KANNUR: There was a time, not so long ago, when ‘kathaprasangam’ used to be the star attraction and crowd-puller at events held as part of festivals and other cultural gatherings. But, this once-popular art of story narration is now struggling to make its presence felt.
In an attempt to provide a new lease of life to the art form and regain its lost sheen, Ananda Bhavanam of Pothamkantam near Payyannur, has organised a nine-day ‘kathaprasangam festival’. The fest, which began on May 13, is said to be the first-of-its-kind in the state.
“The main reason for the diminishing popularity of kathaprasangam is the absence of towering figures like V Sambasivan and Kedamangalam Sadanandan who fascinated crowds with their brilliant performances and erudition,” said Swami Krishnananda Bharathi, head of Ananda Bhavanam.
“Organisers cannot create artists; they should come up on their own. Talented artists will shine if they get opportunities. That’s my take on this venture,” he said. The art form — born with the blessings of Sree Narayana Guru — was first performed on stage by Guru’s disciple C A Sathyadevan at Vadakkumpuram near Chendamangalam in Ernakulam in May 1924.
During the second half of the 20th century, many great artists thrilled audience across the state with their performances. However, the art form has been going through a crisis for a long time due to a decline in the number of listeners.
Kathaprasangam fest to conclude on May 21
Due to the event’s inability to draw crowds, organisers of cultural festivals and other programmes are now reluctant to hold kathaprasangam. “I don’t think kathaprasangam is a minor art. It demands great talent and skills from the main artist. He should be able to sing and tell a story in an exciting manner.
He should be well aware of the social changes taking place in society,” said Swami. The festival was inaugurated by actor and director P Sreekumar at Sree Prabha Auditorium, Payyannur. Writer Rameshan Blathur was the chief guest.
On the inaugural day, ‘Gouri’, a short story written by renowned writer T Padmanabhan, was presented on the stage by M R Payyattam. Ayilam Unnikrishnan, Sooraj Sathyan and Thodiyur Vasantha Kumari performed on the subsequent days.
Prominent artists such as Muthukulam Somanath (May 17), Chirakkara Salim Kumar (May 18), Kaitharam Vinod Kumar (May 19) and V Harsha Kumar ( May 20) will also be performing. The festival will conclude on May 21 with a perfo rmanc e by Pul imat h Sreekumar.