THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The Kutiyattam Kendra of Sangeet Natak Akademi will host a five-day festival titled ‘Natya Ravanam’ to highlight the traditional dance form. The festival featuring prominent kudiyattam artists will be held at the Vyloppilli Samskriti Bhavan from December 6 to December 10.
The festival will put the many facets of Ravana under the spotlight. The performances will be based on Sanskrit plays such as Ascharyachoodamani and Abhisheka Natakam, which have a revered place in the traditional repertory of kudiyattam as well as newer plays such as Sri Rama Charitham Nangiar Koothu.
“Just like Ravana has 10 faces, he also has many sides to his character. We will have 22 presentations that showcase the multi-faceted character of Ravana,” says Dr Kannan Parameshwaran, director of the Kutiyattam Kendra.
Dr Sandhya Purecha, chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, will inaugurate the event while Padmashree Sivan Namboothiri will deliver the valedictory address on December 10. The fest hopes to give people a chance to understand the ancient dance form which has been accepted by UNESCO as having a history of over 2000 years.
The audience will be given printed copies with a detailed synopsis of the performances to better understand the dance presentations. Detailed explanations will also be projected during the performance along with interactive sessions before and after the performances. Hundreds of students from schools and colleges will attend the presentation every day of the festival.