THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: One of the immutable rules in Kanyarkali, a folk art form from Palakkad, is that it should always be performed by men. But aren’t rules meant to be broken?
Eight years ago, Madathil Bhaskaran, a Kanyarkali master from Palakkad, started to train both boys and girls in the art form. “Kanyarkali is normally performed by male artists belonging to the Nair community. But I believe that art should not be restricted to one community, nor gender,” he said.
Bhaskaran was in the capital city with eight of his students to present Kanyarkali as part of the Kerala Tourism Onam Week Celebrations. They had arrived on Wednesday morning and had a performance the same evening. All, but the master, looked fresh.
With a cat nap, Bhaskaran resumed answering questions.“All the children with me are from ‘Kavara’ community,” he pointed out. He said that his ancestors would not think of such a thing, as Kanyarkali was restricted only to the Nair community. The people from ‘Kavara’ community would only be kept at a distance, he said.
Thanks to Bhaskaran’s initiative, young children are interested in the art form. At a time when folk art forms are dying elsewhere, around 80 students train under him in Palakkad.
Now more than 10 children training under Bhaskaran receive a scholarship from Folklore Academy, Kannur. Basically from Pallassana, he has started centres at Kakkoor and Ayroor. He also goes to various schools to teach ‘Kanniyarkali’.
Kavya, one of the students who had come to perform, said that she loved the art form. A class IX student at VIMHS, Pallassana, she has been training under Bhaskaran for four years.
The songs in Kanyarkali are both in Tamil and Malayalam. Bhaskaran drew a connection with the legend of Kannaki. “‘Kanniyarkali’ is a word derived from ‘Kannakiyammankali’. When Kannaki left Madurai in anger, after her husband Kovalan was punished by the king, she came to Kerala. The ‘Kannakiyammankali’ has mostly songs sung to pacify Kannaki,” he said.
Kanyarkali demands the ardour and strength of youth, its rapid movements like a martial art form. Bhaskaran, with his wizened face and white beard, looked very old for Kanyarkali, on Wednesday morning. By evening he might transform into his youthful self. But before that he looked like he could do with another short snooze.
