KOCHI: When did you last see a family lounging on a mat spread out in the courtyard listening to members of the Pulluva clan singing devotional songs to the accompaniment of a one-stringed traditional violin? It's hard to remember, as the Pullulan Pattu - a traditional recherché folk song worshipping snake gods - itself had slipped into oblivion due to a lack of patronage. So is the case with many traditional folk art forms staged during Onam. For most Malayalees living in western-styled urban and rural areas of the state, the idyllic setting of life and its traditional folk arts forms are somewhat alien now. Be it the likes of Onakkali, Thumbithullal, Kummattikali or Pulikali, many of the art forms have lost their charm as communities or groups who traditionally practised and performed them turned to greener pastures or took up other menial jobs for sustenance.
There are some passionate groups striving hard to keep the traditional art forms and games from dying. According to them, only a couple of them, such as boat race or tiger dance have survived the test of time. For these continue to attract tourists from far and wide, and there is a growing, but marginal, patronage from the state government to hold the events.
This doesn't mean the situation is so rosy. "For instance, the government assistance for a team to hold a Pulikali performance is Rs 2 lakh, including Rs 50,000 from the Tourism Department, in Thrissur. But a team has to shell out a sum ranging to Rs 10-12 lakh to hold an attractive performance," said Rajesh Pattayath, vice-president of Pulikali Coordination Committee.
Preservation: Too few, too little
Kerala Folklore Akademi chairman C J Kuttappan told 'Express', though many traditional art forms have suffered owing to a lack of patronage, the Akademi has now been doing its best to protect and preserve the art forms. "The Akademi is going to launch a project titled 'Maanju Pokum Munpe' (Before fading away) and the project aims to document the visuals of the ancient folk art forms to protect and showcase them before current and future generations," he said. The Directorate of Culture clarified, though they have not provided any special fund for staging the vanishing art forms during Onam, the Culture Department is planning to launch a diamond jubilee fellowship to protect the heritage art forms, including classical art forms, theatre, fine arts and folklore.
"As part of the project, select 1,000 young artists will be provided a fellowship to popularise the heritage art forms among people and the student community," said a senior officer with the Directorate of Culture. The Tourism Department has sanctioned a sum of Rs 5.25 crore to hold various cultural programmes in all 14 districts apart from Rs 1 crore for the Nehru Trophy boat race. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Kannur districts will get a sum of Rs 15 lakh each, Thrissur Rs 25 lakh, Ernakulam and Kozhikode Rs 32 lakh each and the other eight districts will get Rs 5 lakh each. Further, Rs 3.51 crore was sanctioned for Thiruvananthapuram to hold programmes at 30 venues.However, the art fraternity is seeking a more pro-active and holistic intervention from the government as these funds are insufficient to save a dying tradition.
Onapottan : Onapottan, which symbolises the arrival of Mahabali, is known by various names in different parts of Kerala. For instance, people of Kannur call it ‘Onavedan’ while those in Kozhikode refer to its as ‘Oneshwaran’ or ‘Onapottan’. A young boy wearing a headgear decked with hibiscus, striking makeup, red silk ornaments visit houses in a village accompanied by two singers. As per the custom, he is not allowed to talk but conveys the tale of the demon-god through dance while the singers croon 'Maveli naadu vaaneedum kalam’
Oonjaalaattom
Oonjaalaattom or playing on the swing is an integral part of Onam. ‘Oonjal’ or the swing is the first entity that marks the arrival of Onam
Kummikali
Here, the dancers, all women, move in a circle while enacting reaping movements with their hands. The dancers take turns leading the singing. The refrain is taken up after the lead singe
Bogey man / Kummatty
The Kummatty dancers, popular in central Kerala, wear wooden masks and sport garbs made from grass and dry leaves. It is a ritualistic dance and has its roots in Indian mythology. The dancers go from house to house entertaining people
Slick sticks / Kolkali
In Kolkali, the performers move in a circle, striking small sticks. The circle expands and contracts to the beat of the music and the sticks are struck against each other in a mounting tempo
Talappanthukali
Talappanthukali is one of the major out-door games played on the occasion of Onam. Layers of dried plantain leaf is wrapped in the shape of a ball. Some pebbles are also kept inside to give weight. Prepared mass is then covered with plantain fiber or coconut fiber and made into the size of a tennis ball.
Pilleronam
Pilleronam was a mini Onam celebrated for the kids. The day corresponded with the 'Thiruvonam' star in the month of Karkkidakom, which fell 27 days before the real 'Thiruvonam' in the month of Chingam
Uriyadi /Kudam Thallu
In Uriyadi, a player tries to hit a swinging earthen pot using a stick. Two people hold long ropes tied to the pot and control the movements of the pot, swinging it towards and away from the player
Traditional Pookkalam
The floral carpets made of indigenous flowers like thumba poo, kakkappoo, nanthyarvattom, chemparathi, mukkutti poo, kaashi thumba,and naalumani poo, have become a thing of past as those flowers have ben replaced with flowers sourced from markets in the neighbouring states
Onathallu
Onathallu is popular combat game staged in central and north Kerala. The traditional wrestling involves friendly folk-style bare-fist fighting between participants on the newly harvested paddy fields to invigorate the celebrations of the agrarian plenitude
Kaikottikkali
Kaikottikali is a dance to the accompaniment of clapping of hands and songs performed by a group of artists including men and women during Onam . The leader of the group sings the lead and other join in a chorus and dance with a circular movement around a Nilavilakku
Thumbithullal
Thumbithullal is a group dance form staged by girls during Onam. The girls sit around the leader and sing songs accompanied by clapping of hands. As the song picks up momentum and attains high pitch, the artists will also dance to the tune with frenzied body movements
Karadikali
A distinctive art form, it was once an indispensable part of the Onam celebrations of Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts. In Karadikali, the performers dress up to get the appearance of a bear and dance to the tune of ‘Karadippattu’. A team for ‘Karadikali’ consists of 10 to 20 artists. Their performance time is limited to 20 minutes.
Sitakali
This folklore art form is limited to Perinadu and adjacent areas of Kollam district. Performed by Dalits, the art form stages Ramayana epic’s selected portion from ‘vanayathra’ to ‘Lankadahanam’. Though Rama, Lakshman and Sita were considered as divine figures in this art form they shed their divinity and is more like a normal human being in this art form.