KOCHI: Seventy-year-old Savithri Nangiaramma of Kizhakke Nangiarmadhom greases her face for the purely ritualistic staging of Sree Krishna Charitham nangiarkoothu at the miniature koothambalam in the southern valiyambalam (platform) of Tripunithura Sree Poornathrayeesha Temple. Ramachandran, her son, begins to play the divine percussion instrument, mizhavu, kept in the temple just for this occasion. As the playing of the mizhavu reaches its climax Savithri Nangiaramma enteres the arangu (stage) from the nepthya (green room). And then begins the only ritualistic dance form to be staged during the eight-day Moossari Ulsavam which will conclude on Thiruvonam day.
Sree Poornathrayeesha Temple has a long history of staging prabandha koothu by stalwarts like the late Ammannoor Chachu Chakyar, the late Ammannoor Madhava Chakyar and others. Koodiyattom was also staged here during the royal reign. “However the miniature koothambalam situated inside the nalambalam of the temple was used only on rare occasions like the ritualistic staging of ankuleeyankam during the birthday celebrations of the Kochi kings,” said Ramachandran Nambiar whose ancestors performed in this koothambalam.
“Earlier it was the birth right of my ancestral house, Villuvattathu Nambiar Madhom, to perform the annual anguliankam and nangiarkoothu in the temple. Later the right went to my maternal house, Kizhakke Nambiar Madhom.
As per the information collected from my father, Villuvattathu Ravunni Nambiar, the ankuleeyangam was performed only after the lamp was lit using the sacred flame taken from the sanctum sanctorum,” Ramachandran added.
The miniature koothambalam has all the features of a regular koothambalam like the ones at Vadakkumnathan Temple or Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple.
At the southern end of the valiyambalam an arangu is designed and the century old mizhavu is placed here to give accompaniment to the Nangiarkoothu. A well-placed nepathyam (green room) adds to the beauty of the arangu. Interestingly this nepathyam is now being used as the small chamber for distributing prasadam.
Sree Krishna Charitham Nangiarkoothu is staged here as a ritualistic dance form during the eight -day festival in the Malayalam month, Chingam. The performance is based on an excerpt taken from the famous Subhadra Dhannajayam.
The female character in this mono act is Kalpa Lathika, the maidservant of Subhadra. As part of the nirvahanam (unfolding the flashback) Kalpa Lathika describes the story of the birth of Sree Krishna at Madhurapuri.
Though the female characters of koodiyattom have been appearing with full and alluring costumes, the solo female character of nangiarkoothu appears with minimum make up needed for the ritualistic staging.
“ I have been performing for the past five decades. My performance with the support of my son before Poornathrayeeshan is an offering to the presiding deity,” said Savithri Nangiaramma.
Though the remuneration for this ritualistic art form is quite negligible the family members of Kizhakke Nangiar Madhom consider this a holy mission. “ We consider this noble right to perform before Poornathrayeeshan as our fortune,” she added. The family members of Kizhakke Nambiar Madhom have been preserving and popularising this dance form without losing its sanctity for decades.
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