KOZHIKODE: The male-dominated Mappila kolkali is getting an update.
Shattering gender and age stereotypes, a group of women homemakers and retirees in Kozhikode is gearing up to mesmerise everyone with the sharp, rhythmic clack of wooden sticks. With their public debut scheduled on Sunday at Samskarika Nilayam in Anakulam, the group is busy putting finishing touches on the demanding routines.
The transformation was made possible by the state government’s Vajra Jubilee Fellowship, a scheme designed to promote traditional art forms among the masses by funding young aspiring artists to train local communities.
When fellowship instructor and kolkali artist Muhammad Janeesh arrived at the Kozhikode cluster, he was expecting a group of young students. Instead, he was met by this eager group of 27 women of various age, from 32 to over 60, and one male member, 60-year-old Bibish from Eranjipalam.
“Mappila kolkali is fast-paced and heavily rooted in kalaripayattu, making it physically demanding and tough to master. Initially, I was doubtful about whether they would be able to keep up with the intense speed. In just two to three months filled with absolute dedication, they proved me completely wrong,” said Janeesh.
For the 27 women stepping onto the stage this Sunday, the journey was marked by bruises and immense physical exhaustion initially. Since the folk art requires perfectly synchronised precision at high tempos, early mistakes often meant accidentally striking each other’s hands and heads with the sticks.
“We were incredibly anxious at first as we had only ever seen school kids performing at lightning speed during youth festivals. Physically, it was exhausting. We would get breathless quickly, but our master gave us time to rest and broke down every step. The aches are gone; we are now just fine-tuning our performance after eight months of training,” said Amritha K, 32, one of the participants.
For many, the daily practices were an unexpected journey back to their youth, to a time when they formed tight-knit, family-like bonds with fellow dancers from entirely different backgrounds.
“We came here to enjoy our retired lives. In our childhood, we had so many artistic dreams but zero opportunities. Today’s kids can look up tutorials on YouTube. Our generation didn’t have that. So when the Kozhikode corporation extended this opportunity, it was a dream come true,” said Indira, 64, a retired school teacher from Govindapuram.
Kozhikode Mayor O Sadasivan will lead the event’s inauguration in the presence of revered kolkali master Koya Gurukkal. With bookings already rolling in for Onam and the UNESCO City of Literature celebrations in October, the troupe has no plans of slowing down. As their instructor proudly noted, “they are already eyeing the commercial festival circuit, ready to travel as a squad to bring their rhythm to audiences across the state.”
