Sunday, March 8, 2015
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Family background:
Chemanchery
Kuhiraman Nair was born at Cheliya Desam of chengotkavu Village in Koyilandy
Taluk Kozhikode District in Kerala State on 26th June 1916 to Late
Sree Chathukutty Nair and Late Smt.Kunhammukkutty Amma in a traditional
farmer’s family. The family was a joint family where more than 25 members lived
under the same roof. These early days in lift taught him lessons of
relationship building and social living which he would practice in his later
life and career. He was an unfortunate child to loss his mother who died when
he was only two years of old and his dad when he was only 13 years of old. The
family possessed more than 50 acres of land and had a Temple for themselves.
“Theyyam” which is traditional art dance from was performed by local artists
regular in the temple as a form of God worshipping and the family members where
all practitioners and experts in yet another traditional folklore dance from –
“Kolkkali”. It was during these years he developed and recognized his interest
in art and traditional art forms which would in later years become his passion,
ambition and career. To develop an interest, to be passionate about it, to have
an ambition to master it and to build a career are imperative steps in every
one’s life. Chemancheri was a great man who build his career based on his
interest with at most passion and mastered it beyond limits without failing to
set backs and difficulties, raising above all odds and hindrances.
Chemancheri
Kunhiraman Nair was married to Pavithrasadanam Janaki until her demise at a
young age when their only son was just 2 years of old. She was a teacher by
profession. Ever since, he lived with his elder sister, who had great influence
in Guru Chemancheri’s later life and became his most trusted emotional retreat.
Present family
background
He
has been living with his elder sister and nephew, K.K. Sankaran Master and his
family ever since his wife passed away. His only son is settled in Mumbai.
Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair chose to live in Kerala to lead his creative
ventures, his organizations, teaching and performances from the front. Guru
Chemancheri considers himself a part of a bigger family which consists of his
artistic fraternity, his students, his colleagues, his followers and fans all
around the world.
Schooling:
Chemancheri
Kunhiraman Nair was talented and fortunate to fetch him a very rare opportunity
of Lower primary school education from Chengotukavu East UP School and was the
highest certificate of merit those times. He had resistance from his family
being a traditional agricultural family against any form of higher education as
the custom was to follow the ancestors and earn a living becoming a farmer. But
his interest in Kathakali was intense and strong enough to with stand any
pressure. He left his home one night to join kathakali school at Meppayur ran
by great kathakali teacher and artist Karunakara Menon. “Gurukulam” format of
education was the most followed form of schooling then. It took for him six years
long years of hard work and commitment to master the art form. During these
years he had the privilege to perform hundreds of Kathakali ballets depicting
different characters in almost all Attakathas with and without Karunakara
Menon. He looked upon Guru Karunakara Menon for inspiration and Lord Sree
Krishna became his favorite character, energy source and role model. He stud
close to God and enacted him on the stages and was growing and learning to
become the most promising God Man in the history of Kathakali. The Indian
struggle for independence and pre-independence years were the hardest Guru
Chemanchery went through. The changing social strata and European cultural
influence end-resulted in the collapse of Kathakali camps in India. This was
the most unbearable hardship in his career which he overcame by an improvising
step of career with an intelligent detour from Kathakali to Bharathanatyam to
keep his artistic talent alive.
Childhood
Ambitions:
To
master traditional art form was his only ambition as a child and to perform
Kathakali on the stage like Greats of the time; Guru Karunakara Menon and
Kalamandalam Madhavan Nair was his career ambition.
Training:
Guru
Chemancheri was trained by Guru Karunakara Menon in “Kathakali”. Later he
studied Bharathanatyam under the great Guru Kalamandalam Madhavan Nair for one
year and then under Bhalabhai of Madras for two years. This was followed by his
higher studies in Nrithyam under the great dancer Selam Rajaratnam Pillai for
three years. He identified and stated that those days of dedicated and hard
training under these great Guru’s were real “thapa” for him and it taught him
how deep is the relationship between a Guru and his disciples in the world of
divine art is. And Guru Chemancheri shared what he learned that art is not just
a means of life but a real “sadhana” for the preservation of our rich cultural
heritage.
First Entry to Career:
With
a handful of training experiences from the most talented teachers in Kathakali
and Bharathanatyam, with his strong performance skills, expertise and
experience he started his own school of dancing named Bharatheeya
Natyakalalayam at Kannur city the first of its kind in North Kerala in 1945. A
branch of it was also started in Telicherry in 1947. These two schools of dance
were transformed into one of the chief centers of the teaching and propagation
of Bharathanatyam in India.
Entry into Stable
Career:
Hundreds
of students were trained under the above mentioned institutions by 1952 and by
then this organization became renowned for its routine of producing recognized
talents, its organized operations, flawless curriculum and successful training
methods. In 1952 a full-fledged ballet troupe consisting of more than 60 artists
were organized under Guru Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair. More than 40 ballets and
Nrithasilpams were choreographed and performed under this troupe, in and
outside Kerala in thousands of stages. His name and his organization were
exploring boundaries of minds and lands through their reputation, expertise,
talents and through their stage performances.
In
1977 he started another cultural institution named “Pookkad Kalalayam” in his
own home town as a good will gesture for the teaching and propagation of our classical
art forms and for producing talents from his part of the country.
Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi, classical dance and mural painting
were taught to those interested.
Career Prospects:
Still
in his 99th age, he doesn’t lack energy or keep himself from taking
more efforts, amuses everybody with excellent stage performances, new
directional ventures (Silpams) and shaping new Kathakali stories. He inspires
everyone who comes his way. According to him neither age is hurdle nor time a
matter of worries. He thinks there are a lot more to be experimented in various
stages still to come. He looks forward to teach many more students and produce
fine talents of history so that the future of traditional art forms and
cultural heritage stays safe and stay preserved for ages to come. He also
aspire to develop Kathakali Vidhyalayam into another Kerala Kalamandalam of
Kerala.
Turning points in life:
Guru
Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair had to resist his family’s ambition to make him a
farmer and the pressure to follow their ancestors to live his dream and
practice his passion as his career. The decision to leave his family for the
development of traditional art forms to become a pioneer in his career area was
the most important in his life. His life is an example of a successful career
whose success is an attribute in following one’s own interest and mastering
this interest with highest levels of dedication, commitment and enthusiasm. The
next important turning point in his life was his leap as a student or discipline
in 1945 to a teacher and the founder of an educational and training
organization “Bharatheeya Natya Kalalayam” the first of his four creative
ventures. He finished his creative square with “Kathakali Vidyalayam” in 1983
his fourth organization for the development and training of Kathakali. This
should be considered the most valuable achievement in his life, in the lights
of his discontinued pursuit of Kathakali training during his early years. He
always dreamt to revive the most celebrated oldest art form of Kerala to its
past glory.
Career satisfaction:
Chemanchery
Kunhiraman Nair is very satisfied with the way his career has shaped. Most of
the professionals find themselves fallen into a particular career and find
little satisfaction in their respective jobs. This is not the came with Guru
Chemanchery as he was highly focused in his career right from his childhood and
pursued his most intense interest as his career option. This gave him the pace
to overtake all his contemporaries, overcome all setbacks and to overwhelm
success in his career. The four cultural institutions he founded are still
running in full glory with thousands of students and teachers.
About the present
career:
At
present the four of his institutions have developed into chief cultural centres
of Kerala where more than 1500 students study in various art forms. He has
worked with all most all the stalwarts of Indian Dance; Sri Udhaya Sankar, Guru
gopinath, Guru Gopalakrishna.
Kathakali
Vidhyalayam has grown into an important centre for propogating and teaching of
Kathakali in kerala. More than 40 students in different fields of Kathakali,
Vesham, Music, Chenda, Maddalam and Chutti study here with the aid of
department of culture, New Delhi. A full fledged Kathakali troup capable of
performing almost all “Attakatha” is also run under this Vidhyalayam. Sri
Kunhiraman Nair is still working as the Chief Guru, principal and cornerstone
of all his institutions.
Bitter experience:
Leaving
his family for the future of Traditional Indian art forms has been a bitter
experience for Guru Chemancheri. The bad luck of early deaths of the dear ones
always chased Guru Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair all his life. He lost his mother
at an age of two years, his father when he was 13 and his wife when his only son
was two years of old. He had gone through huge distress while he had to
temporary leave Kathakali during the Indian independence era. Another
unforgotable and painful incidence was the dramatic and sad death of his
beloved Karunakara Menon on stage while both of them were performing together
Kuchelavritham Kathakali; a story about friendship, companionship, campassion
and love. Kunhiraman Nair was the one who performed the last rights standing
for his son.
Memorable events:
Chemancheri
Kunhiraman Nair very famously enacted Krishna in the episode of Duryodhana’s
death and performed Lord Sree Krishna’s “Viswaroopa” with flawless detail.
Pattathil Chandrasekhara Menon, the Subjudge and advocate V Ramayyar the father
of former Supreme Court Justice V.R Krishnayyar rushed to the stage taking Lord
Krishna’s name and fell into Chemancheri’s feet under the spell of devotional
trance created by Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair’s profound performance. Even
though all these events had taken place, Sree Kunhiraman Nair who has been
deeply involved in his act felt, heard or knew nothing intil he finished his
performance and was explained about it later. The event highlights his
performing skills, focus, detail, dedication, concentration and spotless
attention.
Conclusion:
Mahatma
Gandhi has once said “my life is my message to others”. These words suit the
great teacher, Guru Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair and his life is an open book
for others. guru Chemancheri has tried all his life/career to teach, train and
propagate traditional art forms and preserve our cultural heritage through
well-designed learning processes in his four institutions and has earned
thousands of deciples, followers, fans and friends. Apart from these, never had
he bargained for any remuneration for his performances or classes. Not in any
stage of his life had he end up tired or walk away from efforts to improvise
his talent pool. Guru Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair has still plenty of youth
left in him, has plenty more contributions to offer the society, has plenty
more milestones in his life were not merely his, but to all those thousands of
students, followers and fans who were after him and he overlooked, taught and
contained them and changed their lives by inspiring them to choose their
biggest interest as their respective careers and to pursue what they have total
belief and faith in.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
.JPG)
Sunday, July 28, 2013
janmastami
കളിയരങ്ങിലെ കൃഷ്ണവേഷത്തിന് അംഗീകാരമായി ജന്മാഷ്ടമി പുരസ്കാരം
കോഴിക്കോട്: കളിയരങ്ങിലെ കൃഷ്ണവേഷത്തിന് അംഗീകാരമായി ജന്മാഷ്ടമി പുരസ്കാരം എത്തിയപ്പോള് അത് ഭഗവാന് കൃഷ്ണന്റെ അനുഗ്രഹമെന്ന് ഗുരുചേമഞ്ചേരി കുഞ്ഞിരാമന് നായര്. ആലുവ ബാലസംസ്കാരകേന്ദ്രം ഏര്പ്പെടുത്തിയ ജന്മാഷ്ടമി പുരസ്കാരത്തിനര്ഹനായ വിവരം ഗുരുവിന്റെ വീട്ടില് അറിയിക്കാനെത്തിയ ബാലഗോകുലം സംഘത്തോടുള്ള ഗുരുവിന്റെ ആദ്യപ്രതികരണമായിരുന്നു ഇത്.നിരവധി പുരസ്കാരങ്ങള് എത്തിയ കൊയിലാണ്ടി ചേലിയയിലെ ‘യമുന’ വീട്ടിലേക്ക് അവാര്ഡിനര്ഹമായ വിവരം അറിയിക്കാന് എത്തിയപ്പോള് ഗുരു ആദ്യമൊന്നു സംശയിച്ചു. എന്തായിരിക്കും വരവിന്റെ ഉദ്ദേശ്യമെന്ന്. അവാര്ഡ് ജേതാവിനെ നേരിട്ട് വിവരം അറിയിക്കാന് എത്തിയതാണെന്നറിഞ്ഞപ്പോള് ഗുരുവിന് അതിലേറെ സന്തോഷം. ബാലഗോകുലം കുട്ടികളിലേക്ക് പകര്ന്ന് നല്കുന്ന സംസ്കാരത്തിന്റെ ഭാഗമാണ് ഈ സന്ദര്ശനമെന്നും സംഘാംഗങ്ങള് വിവരിച്ചു. ബാലഗോകുലം സംസ്ഥാന പ്രസിഡന്റ്ടി.പി. രാജന് മാസ്റ്റര്, അവാര്ഡ് നിര്ണയ സമിതി അംഗം ഡോ. പ്രിയദര്ശന്ലാല്, ബാലസംസ്കാരകേന്ദ്രം ജനറല് സെക്രട്ടറി എസ്. ജയകൃഷ്ണന് എന്നിവരായിരുന്നു സംഘത്തില്. എസ്. ജയകൃഷ്ണന് ഗുരുവിനെ പൊന്നാട അണിയിച്ചു. ഗുരുവിന്റെ മരുമക്കളായ കെ.പി. വിജയന്, ശങ്കരന്, ശങ്കരന്റെ ഭാര്യ ഗീത എന്നിവര് ചേര്ന്ന് അതിഥികളെ സ്വീകരിച്ചു. ബാലഗോകുലം സംസ്ഥാന സെക്രട്ടറി കെ. മോഹന്ദാസ്, കോഴിക്കോട് മേഖലാ സെക്രട്ടറി എം. സത്യന് മാസ്റ്റര്, ബാലസംസ്കാരകേന്ദ്രം കോഴിക്കോട് ജില്ലാ സെക്രട്ടറി വി. ബാബു എന്നിവരും പുരസ്കാര വിവരം അറിയിക്കാന് എത്തിയ സംഘത്തിനോടൊപ്പം ഗുരുവിന്റെ വീട്ടിലെത്തിയിരുന്നു.
98-ാം വയസ്സില് എത്തിനില്ക്കുമ്പോഴും കഥകളിയും ഗുരു സ്ഥാപിച്ച കഥകളി ചേലിയ വിദ്യാലയവും തന്നെയാണ് ഗുരുവിന്റെ ലോകം. പിന്നെ ഗുരുവിനൊപ്പം അല്പനേരം ചേലിയ കഥകളി വിദ്യാലയത്തില്. ജീവിതത്തില് ചവിട്ടിക്കയറിയ പടവുകളെക്കുറിച്ചു പറയുമ്പോള് ഗുരുവിന്റെ മുഖത്ത് വിടര്ന്നത് നവരസഭാവം. ഇടത്തരം വേഷമായ കൃഷ്ണവേഷം അഭിനയ സിദ്ധികൊണ്ട് കഥകളിയരങ്ങില് നിറഞ്ഞാടുകയായിരുന്നു ഗുരു. ഗുരുവിന്റെ കൃഷ്ണവേഷം കാണാന് മാത്രമായി കഥകളി പ്രേമികള് കളിവിളക്കിന് ചുറ്റും ഒത്തുകൂടിയിരുന്നു. എണ്ണിയാല് ഒടുങ്ങാത്തത്ര ശിഷ്യസമ്പത്തും ചേലിയയുടെ സ്വന്തം ഗുരുവിനുണ്ട്. പരേതയായ ജാനകിയാണ് ഗുരുവിന്റെ ഭാര്യ. ഏക മകന് പവിത്രന്നായര് ആര്മിയില് നിന്നും വിരമിച്ചശേഷം മുംബൈയില് താമസിക്കുന്നു. മരുമകള് നളിനി. സഹോദരി പുത്രന് പൊയില്ക്കാവ് എച്ച്.എസ്.എസ് റിട്ട. പ്രധാനധ്യാപകന് ശങ്കരനും ഭാര്യ ഗീതയ്ക്കുമൊപ്പമാണ് ഗുരു താമസിക്കുന്നത്.
പി. ഷിമിത്ത്
janmastami award
ജന്മാഷ്ടമി പുരസ്കാരം നാട്യാചാര്യന് ഗുരു ചേമഞ്ചേരി കുഞ്ഞിരാമന് നായര്ക്ക്
കോഴിക്കോട്: ആലുവ ബാലസംസ്കാരകേന്ദ്രത്തിന്റെ ജന്മാഷ്ടമി പുരസ്കാരം നാട്യാചാര്യന് ഗുരു ചേമഞ്ചേരി കുഞ്ഞിരാമന് നായര്ക്ക്. ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണവേഷത്തില് ദീര്ഘകാലം കേരളത്തിന്റെ കഥകളിയരങ്ങില് നിറഞ്ഞാടിയതിനാണ് 98ലെത്തിയ ഗുരുവിനെത്തേടി പുരസ്കാരം എത്തിയത്. 25,000 രൂപയും കീര്ത്തിപത്രവും ആര്ട്ടിസ്റ്റ് കെ.കെ. വാര്യര് രൂപകല്പന ചെയ്ത ശില്പവും അടങ്ങുന്നതാണ് പുരസ്കാരമെന്ന് ബാലഗോകുലം സംസ്ഥാന പ്രസിഡന്റ്ടി.പി. രാജന് മാസ്റ്റര്, ബാലസംസ്കാരകേന്ദ്രം ജനറല് സെക്രട്ടറി എസ്. ജയകൃഷ്ണന് എന്നിവര് പത്രസമ്മേളനത്തില് അറിയിച്ചു.
കൃഷ്ണദര്ശനത്തില് അധിഷ്ഠിതമായ കലാ-സാഹിത്യ-സാംസ്കാരിക ജീവിതത്തിനുള്ള അംഗീകാരമാണ് ആലുവ ബാലസംസ്കാര കേന്ദ്രം ഓരോ വര്ഷവും ജന്മാഷ്ടമിയോടനുബന്ധിച്ചു നല്കിവരുന്ന പുരസ്കാരം.
തപസ്യ കലാ-സാഹിത്യവേദിയുടെ അധ്യക്ഷന് കവി എസ്. രമേശന് നായര് ചെയര്മാനും കലാമണ്ഡലം സുഗന്ധി, ഡോ. പ്രിയദര്ശന്ലാല്, ബാലഗോകുലം സംസ്ഥാന അധ്യക്ഷന് ടി.പി. രാജന് മാസ്റ്റര്, ബാലസംസ്കാരകേന്ദ്രം ജനറല് സെക്രട്ടറി എസ്. ജയകൃഷ്ണന് എന്നിവര് അംഗങ്ങളുമായ പുരസ്കാര നിര്ണയ സമിതിയാണ് ഗുരു ചേമഞ്ചേരിയെ തിരഞ്ഞെടുത്തത്. കഥകളിക്കും നൃത്തരൂപങ്ങള്ക്കും കളരിയൊരുക്കി ആയിരക്കണക്കിനു ശിഷ്യപ്രതിഭകളെ സൃഷ്ടിക്കുകയും കേരളത്തിലും വിദേശങ്ങളിലും അനേകം വേദികളില് കൃഷ്ണഭാവങ്ങള് നിറയ്ക്കുകയും ചെയ്ത ഗുരു ചേമഞ്ചേരിയുടെ സമര്പ്പിതമായ കലാജീവിതം അംഗീകാരങ്ങളും പുരസ്കാരങ്ങളും കൊണ്ടു നിറഞ്ഞതാണെന്നു സമിതി വിലയിരുത്തി.
ബാലഗോകുലത്തിന്റെ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണജയന്തി ആഘോഷങ്ങളോടനുബന്ധിച്ച് ആഗസ്ത് 23ന് കോഴിക്കോട്ട് സാംസ്കാരിക സമ്മേളനത്തില് പുരസ്കാരം സമ്മാനിക്കും.
ബാലഗോകുലം സംസ്ഥാന സെക്രട്ടറി കെ. മോഹന്ദാസ്, കോഴിക്കോട് മേഖലാ സെക്രട്ടറി എം. സത്യന് മാസ്റ്റര്, ബാലസംസ്കാരകേന്ദ്രം കോഴിക്കോട് ജില്ലാ സെക്രട്ടറി വി. ബാബു എന്നിവരും പത്രസമ്മേളനത്തില് പങ്കെടുത്തു.
കൃഷ്ണദര്ശനത്തില് അധിഷ്ഠിതമായ കലാ-സാഹിത്യ-സാംസ്കാരിക ജീവിതത്തിനുള്ള അംഗീകാരമാണ് ആലുവ ബാലസംസ്കാര കേന്ദ്രം ഓരോ വര്ഷവും ജന്മാഷ്ടമിയോടനുബന്ധിച്ചു നല്കിവരുന്ന പുരസ്കാരം.
തപസ്യ കലാ-സാഹിത്യവേദിയുടെ അധ്യക്ഷന് കവി എസ്. രമേശന് നായര് ചെയര്മാനും കലാമണ്ഡലം സുഗന്ധി, ഡോ. പ്രിയദര്ശന്ലാല്, ബാലഗോകുലം സംസ്ഥാന അധ്യക്ഷന് ടി.പി. രാജന് മാസ്റ്റര്, ബാലസംസ്കാരകേന്ദ്രം ജനറല് സെക്രട്ടറി എസ്. ജയകൃഷ്ണന് എന്നിവര് അംഗങ്ങളുമായ പുരസ്കാര നിര്ണയ സമിതിയാണ് ഗുരു ചേമഞ്ചേരിയെ തിരഞ്ഞെടുത്തത്. കഥകളിക്കും നൃത്തരൂപങ്ങള്ക്കും കളരിയൊരുക്കി ആയിരക്കണക്കിനു ശിഷ്യപ്രതിഭകളെ സൃഷ്ടിക്കുകയും കേരളത്തിലും വിദേശങ്ങളിലും അനേകം വേദികളില് കൃഷ്ണഭാവങ്ങള് നിറയ്ക്കുകയും ചെയ്ത ഗുരു ചേമഞ്ചേരിയുടെ സമര്പ്പിതമായ കലാജീവിതം അംഗീകാരങ്ങളും പുരസ്കാരങ്ങളും കൊണ്ടു നിറഞ്ഞതാണെന്നു സമിതി വിലയിരുത്തി.
ബാലഗോകുലത്തിന്റെ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണജയന്തി ആഘോഷങ്ങളോടനുബന്ധിച്ച് ആഗസ്ത് 23ന് കോഴിക്കോട്ട് സാംസ്കാരിക സമ്മേളനത്തില് പുരസ്കാരം സമ്മാനിക്കും.
ബാലഗോകുലം സംസ്ഥാന സെക്രട്ടറി കെ. മോഹന്ദാസ്, കോഴിക്കോട് മേഖലാ സെക്രട്ടറി എം. സത്യന് മാസ്റ്റര്, ബാലസംസ്കാരകേന്ദ്രം കോഴിക്കോട് ജില്ലാ സെക്രട്ടറി വി. ബാബു എന്നിവരും പത്രസമ്മേളനത്തില് പങ്കെടുത്തു.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
history
| Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair |
 |
 Age is not a restraining barrier for this great maestro. Just three years short of celebrating his centenary, his muscles still have the guts to climb the stage and entice the spectators with the magic of his performance. When it comes to the matter of performance, Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair, a veteran in the art form of Kathakali, is full of energy even at the age of 97. Kathakali, a unique dance-drama of Kerala, had its origin in the sixteenth century. For Chemancheri this relentless journey started at the age of 15, when he left his home to join a Kathakali troupe run by Guru Karunakara Menon. In the hands of this disciplinarian-mentor, the talents of Chemancheri were nourished to completion. After years of practice and hard work, he founded Bharatiya Natyakalalayam in 1945, which was the first school of dance in north Kerala. But he was not content with this, so he started several other dance schools and later in 1983 he established Cheliya Kathakali Vidyalayam in his native Cheliya village, about 30 km from Kozhikode. The institution conducts courses on different aspects of Kathakali and has a full-fledged Kathakali troupe. Chemancheri's style emanates from a blend of north-south Kerala styles and by incorporating elements of other dance forms like Bharatanatyam. When Chemancheri plays the vesham (role) of Lord Krishna, which is one of the most admired of all his roles, the entire audience remains awestruck. Recognitions came his way one by one and in 1979 Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademi recognised his contributions with an award and later in 1999 with a fellowship. In 2001 he received the Kalamandalam award for special contributions to art and in 2002 he got Darpanam Natyakulapathi award. Mayilpeeli award and Kerala Kalamandalam Kalarathnam awards are some other jewels on his crown. Despite the age, the maestro's mudras (hand signs) still retains the charm and grace that have been grabbing the attention of Kathakali lovers for several decades. |
Friday, March 15, 2013
interview
Even at the threshold of a centenary Natyacharya Guru Chemanjery Kunjiraman Nair is evocative and aesthetic in the artistic brackets of a Kathkali maestro. aneesh kuttan meets this man of matter who lives a life for and up to this classical art propagating and reinventing its traditional value at a time when it goes astray as if records and titles that count.
“Our
school curriculum is updated with all the current information touching
the variant spectrum of life and living. But what lacks is the
susceptibility which is the penetrating media by which the process of
understanding takes place. So our students pass out with stupendous
success in the examinations but once they got in touch with the society
they fail deplorabley to live their lives …”, says Guru Chemanjery,
walking a few yards after his centenary through a life conditioned by
the noble art, Kathakali.“See, if our students learn the lessons of life without knowing the morals and values on which they are based upon, it may lead to the untimely death of our cultural heritage gradually. So we should redefine our system so as to make the students familiar with Indian culture through the classical art forms which depict the scenario that mentioned in the books.” ,remarked Guru Chemanchery after staging ‘kali varuthivacha vina’ (menace created by Kali), a lesson in the plus two text book, through a Kathakali performance.
This is Guru Chemanjeri who happened to get into the world of classical arts with the powerful influence of Koumudi teacher, who shot to fame by donating her ornaments to Gandhiji on his visit to Kerala in 1934. It is the same Koumudi teacher who made the Calicut born Guru to choose Kannur as his domain for keeping alive a tradition.
Propagating a heritage
Guru
Chemanhery is now under a mission to liberate the Indian classics now
lay scattered in the socio-cultural scenario meshed inside the printed
fonts. He tries to retrieve the the lost glory of the art of Kathakali
which is confined to the carnival grounds and background tableau of
colorful song sequences in the movies.. His vision is to make the new
generation aware of the solid stuff of our classics through a
picturesque narration of the theme through Kathakali lingo. Guru
Chemanjery Kunhiraman Nair moves his wrinkled and multi-fractured limbs
in an elaborately tuned track keeping pace with the traditional style
of narrating a story through acting (that is what Kathakali literally
means), goes hand in hand with the contemporary style of living building
a bridge in between to know and to understandWhat is amazing about Guru Chemanjery is that, at a time when all his contemporaries wait for that inevitable guest, cornered in the dusk of life, he keeps his spirits live and hot to be in touch with the art that moulded his being. Nevertheless, he continues to experiment with it and tries his maximum to promote a divine art form never let it down in the fast-track life of today. Cheliya Kathakalai Vidyalaya at Koyilandi is such a dream-come-true.
Prior to that in 1945 Guru , after years of experience as a Kathakali exponent has started the first School of Dance in North Kerala, the Bharatheeya Natya Kalalaya. Bharatheey Natya Kalalaya at Thalassery , Pookkad kalalaya are some of the younger siblings of the first one sprouted out of his relentless enthusiasm and dedication to an art that rooted deeply in our cultural heritage.
Cheliya Kathakali vidyalaya was established in 1983 with a single and stream-lined vision of the promoting Kathakali. This school owns a full-fledged Kathakali troupe with eminent performers and they are in a constant mission to spread the greatness and gravity of Kathakali. It conducts courses in different aspects of this classical dance-drama apart from the Central Government certified Two-year certificate course in Kathakali.
At the feet of Guru
Guru Chemanchery KunhiramanNair has started learning Kathakali out of an innate fire he possessed from his birth. Since he had no hereditary traits and familial support to poke a way towards art, he had to leave his home to pursue his dreams. Well-weaved destiny brought that teenager to the feet of Keezhpayyur Karunakara Menon, the Kathakali maestro of the time. Chemanjery learned the ebbs and flows of the art untiringly, under his guru as a pursuit of his life. He set apart his whole day to spent with his guru as a sentinel of learning. Intense training under a thespian made him an expert at an early age itself. Then along with his guru, Chemnjery performed various epic stories chronicling lives, loves and conflicts through the naatya, bhaava, mudra and rasa, the art of Kathakali permeates.
Guru Chemanjery remembers his arangettam( the first stage performance) was as Paanchali in Duryodhaana Vadham Aattakkatha (the part of Mahabharata illustrating the killing of Duryodhan). Thence forth it was a saga of Krishna. In Kuchelavritham, Santhaanagopaalam, Rugmini Swayamavaram, et al he donned the role of Lord Krishna. Like Kottakkal Sivaraman in his female roles, Guru Chemanjery excelled as Lord Krishna. If Chemanjery is to essay the role of Lord Krishna, people used to gush in even from far away places!!!!
The disciplined and regimented training made Chemanjery one of the eminent Kathakali performers across the State. Even at the age of 95, he proves unparalleled in the dedication, immense concentration and the diligent grooming used to narrate the story in its strict traditional manner. Like his guru Karunakara Menon, Chenanjery also has proved his excellence in the other aspects of Kathakali such as costumes, percussion, make-up (chutti) etc.
The Krishna Effect
Chemanjery made his audience and the appreciators agape on his 95th birthday celebrations, again playing Krishna in Kuchelavritham. When his fans and disciples decided to celebrate his 95th birthday, by setting a feast of Kuchelavritham,Chemanjery was dedicating his self to his Guru as well.
“It was years before..we were performing the complete narrative version of Kuchelavritham. As usual I donned the role of Krishna and my Guru was the Kuchela. It came the scene of Krishna the King descends from his throne to greet his old classmate Kuchela, the poignant point of the story. I came down with spread out hands to hug Kuchela. Kuchela was staring at the new adorned form of his friend Krishna…with tears in his eyes. I saw my guru behind the costumes of Kuchela looking at me with tear-filled eyes and all on a sudden he fell into my hands fainting..then, I have to do all the sacraments of his funeral as a son..” Chemanjery narrated the heartrending story of man who lived for his art and a rare alchemy of a teacher-student relation.
Thus by donning as Krishna on his 95th birthday, again playing the same story of Kuchelavritham, it became a tribute of a student to his teacher who etched certain values inside along with the well-defined gestures and body language to be carried out throughout.
Guinness Book is not so far
Last year Kerala Kalamandalam honoured Chemanjary by giving away the title of ‘Kalaratna’ regarding his special contributions to classical art. Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Acadamy also recognised his contributions to this field with an award in 1979 and a Fellowship in 1999. But guru Chemanjeri finds contentment when his students bring laurels to Calicut District by winning the prestigeous trophy of the Kerala State Youth Festival, every year.
Guru Chemanjery has been abstaining from stage performances for the last 5 years after essaying the role of Parasurama on his 90th birthday. But he has been a constant presence in all the shows as a live spectator even in the late night shows. Meanwhile he met with many accidents and got his bones fractured and it is very difficult to make it right in this late age. But his relentless spirits poked him to play once again as the amorous Krishna at the age of 95 wearing heavy costumes weighing more than 35 Kg. He has rocked on the stage for two and a half hours continuously making the spectators break down. Many eminent personalities from all the walks of the life presented there were spell-bound at this blasting performance and they commented unanimously as, such a great performance in this age duly deserves a niche in the Guinness Book of World Records.
At a time when most of the artists are running behind the title of a Guinness winner, than to be known as an artist, invariably deviating from the tuned rhythms of rituals and classical details, it was relevant and to get an edge asking him his opinion about a Guinness Record while his ardent fans and disciples try for the same.
“If you ask somebody to get something, it will be alms and I don’t like to live upon the munificence granted after a request.”, replied Chemanjery with a repealing smile
Thursday, March 14, 2013
published by mathrubhumi books
kathakali legent guru chemancheri auto biography jeevitharasangal published by mathrubhumi books malayalam
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