KOCHI: One morning, in early December, RLV Gopi, founder of the Kochi-based Kerala Kalakshethra, met his friend K V Moncy. The latter told Gopi, “Can you do a Christmas-based aattakadha?”
Gopi, who is a kathakali maestro, thought it was a good idea. He spoke to his colleague, Kalamandalam Ganesh. The latter read the Bible as well as writer Paul Zacharia’s novel, Aarkariyam, wrote the script and titled it Rakshakan (The Saviour). Then Kalamandalam Sudheesh composed the music.
The story is a familiar one. King Herod of Judea came to know that a baby has been born who would become the future King. “So he ordered his soldiers to kill all babies below two years of age,” says Gopi, who directed the performance. “Joseph and Mary, along with the Baby Jesus escape to Egypt. And, according to Zacharia’s novel, on the way, they stop at a brothel for the night. After a while, a soldier, with blood-stained clothes, arrives. Quickly, the trio is placed in another room. The prostitute prepares a warm bath, food and a change of clothes for the soldier.”
They start talking. The soldier talks about how he has killed several babies. “The killing of innocent babies is a greater sin than that of being a prostitute,” says the woman. The soldier feels guilty and repentant. As he goes to take bath, Joseph, Mary and Jesus, with the help of the woman, make good their escape. The prostitute does not know the baby is Jesus. The dance drama was performed at NSS Karayogam in Ambaloor recently.
Fr. Vincent Parambathara, of the nearby St Francis Church, who inaugurated the event, says, “It was a very nice performance.” Indeed, the emotions shown were intense.
In one scene, Joseph, accompanied by his wife and child, pleaded with the woman to give them shelter. She listened attentively, shook her head in horror when told about the killings and then welcomed them with open arms.
This is the first time in the 12-year history of the Kerala Kalakshethra, which is supported by the Central Ministry of Culture, that they have done a Christian theme. “If opportunities come up in future, we will do more such aattakadhas,” says Gopi.