 'flow' in the actor is
there, during performance the mind is aware of the surroundings and action. When asked about the transportation, he replied that Then he feels But to regain
this happens only.after the head-gear is removed. that he has returned to his original self.
4.2.4
Belief of the performer When asked about their belief in the divine, Bapputti and
during performance, the power of the diety came to him from recitation of special sacred syllables or mantras (He himself is a 'Mantravadi'). This gave him power to perform the necessary But the son in his own
characteristic way of modernity t.old the investigator that he sees Thevvam as a performing a r t : having nothing to do with religious conviction. He believes himself to be a good performer Here
and his ability came from his own training and stamina.
also we have to acknowledge the changing nature of Thevyam from ritual to theatre.
4.2.5
The dramatic
elements
of
performance
in
Thevvam
which
take
them
nearer of
to
theatre by
are the
noticed.
In
the
very
presentation Thevvams
dialogues 'Pottan
certain the in
like
Theyyam', etc.
laughter,
conversation
like
'the deaf'
theatrical. Also
'Paniyan Theyyam', the stylised way in which '~aniyan' is taught the alphabet is highly a dramatic entertainment. In 'Vishnu Moorthy Theyyam', the myth 'Iliranyavadam' is taking place as a high drama. In 'Bali Theyyam' the dramatic quality achieves a further dimension. 'The scenes how Bali bends Ravana by his tail, the dissuading scene of Bali by Thara at the eve of going to fight with Sugreeva, the dialogue between Bali and Rama, the acrobatic scene of the .monkeys etc. provide theatre in essence. Here ritual goes to theatre and returns.
In the 'Makkopothi Theyyarn' theatre is in full flourish. The affection shown by 'Makkopathi' towards her children, giving water to them, the labour pain enacted etc. are full of dramatic sequences- The 'Ramayana Theyyam" which is enacted in the famous Andalloor 'Kavu' near Thalasseri is full of drama. All the
<
etc.
are enacted
as
Theyyams. The dramatic scenes like .the search of 'sitar, the the journey to 'lank; etc. are enacted. The loneliness of '~ama; performer's histrionic talent is put in to full test. He appears to be a good actor,inspite of his divine self,by using the whole body for the enactment.
4.2.6.
Some rituals show ritual inversion. ' l ' h e liminal nature of the ritual inversion is a mechanism invented by every culture, particularly the pre-literate cultures for resolving the
The performer
boundaries
criticise the society to ensure conformity of the individuals to the social norms. The field data show the very same cultural mechanism. This happens in Theyyam-rituals of all the castes in varying degrees. The lower the caste in hierarchy, the more intense the status reversal appears to be. The 'Pottan Theyyam' abuses, reviles and even physically mal-treat the highest
authority with unusual aggressive temper. It is here the status reversal happens to Theyyam. He calls out the land lords to kneel and lie down in the dust. His language becomes very cutting , bordering on obscenity, r i u ~ playing the role of comedian, now that of divine person, he continues to amuse the crowd.
(1) in
the
sense
of
manifesting
what
is
hidden,
making
transparent the opaque surface of social life. (ii) As all norms of day-today life is relaxed, it is a licence during which
anything can take place. In Thevvams both these aspects are seen. In trance the Theyyam-performer speaks out the frustration and resentment of the community. The social norms are relaxed in which the whole celebration is givenanairof enchantment. This is what happens in 'Pottan Theyyam' performance. In any performance, the playful nature is integral to liminal stage. In 'Pottan
'pottan' speaks out nonsensical things, which would make the devotees laugh, at the same time what he says will be taken seriously. His jokes are cutting and penetrating social
Even at the
serious moments of playing with fire, he tries to make people laugh. In the status inversion role, he is enacting the
4.2.7.
The ritual art form of Theyyam demands from the performer a total sacrifice on his part. This sacrificial aspects of the actor in the theatres of Artaud and Grotowski are analysed in chapter 111. lnspite of the st.renuous 'Vrithanustanas' before performance, and hard endurance during long performance with the heavy head-gears some times, the performer is expected to sustain the physical strength through out. In some
'
Theyyam-
performances, the performer inflicts self-injury on his body. He injures his head, sometimes blood oozing out, jumps in to the fire, pierces knife through his mouth, dips hands in the boiling oil. This expression of masochism can be traced back to
premordial tribal rituals. Certain T_heyyams like '~antakkarnan' fix the burning torches on its body, enduring the terrible heat
In a Theyyam - called
ritual which is rem.inding of human sacrifice in 'Kali pooja'. In this Theyyam, the .last ritual is 'uchabali', symbolic of human sacrifice. Here, the arm and the leg of the performer would be tied tightly, and these parts would be pierced with an iron
needle and the blood would burst out. This blood-bath is carried out at noon time. With the quick loss of blood, the performer may become unconscious during the performance. At this stage, he would be carried away like a deadbody, with a new cloth-covering. This is enacted like a human sacrifice. The performer here rises up to the concept oE the actor in Artaud and Grotowski. The basis of this is the total sacrifice of the actor in a ritual theatre.
4.3.0
Audience in Theyyam.
The discussions of
Artaud's
and
~rotowski2 Theatres in
Chapter I11 revealed that they were centred arond building a new relationship between the actor and the audience. This is the
fundamental concept in all ritual theatre. There might not have been the division between the actor and the audience in tribal dances. The spirit prevails even now in all ritual performances. the low
The bond of enactment might have been taken upon by castes by a historical necessity.
this ritual art are participants and not who come to witne~~s spectators. According to the status one enjoys in the social world, one is spatially posit.ioned during performance. The
Brahmins occupy
performers, socially lower than 'the Thiyyas' occupy the space at the back of the compound.
4.3.1
Environmental Involvement
Theatre
of
Theyyam
and
Audience
- space
the
Here
experiences under the vast expanse of the sky in the lap of nature. rock, in The performance may take place under a tree, on a a wide only open Eor the field,, a period. temporary There is thatched the hut
constructed
swinging
environmental theatre, people get involved with the actor is an amateur transformed into C;od (1973 : 108).
Human beings are understood as integral parts of nature in Theyyam. This is seen in the importance given to the trees In Theyyam-celebration, The 'pipal' tree is
associated with fairies, 'Gulikan' with 'Chempakam', nimb tree with 'Kali' etc. Informants said that Theyyam was originally
celebrated under the pipal tree or banian tree, and later on it was celebrated in sacred groves. 'Pottan' and 'Gulikan' are
In many Theyyams,
the facial decorations are either in the form of a leaf, flower or fruit of venerated trees. most the of folkgod the Pulaya 'Kanjiram' is a prominent tree in 'Kottams'. The 'mudi ' It of represents Theyyam is
'Kalisan'.
usually patterned after the shapes of a fruit or a leaf. The heart shape of a 'pipal'-tree-leaf is a common pattern. Some of the Theyyam-danccs for y . 'Culiknn' begins clnncc by T h e 'pottan - Theyyam' i~nying ju m ~ s
special wood of particular trees such In some Theyyams, spirits are animals. Eg
. Tiger -Theyyams ( ~ u l
further. In 'Pottan Theyyam', In the 'Muthappan Theyyam', the after the horn of a
r
of a buffalo, patterned
audience.
the theatre of Theyyam is almost complete. T e spectator forgets that he is only a spectator, he feel
I
himself
to
be
brganised
to spend a
sleepless night. In all the mystic tradition, loss of sleep is an important point for getting in touch with one's inner energy.
Loss of sleep in rhythmic performance such 7s drumming, dancing and singing of relaxes the performers who getting intouch with the slowly go through a unconscious. of When the
process
in the
ritual
-,
Its
1
Padavani
entire crowd by the rhythmic dance, the div'ne features of the painted face of the dieties, the elabor te headgears, the
he ritual offerings
of birds and anima1.s etc. The symbolism of the painted design, the colours, the musical accompaniments, the chant, the drum and 'thudi', the rhythmic jumping and running, all go in for a
hypnotic effect in t.he crowd. The:y also of rhythmic fervour, the whole colour, leave a lasting effect
experience of catharsis
All Thevvams are structured upon myth houses of archetypal There are images two representinq of
i
I
past life.
types
mythsC higher
incorporated in to Theyyam. The myths in E ics and the Vedas are called higher myths but local stories about heroes and heroines form the lower myths. Egs. of higher are that and of
!
mbths
lp
'Potta '
etc.
lower
(Eg. The Theyyam '~vermakkal). The function awaken a feeling of shared experience
.
"Myths and rituals being the tradi .onal links enrich our art forms...
Only by diving
- relation
practical
with them, we can creat.e new myths snd rituals, there by interpret life and get ex& rience,
4.4.0
Costumes.
Costume has different functions in the tre-activities. It plays an indispensable also as role in the the consummat: g externt four a ritual art.
Natyasastra 'aharyabhinaya
stresses one of
representation, types of
pr lcipal
representation or interpretation through wh: h dance and drama succeed in conveying to the audience, the aF ropriate aesthetic experiences, Bharatha calls it'nepathyabhinaj four kinds of costumes and make up
;
It consists of
4.4.1
as
well
as
symbolic
meaning.
They
do
the
function
of
identification,dignity, symbolic meaning, magic potency, caste feelings etc. During the ritua1,the costume manipulated by the artistes will provide a moving, dynamic and three dimensional sensation to the audience.
are treated as Gods or Goddesses and the officiating priest would do all the poojas (offerings) to them as to the dieties. Thus the costume does the function of transforming the characters to a ritual level. For eg
are realistic charac'ters of the social order with a progressive behaviour against the upper hierarchy. By the observance of their costume and make-up, they were elevated or merged to devotional and ritual heights.Thi.5 is the foundation of Theyyam philosophy in its costume and make-up.
4.4.2
The decoration of Theyyam is done only above the person's waist. Below the waist the Tkyyam is left without much
decoration
except covering
elegant round shape. The material:; used for costume are easily and directly available from nature. Tender coconut leaves, rice powder ('arichattu') for the white colour, charcoal ('Kari') for the black colour, turmeric for the yellow colour, are the basic items. Different combinations of these basic colours are also used. For eg. in
of clothe and other exposed part of the body is painted with rice
powder
and turmeric.
All
concepts. The materials generally used for the construction of head-dresses are arecnut, light soft-wood planks of 'murik'.
Flowers, coloured clothes and coconut-leaves are the general items for Theyyam make-up.
In the performance of Theyyam, the use of ornaments and flowers is an important element. Most of the ornaments are made from coconut leaves and soft wood 'murik'. Enlarged necklace and ears are made of soft wood with golden paper coating. It is to be pointed out here that the ornamerlts used in Theyyam-performance became a common property This influence is due for other performing arts in Kerala. to the acculturisation and social
hierarchical domination over Theyyams. The head dress is the soul s of Vaishnavaorig-in, which must have been of Theyyam. The m a m the last to be integrated in the Theyyam- dance such as 'Vishnumoorthi', 'Daivathars' 'palott
Theyyams'
n
used
sophosticated crowns as their head dress. The crowning ceremony ('Mudiyettu') is done on the step (nada) infront of the
installation of the main diety in the 'Kottam' or sacred grove ('Kavu'). It is done in the solemn atmosphere of singing and
n( drumnlng and dancing. After the 'Mudiyettu' the Theyyam becomes
the diety.
4.4.3 Significance of weapons in Theyyam. The weapons used in Theyyarns - have varied meanings. They
are so important that in the grove, the weapons are installed to represent different dieties especially those of the Theyyams of the category of heroes. in Theyvams of great Bapputti told the researcher that dimensions, weapons are more
heroic
protection and security, hence the importance of weapons in Theyyam-cult. arrow, Some of the best known weapons are bow and shield and other local weapons such as
sword and
'Chedakarn', 'Pallival', '~aduthila', 'Churika', 'Kathi' etc. Women-Theyyams generally use sword, shield and knife.
4.4.5
'Mukhathezhuthu'
representation of
the face of
different particular Theyyams. The researcher is told by the informants that writings on the face symbolically evoke feeling of awe, wonder, devotion and reverence. Through the and
'Mukhathezhuthu' the devotee gets a particular meaning message. animals, facial For eg. The writings shapes of are mostly borrowed and nature to leaves. and the
flowers the
writing
reveal
shape
'nathum kannu'
refers
shape of
'narikurichenezhuthu'
writing after the design of the panther, often the myths of the nevyams arereferrcdtosvmbolically through the facial writings.
4.4.6
celebration. writing.
It must have been the archetype of modern facial have been used as means of social control
They
used for religious experience as a powerful medium or mediating to the people the overpowering reality of the sacred. world. Masks are also used as a means of transformation. In the most
general sense a mask is a disguise which covers the wearer and thereby conceals or transforms his identity (Moore, 1977 : 55). Masks are sometimes used for social entertainment clowning and in
baffoonery
for fun or
4.4.7
i) Richard Schechner deals with various types of masks and their function in the theatre. There are three types of
masks (1982 : 70), the mask that completely covers the face as i n t h e chau'mask or the Balinese topeng mask or the Korean Mask or Indian -chau: Here, during performance the body including Since the
mask doesn't change, it allows the audience-imagination to work and really paint and play with that mask. The mask is seen beautiful
but blank, and invites the audience to paly. The second type is
as seen in .Xal&.&gcac
face allows for more naturalistic acting, the 'bhava' can show through,allowing the expression and improvisation (iii) the third is the facial mask or the body-mask (as Grotowski visualised in his poor theatre). The body-mask .is an attempt in a way to make Here like a wood carver,the actor
To a question by Ayyappa Panikkar regarding what happens when the body is fully masked as in Theyyam, Schechner replied that in Theyyarn a full transformation into a non-human being is intended by the comp.Lete mask. "The transformation in Theyyarn
with its fabulous hallow brings the whole environment with it. The body-mask does the transformation of the total human being. The body-mask then allows the spectator and the performer to concentrate like a puppet on apparently simple manifestation each of which can experience." (Schechner, June 1982 : 70).
Vishnu Nampoothiri points out that the 'Kolakkaran' gets more freedom when using the masks (1976 : 43). vulgar language. They can use even
There is a saying 'Like the paniyan who wears They, also., are symbols of many ideas. masks
Some Theyyams like 'Kundarachamundi.', 'Madechamundi', use intermittently in performance, to represent the
different
re-incarnations of ' ~ a l'i and Vishnu. He also points out that the use of masks in Theyyam influenced the later classic arts like Cankakkali, Kummatti, Krishnanattom - and even Cathakali.
The evaluation of the ma.sks in Theyyam. is done here because, they have an important influence in the modern Malayalam Theatre which is to be studied later.
4.4.8
Some of the theatrical objects which found their way intMalayalam Theatre later were used as ritual objects in Thevvam* Just before the conmencement of the singing, the performer
receives a large banana leaf from the officiating priest. The leaf contains five liyhted wicks, an arecanut, five betel leaves, turmeric powder and a small amount of uncooked rice. The priest passes the lighted wicks over the idol of Tgevyam to transmit power. The lighted wicks transfer this power of the deity from the idol inside the shrine to the performer- Bapputti told the investigator that the five lighted wicks represent the five
elements- air, fire, space, water and earth. These elements are 'sakti' in a form t.hat people used by can see and concentrate on. the end of the
'Peedom' is mainly
the Theyyams at
performance, when they hear the complaints of the local people and try to solve them. The use of 'Xavanika' is there in certain Theyyams likec~annikkorumakaL.
4.4.9
Lighting System
the an dams)
and 'olachoottu', made of small bundles of dried coconut leaves etc. are used. This moving lights give
metaphysical
Many kinds o f ' musical instruments are used in Thevvam performance. Drums, cymbals, conch, 'udukku', 'kuzhal',
'perumbara', cherrnangalam and 'thudi', 'ilathalam' etc. are the most popular instruments. 4.5.0 Modernisation of Theyyam
Raghava Payyanadu points out (1978:48) that the role of Theyyarn in ancient days was that of the saviour as well as the teacher. Its make-belief charm has been lost because of the The society for rain or
scientific and economic re-setting of society. which paid oblation and offering to Theyyam
This open
endedness allowed it to become a more colourful spectacle than a ritual performance. Consequently, new technical and
The influence of theatre is scen in Theyyam make-up too. Theyyam make-up artrstes told the investigator that there were times when they were not allowed to use colours other than those made from materials available from nature. Now they use
synthetic colours which are readily available in the market. Formerly, the materials for Theyyam make-up were throw-away types, now they try to make them durable. For eg. the
headgears which have been made by soft wood and glitter paper now have been replaced by metal and paints. 'Pottan' and 'Gulikan' made of The masks of been
Among
the
new
generation
of
Theyyam
artistes> the
paintaking process for the disciplined drilling of the art of Thevvam has been vanishing. They lack the single minded
dedication as well as devotiontothe ritual art. Contrary to the traditional performers who used the ritual performance, a full time job, the young generation t-akes it only as a part time occupation, like the actors in the amateur theatre. The social and political have been drawn to it today. realities of everyday world
premises, performed during touri!;m weeks, during Republic day celebrations, for political party functions. Thus the religious
and belief-part have been stripped off, and the stress on the spectacular show is given. Thle Marxist party and Sastra
Sahitya Parishad make copious use of the Theyyam symbols today. In an interesting article Ashley narrates the experiences
4.6.0
form for the analysis of the complex nature of the performance traditions of Kerala. theatre-performance, audience, make-up, In this art-form all the aspects of actor costume
concept
of of
the
externals
residing in the sacred groves, which is usually Goddess '~ali' associated with festivals in temples. The term 'Mudiyettu' is
derived from the carriage of 'Mudi' (crown) or removing it from the head by the performer.
4.6.1
Myth in
Mudiyettu
The myth associated with this ritual performance is most popular in Kerala. The story goes on like this. In innumerable
wars between Devas and Asuras, the latter was destroyed almost totally, and most of the Asura-women became widows. The
prominent among them were 'Darumathi' and 'Danumathi'. After a torturous and prolonged penance, they could please '~rahma'and win from him the boons of getting two powerful sons, Darika and Danavendra. severe The two children in their turn lost themselves in and pleased Brahma. They got
penance
from him the 'vara' (boons) that no man in the fourteen wor1.4~ of the universe would be able t . o kill them. However, they Shielded
by these boons, they proceeded on a world conquering expedition. They brought the entire universe under their control and began to rule over the worlds. No peace loving man could live
matter to Lord Siva who promised to take appropriate steps to annihilate the demon-kings and save the people from their tyranny and cruelty. fierce 'Kali'. the battle enacted in Then from Siva's third eye is born the
She straight away proceeded to kill Darika in The story of the killing of Darika is dramatic here way in Mudiyettu
field.
As
G.
Gangadharan
says,
"'the myth
transformed
into
beautiful visual art forms with t l n e aid of dramatic situation that harmoniously blend verisimil.itude and sense of horror." (1987: 38). 4.6.2 Rituals in 'Mudiyettu' The dramatic performance is preceeded by detailed ritual known as 'Kalamezhuthu'. This is the floral drawings using
natural colours such as green (made put of a particular leaf dried and powdered), white (made of rice powder), black (made of roasted and powdered paddy husk), yellow (made of turmeric powder) and red powder). (made out of powdered turmeric, lime, rice
these colours, 'Kalam' to be erased is the next item when the drawing is ccmpleted. 'Kalam p j a ' is performed afterwards. The next cermny is
'Thiriyuzhichil' which means dancing with holding oil-soaked burning-wicks held in the hands and weilded by way of worship. The 'Kalams' are worshipped for uprooting the evil effect of all bad spirits from their families. lit-thalams are put out. After the 'Thiriyuzhichil' the Songs in Song
on '~hadrakali'describing her from top to toe is sung to the accompaniment of 'Chenda' and other percu ssion instruments.
After the songs the 'Kalam' is erased with the tender coconut leaves used for decoration.
4.6.3
Actor-concept in
Mudiyettu
The
concept
of
the
actor
in
the
ritual
theatre
of
Mudiyettu. is also relevant in the study of the ritual impact on Modern Malayalam Theatre. The actor has to undergo a vow After
taking bath in the early hours of the morning the actor pays oblation to the goddess 'Kali'. of the 'Veluthedan'. He has to wear only 'the mattu'
headgear,he is competely transformed into an unearthly being, 'Kali'. He must not touch others or speak with others either in This means that transformation
4.6.4
Upper Hindu Professional camunities known as 'Kurup' and ' W a r ' are in the Cochin regions the traditional performers who stage 'Mudiyettu. <~urups'
and '~arars' in the Travancore area perform the art traditionally. The right to perform Mudiyettu b r a s conferred on Varanattu Kurup
of Koratty Swaroopam traditionally. '~urup'is a communal title given even to Marar, Ezhava, 'Asari' , 'Kaniyan' and such other subcastes, namely Marar Kurup, E:zhava Kurup, Thacha Kurup and Kanikurup. Kurup is the title conferred upon the caste Hindu Nair, who had been the masters of martial Mudiyettu training and Kalari
practices.
Kurups and blarars. They do not allow other communities to get themselves involved in this theatrical arts since the traditional rights are exclusively conferred upon them.
will be taken by the nephew or brothers of the head role of '~ali' of the family. For eg. Narayanakurup, nephew of 'varanatt; house
When the history of 'varanattu' of Koratty enacts the role of '~ali.: family was studied it was revealed that the right to enact the role of Bhadrakali from generation, to generation was according to matriarchical system. Another belief is that, the washer woman makes available a white piece of cloth which is called 'mattu'
and it is further purified by Kurup. But Pazhoor Damodhara Marar the great living exponent of '*iyettuf traditions have been broken because says (AI-2-3) that such of the onslaught of
the ritual art come forward to perform the ritual. The 'savarnas' or the high class, people perform 'Mudiyettu because the ritual art is conducted within the temple premises traditionally.
126
4.6.5
Actor training
The actor in Mudiyettu should be well-versed in
'Thauryathrika' (ie. Geetha, Nrithya, Vadya) and also he must have the intimate knowledge of all the four elements of actions i. e. ' ~ n ~ i k a ,vachika',
2
'
'Aharya',
?;atvikabhinaya1 which
are
should be combined with emotional gestures. Alons with this,arratiging the rhythmic movements of the steps is a must for the performer in Mudivettu
.
But it must not be pointed the out here that the pupil takes to it
For this strict and systematic training for the performer is inevitable.
training
imparted, is
formal,
: o r learning 'Kalamezhuthu, 3ongs anc informally from childhood (A1 2 . 2 ) . I Mudiyettu, at least five years of training is necessary 'Kalamezhuthu' and songs that are taught first.
It is
Two years'
sixteen years are selected for training, from the castes '~urup' and'~arars: The training is given in the houses of'Kalari ~sans: In the dance-form of 'Kuli' (N
Among the thirteen acting types as described by Bharata 'Kampitham' are seen in the In the 'Koodiyatta' there is a
challenges and war scenes of 'Kali' anti '~arika: (combined enactment) scene of '~ali'and
Darika
(dance sequences) like 'Vattakalasam', 'Edakkalasam', 'Thonkaram', 'Eratty', 'Astakalasam' etc. are taught to the people. can be pointed out that all form:; of 'Kalasams' in might have been refined forms taken from Here, it Kathakali
MudiyeLu
It is
very obvious from the analysis that how intensly the actor in 'Mudiyettu is prepared before the performance.
4.6.6
Acting Score
'~udiyettu'is a ritual dra.ma.It is a ritual close to the concept of theatre in many respects. All the three elements of But the actor The
Angikabhinaya is divided into three 'Irunnattom', 'Pathinjattom' 'Ilakiyattom'. freedom of In the 'Ilakiyai:tom8, the actor has all the can whirl or jump. Usually, this
movements, he
'attom' is used to express the rasas, the fierceness, wonder, or fear. In Mudiyettu' the character 'Kali', 'Darika' and
'Danavendra' have all these aspects of '~bhina~a'. After the 'Ilakiyatta', there is the scene of 'Ayudhanottam' (looking into the weapons). and 'Darika'. It is the scene of sharpening the weapons of ~ali'
All the characters will take part in the 'Pathinjattom' of the battle scene.
two styles of '~oodi~attom' 'Vikshepam Veesuka' '~ranguperumattom' (Behaviour on the stage) are incorporated in to Mudiyettu-.
Mudiyettu
In the challenging and fighting scenes of '~ali' and '~arika' the. labhinayasslyles prescribed by Bharatha 'Akampitha' and 'Kampitha' are shown like giving hints, advice., questions, instructs etc. are shown by the heads ('Akampithabhinayal)= In the fighting
styles of '~ali' and '~arika'various movements and steps of 'Kalari' are incorporated* The character Koimpidanayar acts with
rhythmetic steps. He does not dance like other characters- Thus Mudi~ettu has got a systematic acting-score.
When asked about the transformat.ion and transportation while enacting,Damodara Marar stated this (AI. 2 - 4 ) . .
the 'Vrithanustana', i feel the transformation already taking place in me. But all the while, I have the feeling I should make my performance of Mudiyettu
successful as spectacle. While I perform the role of Kali, there is also the feeling of the actor in me, though some times i t . trespasses towards a kind of trance.. In Pallippattu, there had an incident that in to an actual
trance. But I feel this kind of transformation is not good for the performance". He says that the breaking
up of
the balance of the performer happens because of the The transportation takes place
without any external aid, though Kali, when out of control should be physically held by other!; and brought under control. For this the sword in the hands of Kali would be made to pierce on the ground. 4.6.8 The actor thereby regains his self.
From Ritual to Theatre in Eudiyettuq How the ritual performance of '~udiyettu'comes almost The the
near to theatre is illustrated by the following examples. theatrical quality of this ritual is illustrated in
. S.K.
Nayar
says
that
the
character reminds us of 'Ittikkandappakaimal' in 'Yatrakali' (N. 24) He comes to the stage like a nayar-chieftain and poses questions to the'melakkars' and converses with them. Damodhara Marar (A-12.8)
says that this character has got a dramatic function in the myth itself. He is actually 'Nandikesa' (the carriage of Siva) who
comes to aid and appease Kali, who imitates what all things he enacts in the performance. He also dilutes the fierce tempo of
the enactment, by providing comic relief to the audience through his comic dialogues. social criticisms During this time he lets loose a volley of against the society. Another 'Koolies'. powerful In the
fighting scene '~ali' stands with anger and Darika is positioned in the middle of the stage ready to fight with'~a1i.' In between them there are '~oolies with their ridiculous gestures.
Koolies are laughing and foolishly behaving. of characters can be seen in classical
traditions.
extra-ordinary theatrical beauty to the whole performance,achieved by an aesthetically contrasting mixture of the sublime as well as the ridiculous (1990 : 3 8 5 ) . Catharsis: a theatre-function
4.6.9
The
performance
of
ritual
arts
are
generally
at
the
audience here is both participant and spectator, as a spectator : j a participant, he involves he witnesses the enactment and a himself in the religious act. He is a believer here, and
therefore, there is 'no willing suspension of disbelief' as in theatre. sequence But we see in of satire, Mudiyettu
.Theyyam or
Padayani or
the
irreverance , vulgarity
obscenity
pludiyettu
This actually brings the ritual arts closer to Theatre. this introduced? the ritual arts?
Why is
Is this against the ethos of spirituality in Has it got connection with therapeutic aspect
of drama as with Artistotle or ~reud't Here it is worthy to quote Ranjini and Gananath: "Ritual drama is In a this collective case, we phenomenon, could not an that
individual.
say
psychological anxiety endemic to the group or a source of group concern is handled through obscenity in drama. It is therefore fair to say that humour in ritual drama is a form of catharsis. religion, vicariously The group by virtue of a shared participates in the ritual
Here the comic catharsis is almost reverse of tragic catharsis. But here we have to remember also that in some ritual dramas where this ritual element is not. there, the catharsis occurs through the Aristotilian process, there the audience identify themselves with the mythological characters represented on the stage, the emotions of pity and terror are aroused and
subsequently purged at the culmination of the drama. what happens in Mudiyettu and padayani
>
This is
4.6.10
It is interesting to note here that how the veteran Pazhoor Damodara Marar tried to take this traditional ritual art-form almost closer to a theatre performance and to analyse his experiences. (AI. 2-13). He tried to present it like a He calls
theatre-form without losing its ritual qualities. this form ' ~ a m ~ o o r Mudiyettu n~ he created a sacred
meets 'Kali' and offers his help to her to kill Darika. It was presented for about six hours with thirty two actors through
thriteen scenes. It was a tremendous success as a spectacle. He told the investigator that more than the devotee in him, it was the artist who succeeded the theatre in this in its presentation- He witnesses that
-
ritual art
form
got projected
and won
success, the ritual aspect lingered in the background. This had been a great example how a ritual can be taken to theatre with success.
The above example inevitably leads us to a question of the director in a ritual art-form. In Theyyam it is the father, or the grand father or the uncle of the performer. Here, it is the head of the family as Pazhoor, himself was. The whole performance was conducted under his leadership. The leader or 'the Asan' as he is called
, should
be
an
expert
in
'Kalamezhuthu pattu
or
'Mudiyettu'. He is the soul of the art-form-like the director in a theatre. He has got a high status in a society. He would be invited 'evento the functions of the upper class society. It is through him the problems of the society are solved. Through him, thus, the ritual art becomes an integral part of the society.
4.7.0.
Audience in
Mudiyettu
Mudiyettu
as devotees, although theatrical entertainment is provided (as through 'Koimpidanayars' and '~oolies). But as Pazhoor points out they are more devotees, as they come with of serving 'penance' or 'vrithas'. These people never enactment of 'Mudiyettu get tired of seeing the same
it been a
theatre-event, they would have become bored. The actors and the audience are in an environmental theatre as M i y e s t u is often
or in temple premises. The performed in 'Sacred groves ( K ~ I V U ) vast expanse is taken as the venue of the performance-place.
4.7.1 Audience-Status
The main section of the audience will be Hindus as they alone or temple premises. Amony the are. allowed to enter these '~avus' ~indus,the upper class will fo.cm the majority. There would be
: l e managers and the family members at three types of audience, t the front, Nayars and upper class people just behind them, the workers who remain as mere spectators at the back. and
4.7.2Audience belief.
Obviously, the spectators here have come not for theatrical experiences, they experience of have come here to share the metaphysical unknowingly enjoy the
devotion*
But
they
theatrical aspects in it. They enjoy the spectacles of rituals like 'Thalappoli', 'Kalamezhuthu', 'Kalampattu', 'Ezhunnellippu' and 'Mudiyettu' as in a theatre. But,for them it is not an
worship-
It is performed for
illness etc.
As in environmental theatre, t.here is the actor audience communication taking place in Mudiyettu. After the killing Of Darika, Kali whirls her torch ipandam;) around the audience. This is the symbol, that all the bad elements due to the rule of Darika is exorcised. In the refrains of the battle scenes also,
Kali
does
this performance*
Then
she
receives
'Dhakshina',
sitting on the peedom. In the fifth scene 'Vedala' with a torch in his hand approaches the audience and asks for 'Kaineettom'
(offering of money) from the audience. This is done as a comic enactment. This communication is heightened more by the
theatrical arrangement of performance. The different exist and entry passages, different levels the divine location etc. are skilgully made use of by the performers. The interpolation of
comic episodes and such situations in the course of the ritual intensity.. heightens dramatxc mundane section give of the This provides amusement to the lingos used in the be
dialogues
amusement
Sexual
relationship between man and woman is blantantly referred to colloquial slangs, which provide. a hilarious atmosphere. The
locality without knowing the colloquial language there and tries to communicate. Thus, through riitual and through theatre the actor-audience relationship is established in ~udiyeftu
The influence
myths the
contained
in
t l h e of
ritual
usually further.
participation
the audience
'~arika ~ a d h d (killing of Darika) is a myth that forms popular ritualistic art-forms in Kerala. The myth is very popular in Kerala because of the innumerable goddess- temples and (sacred groves ). when it is enacted in Mudiyettu 'Kavu'
the emotional
involvement is heightended, as the audience is already familiar with the myth. 4.8.1. Costumes -in 'Mudiyettu'
Theatre functions.
convincing transformation of men i.n to Devas and Asuras by the ingeni.ous use of costumes. This: is evident from the visual
level masks, make-up, costume and choreographic patterns- Darika puts on a costume reminding the 'Kathiveksha' of Dhuryodhana or Ravana. The head-gear and face-palinting is almost the same. He adorns himself with 'uttariyam', the shawl which is pure white cloth, rings and bangles are used as ornaments. 'Thechi' flowers
will be used as a ring in the left hand. The back portion of the White cloth is folded many times costume is that of the '~hak~ar'. to make up elevated buttocks. Another white cloth is used as a
K a l i w i l l b e p u t t i n g on t h e costume n e x t .
,
A p a s t e made o f
lime
is
used
to
give
shape
to
the
face
what
is
called
on t h e f a c e i n between numerous w h i t e d o t e s t o r e s e m b l e s m a l l
p o x - p i t s o r pox marks. Curved l o n g t e e t h i s drawn on e i t h e r s i d e over t h e red l i p s . f o r e h e a d , t h r e e of the h e l p of 'Thechi' them, f l o w e r i s r i p p e d and a f f i x e d on t h e
'arimavu',
will
be
f i e r c e . The h e a d g e a r w i l l b e a l m o s t l i k e a n a r c h d e c o r a t e d w i t h 'Kuruthola' like that ( t e n d e r c o c o n u t l e a v e s ) . The ' u d u t h u k e t t u ' o f 'Darika; Then the other characters would be Siva,
like
' ~ a r a d a ; bhanava ; ~ o i r n ~ i d a r' 'v,e t h a l a ' and ' ~ o o l i 'w i l l be costumed. The costume of ' ~ a n a v e e r a 'o r ' ~ a n a v e n d r a ' , t h e The w a i s t - d r e s s elder brother of
Dharika
i s green i n colour.
i s l i k e t h a t of
cloth
is h i s
Beard For
i s w h i t e , t h e r e would b e a p a l m - l e a f
i n h i s hands.
'Uthakali'.
Costume o f
shield i n l e f t
hand and s h a r p p o i n t e d s m a l l
on the face. The dreiss is made up of dried plantain-leaf etc. Breasts are' moulded by fixing coconut shell-halves on
the chest. Face will be blackened first and multi-coloured dots will be marked on it. Tender coconut leaves, garlands and twigs of plants adorn the waist -dress. the breast, Many tender neck ornaments, leaves
multicoloured
jackets on
coconut
around neck, flower garlands, bunches of flowers made in to enters with a long pointed garlands over the breasts. 'vethala.' stick and branches of tress in his hands.
Mudivettu
. The
>
All the costumes in Mudi~ettu are done by the Chuttikkaran (make-up artistlwho is an expert in the field. He must know about the different aspect:; of Aharyabhinaya. The style of costume The
would be to give the impression of the unworldliness. 'Chuttikkaran' creates the dramatic concept of
'Mudiyettu'
through his costume design. It is he who selects the dress, the ornaments and coloura of the characters in Mudivett_u
He is
the artist as well as the craftsman who designs the theatre of ;i4udiyettu
In the texture of ritual arts of Kerala, the place of certain articles like 'Yavanika' '1?eedom1 and 'Nilavilakku' have significant theatrical functions. These three stage props have been taken here for special study because they have great
The use of 'Yavanika' has got a great theatrical function in 'uudiyettu'. Pazha'or says that during early days it was pure white cloth with no border or any other decoration that was used as the 'Thirassila' then. But now-a-days 'the '~hirassila'has
undergone many modifications and has been made as attractive as that of Kadhakali
.
?
shout cheers and shoilld sprinkle rice powder, 'Thellippodi' for the entrance of '~alj.. Chummar opines that '~hirassili was not used formerly in 'rnliyettu' (1950:214). Now, for the entrances of important characters like '~ali' and Darika, ~hirassila' is
t
I
used. In traditional theatre-forms of Kerala, there had never been the habit of separating the performer from the audience. This may be because of the infrluence of Koodiyattgm and
yrishnanattom.
4.8.5Theatrical
function of 'Yavanika'
The different episodes of the story to be enacted might have been happening in different places. The intimation of these different places and the sequence of events should be conveyed to the audience. In the traditional art-forms this is done not in the realistic way. Here the use of 'Thirassila' is pertinent. The first scene in Mudiyettu happens in 'Kailasam'. Siva is on
his carriage Nandikesan and Narada complaints to Siva reading a 'Varola'. An ingenious, use of 'Yavanika' is seen here. It is
held almost up to the waist of Sivau Above it Siva will be holding the head of a wooden ox. The second scene is presenting
Darika conquest. Behind theryavanika Kali will be standing, the back at the audience, replying to the challenges of'~arika'. It is supposed that '~arikaiis challenging Kali from above 'the udayaparvatham', and 'the asthamayaparvatham' and the distant 'Yamakoodaparvatham'. The 'Yavanika' gives us the hint that Kali is somewhere there.
Another function of 'Yavanika' is to project the entrance of important characters. As the stage is very vast, the
Mudiyettu
Siva and Narada are appearing. In the hands of Siva, there would be the wooden head of an ox. He will be moving this on the edge Of 'Thirassila' from right to left, forward and backward. First Siva would show his head above it, and then both characters come
to
the
front.
Thus
t h e importance of
the f i r s t character is
shown t h r o u g h
'Yavanika'
Similarly,
f o r t h e f i r s t e n t r a n c e of
I t must be
said here
i s n o t used,
entrance of
a
is
not
an
innportant
character.
'Kooli'
t h i s i s used.
Thus i n t h e v a s t
. of t h e s t a g e ,
p o r t i o n of it i s p r o j e c t e d t h r o u g h t h e u s e of
'Yavanika'.
4.8.6
'Yavanika' a s a [ ) a r t o f a c t i o n .
'Yavanika'
it i s p r o v i d i n g a
1
Danava' a t t h e t i m e o f
t h e i r entrances.
'Yavanika' s u c h a f u n c t i o n i s g i v e n ( N o t e 2 5 ) .
part
of
action
is
seen
at
the
lowing
the
'Yavanika'
'Darika' views ' ~ a l i ' . Then ' K a l i ' s t r i k e s a t 'Darika ' who d i s a p p e a r s behind t h e c u r t a i n . sequence 'Yavanika' today, Now, This is repeated becomes a part..
b
c o n t e x t of importance.
t h e concept of symbols
'Natyadharmi' actions
i s g i v e n much
Even an
projecting
evolved.
'Yavanika'
i n t h e modern
r e a l i s t i c f u n c t i o n on t h e
I t d o e s t h e s y m b o l i c f u n c t i o n on t h e s t a g e i n most c a s e s .
stylised ritual
art-forms,
t h e u s e of
a s t y l i s e d manner,
therefore,
i n t h e modern
theatrical contexts, it does nothavea realistic function on the stalge. It does the ~iymbolicfunction on the stage on most cases. In the spectacular (and stylised ritual art-forms, the use of 'Yavanika' had a stylised function, therefore, in the modern
concept of 'Natyadharmi' theatre the role of 'Yavanika' is great* It is in the simplicity of its use and its functions on the stage the importance of 'Yavanikat lies. Pazhoor also stresses the theatrical function* of 'Yavanika' more than its ritual
functions. (AI-2-10).
4.8.7 Peedom
The theatrical function of 'Peedom' in 'pudiyettu' is very significant. It contributes to the dramatic elements of the
performance. In 'Mudiyettu , it is firstly used to project the characters on the stage. In the challenging scene of barika' with '~ali;we see its skilful use. Standing ~n this peedom, '~arika challenges Kali'. 11; symbolises sometimes hills and mountains. It may be used for the temporary retreat of characters. Kathakali and In
use of peedom can be seen. It becomes sometimes a throne, a garden bench etc. The symbolic use of this 'peedomt is carried on to the modern Malayalam Theatre, many a time, as refined planes.
4.8.8
Nilayilakku'
-.
'~ilavilakku' or kalivilakk;
the
attention of the audience on the subtle variations of emotions on the faces of the characters, is also achieved by 'Kalivilakku'. The aesthetic effect it provides to the flesh-painting, the elaborate and splendi,d costume of the characters is very high. Its metaphysical effect is shared by the audience, as they have a holy conception of it. in Mudivettu Pazhoor points out that the holy lamp 'Siva' and not
- 2-10).
Mudiyet&u
provides a
and five-wicked torches are used to give light and shade of the performance Mudiyettu of is Cudiyettu the whole
The
performance or
space
of
temple
premises
sacred
grove.
During the fighting scene, Darika takes to follows- him through this space. after them with burning
torches.
fierceness of
the whole
sequence is heightened by
K.P.
throwing
Narayana ~isharadi
in his translation of Natyasastra tells us that by throwing 'Thellippodi' on the burning torches sound should be produced. (N. 27) 4.8.10 Music in Mudiyettu
Evenbefore
the
recitation
of
'Natta',
'savari', 'Sankarabharkamt will be sung, In the dialogue between Siva and Narada, and Kali and Darika, there would be particular
I
ragas' used. The first challenging call of Darika would be in 'Anandabhairavi', the second in 'Puraneevu' (because it is in the early morning) a 'rag; similar to ('Bhupala').
I
The musical
'Thiriuzhichil', the instruments 'Kompu', 'Kurumkuzhal', 'Sanku', Elathalam' , and 'Chenda' are used. During 'Kalampattu' only
' Chenda'
'Sanku' and 'Veekanchenda' are used. In '~rangukeli' 'Chenda', 'Madhalam', 'Elathalam' are used. In 'aranguvazhthal' , Dialogue of Siva and '~aradha), 'Entrance of '~arika: 'Urukkuchenda',
scenes, killing of '~arika',the blessing of Kali 'Veekkanchenda' and 'Elathalam' are used.
singers for '~udivettu'.The 'vaddyakkars''sing and some times even the actors sing. An analysis of the application of music in
u
shows
that
along
with
ritual
elements,
it
'-$..'
if it is taken out of the temple premises, it can be presented only with a ritualistic atmosphere. The improvements in
Mudiyettu
Today there are three families conducting -MudiyetW'- (1) In Muvattupuzha (2) Pazhoor and ( 3 ) Koratti. But they cannot depend on
the ritual art-formfortheir livelihood, as it is only seasonal. Now it is taught in Shektra Kala Peedom, Vaikom under the
Travancore Devaswom Board- Pazhoor suggests that all the groups which are conducting Mudiyet.' should come together, to
Pazhoor, admitting
trends of Malayalam Drama opines that, the dramatic elements and spectacular aspects in u can provide immense knowlege
to the modern theatre-worker. Through an intimate acquaintance with the ritual art, he can develop a new Theatre-culture. Ritual arts, in general, provide us with an awareness connected with the life of man in its totality, his aspiration, fears, wishes and disappointments. The concept of time and space involved in the ritual arts can be a model for the theatre-worker of today. The motif of the costume is based on imaginative visiona Within the codified acting style (score), the performer enjoys immense
freedom. The modern director has to express the emotional as well as the inner meaning of the play. For this he can draw
inspiration from the scenic design, action, rhythm, costume etc. of the ritual arts. How the 'Lokhadharmi' and 'Natyadharmi' be mixed for the effective theatrical presentation is the powerful core of the ritual art$#