KOCHI: Nangiarkoothu, an age-old Sanskrit drama tradition and a part of koodiyattam, is an art form very close to Usha Nangiar’s heart. It was this passion which helped her train women in the field. Now following her mother’s footsteps is Aathira Hariharan who was introduced to nangiarkoothu at a very early age. It has been eight years since she has been practicing this art form. Aathira will be performing nangiarkoothu, narrating the tales of Sri Krishna at Sri Poornathrayeesha Sevasangham hall on Saturday at 6 pm.
Nangiarkoothu is a solo performance played by woman artists. The actresses are called Nangiar. The art form was performed in temples where the tales from the life of Krishna were told in the form of gestures and movement in front of oil lamps with the beats of a pot drum. Sole domain of female artists, there are only a few artists who have actually mastered it and Usha Nangiar is one of them. Usha is the daughter of well-known Mizhavu artiste Chathakudam Krishnan Nambiar. “Aathira has been learning nangiarkoothu since a young age and it didn’t take her much time to embrace this art form as she was regularly exposed to it,” said Usha Nangiar, her mother.
Aathira Hariharan has been learning nangiarkoothu and koodiyattam since eight years in the Krishnan Nambiar Mizhavu Kalari in Thrissur. Her Arangetram was in 2012 in the Mizhavukalari itself. Usha said, “Earlier only Sri Krishna stories were recited in the form of Nangiarkoothu consisting of around 217 slokas of Devaki and Kamsa. Aathira’s performance will cover the first part of Kamsa’s birth. Aathira has learned about 50 slokas and also been learning Sanskrit for the past eight years.”
Aathira who has mastered the nangiarkoothu art form has already performed in various stages including schools and colleges. She also takes part in the Koodiyattam Mahotsavam in Ambattur Gurukulam. She has got a scholarship from the Koodiyattam Kendra Thiruvananthapuram, which functions under the Kendra Sangeetha Nataka academy. Presently she is a second year B A english student in the Prajyothi Nikethan college Pudukad.