
KOCHI: “Mannil…eee nalla mannil…enni vidarnnu nilkkum, Kumkumapoovukalkk chenniram aaru thannu…”
This is the standard opening song of Edakochi Salimkumar’s Kathaprasangam performances, a timeless masterpiece composed by Devarajan Master and sung by K George.
The same track served as a moving introduction for the Kathaprasangam performances of Salimkumar’s father, Edakochi Prabhakaran. To this day, Salimkumar continues to include this powerful and emotional song in his own performances. “I want to maintain the legacy intact,” he smiles.
His residence in Edakochi has been a hub for Kathaprasangam artists spanning three generations. The area, in fact, is known as ‘Edakochi Salimkumar Place’. The road leading to the house and a nearby bus-stop are named after Edakochi Prabhakaran.
Today, along with Salimkumar, his daughter Aneesha, carries on the artistic legacy. “Kathaprasangam, an art form that blends prose storytelling with songs, was conceived as a medium to educate and empower society in 1924,” says Salimkumar.
“However, this century-old tradition that was once revolutionary is now in decline. Digital entertainment has taken over. It has eroded the communal experience of traditional arts. It also reflects a societal shift towards individualism from collective engagement.”
Salimkumar adds that the Kathaprasangam community “laments that the artform’s centenary celebration was underwhelmingly supported by the government and related organisations”.
“Did you know Kathaprasangam had completed 100 years as an artform?” he asks.
“Many remained unaware of this milestone, allowing a glorious past to fade into oblivion. The only programme conducted as part of the centenary celebration was Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi’s ‘Kathaprasanga Shilpashala’, which aimed to nurture new kathikars (storytellers) by providing around 15 of them a stage to perform.”
While such workshops are commendable, he believes the revival efforts should be scaled up. “Workshops should be held at schools and colleges to help students understand the artform. The government should assign veteran kathikars to take the artform to the younger generation,” Salimkumar says.
Among the many challenges faced by Kathaprasangam artists, he highlights the impact of time restrictions on the use of loudspeakers at festivals. “A court ruling curbing festival performances after 10pm has further hit our opportunities to perform, and the already meagre income,” says Salimkumar.
Balancing tradition with innovation
Modernising Kadhaprasangam has proven challenging, he adds. Attempts to introduce new formats, such as ‘Nizhal Nadaka Kathaprasangam’ and ‘Nadaka Kathaprasangam’, faced practical issues. “In the former, shadows behind a curtain were used to visualise the story, complementing the kathikan’s narration. And the latter involves actors enacting the story on stage alongside the narration,” Salimkumar explains.
“Both formats increased production costs and faced criticism. Veterans such as V Sambashivan argued that the added visual elements were unnecessary, as the kathikan already created vivid imagery through words.”
Salimkumar, however, believes that balancing tradition with innovation is key to the art form’s survival.
“Artistry demands a harmonious blend of tradition and personal expression. Incorporating recorded sound effects, such as flight landings, bird sounds, and gunshots, stood out as a successful adaptation,” he notes.
He emphasises that supporting such novel approaches could safeguard Kathaprasangam’s future and sustain the livelihoods of its artists. “I hope Kerala will not let this unique artform die,” Salimkumar concludes.
Origins of the artform
Salimkumar highlights the noble origins of Kadhaprasangam. Conceived in 1924, the artform was developed under the guidance of Sree Narayana Guru by his disciple, Swami Sathyadevan. During a visit to Thanjavur, Sathyadevan watched a performance of Harikatha Kalakshepam, an art form based on stories from the Puranas. Inspired by this, he sought to introduce something similar in Kerala.
“Sree Narayana Guru encouraged Sathyadevan to make the stories more socially relevant. He instructed him to create a new storytelling form based on the framework of Harikathakalakshepam and to collaborate with the renowned poet Kumaran Asan for the storyline,” says Salimkumar. “Following discussions, they chose Kumaran Asan’s revolutionary poem ‘Chandalabhikshuki’ for the inaugural performance of this new artform.
The name ‘Kathaprasangam’ was suggested by a scholar and linguist named C K Kunjuraman from Thalassery.” Salimkumar says the narrative art once played a key role in fostering socio-cultural advancement in the state. “I am not sure how many among the current generation would be aware of this aspect,” he shrugs. “Hence, Kathaprasangam should not be viewed as just another artform. It deserves more than mere remembrance — it demands revival.”