THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kathakali maestro Thonnakkal Peethambaran, percussion maestro Cherpulasseri Sivan and Kalamandalam Leelamma have been selected for the state award for Kathakali, Pallavoor Appu Marar Award and Kerala Nrutha-Natya Award respectively for the year 2014.
Cultural Affairs Minister K C Jospeh announced the awards instituted by the Kerala Kalamandalam.
Three juries chaired by Kalamandalam Vice-Chancellor P N Suresh selected the winners. The jury comprising Madavoor Vasudevan Nair, Nelliyode Vasudevan Namboodiri, Vattapparampil Gopinatha Pillai and Cultural Secretary Rani George selected Thonnakkal Peethambaran for the Kathakali award.
A jury comprising Pandalam Sudhakaran, Kalamandalam Unnikrishnan, Vattapparampil Gopinatha Pillai and Cultural Department Additional Secretary Pavana Kumari selected the Pallavoor Appu Marar Award winner.
Kalamandalam Leelamma was selected by the a jury comprising Pandalam Sudhakaran, Kalamandalam Saraswathy and Kalamandalam Ramachakyar.
Thonnakkal Peethambaran is the disciple of legendary Kathakali artiste Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair. The jury, in their commendation, said that Peethambaran was noted for his ‘pacha’, ‘kathi’, ‘thadi’ and ‘minukku veshams’.
His ‘veshams’ like Nalan, Dharamputhrar, Arjunan, Keechakan, Ravanan, Parasuraman and Brahmanan have received much critical acclaim and popular acceptance. He has already been awarded by the Central and state Sangeeta Nataka Akademies. Hailing from Kottiyam in Kollam district, he has authored two books on Kathakali.
Cherpulasseri Sivan’s contribution in panchavadyam has got mention in the jury’s comment. A disciple of maestros like Kolamangalam Narayanan Nair, Sivan is a ‘pramani’ (lead artiste) in maddalam in famous festivals like Thrissur Pooram. He has also received the Kerala Kalamandalam fellowship and Sangeetha Nataka Akademi award.
Kalamandalam Leelamma is noted for her performances in Mohiniyattam, Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi for the last 35 years. But her focus is on Mohiniyattam. She has great mastery in expressing the various ‘bhavas’ of the heroine. Leelamma, who retired as Head of the Department of Nrutha at Kalamandalam, is a recipient of Kendra-Kerala Sangeetha
Nataka Akademi awards, and is a senior fellow of the Central Cultural Affairs Department.
The awards will be distributed at a function to be held at Kalamandalam next month.