Kalamandalam Hyderali
Encyclopedia
Kalamandalam Hyderali was one of the best Kathakali
singers of his generation, and the first non-Hindu
artiste to make a mark in the four-century-old classical dance-drama from Kerala
in south India
.
Hyderali was a native of Ottupara in Wadakkanchery of Thrissur
district. His father, Moidutty, was an exponent of Mappila Paattu. The art world first took notice of little Hyderali’s talent when he won a local-level competition, singing the Malayalam film song "Kalle Kaniville".
It was when he was 11 years old that Hyderali joined Kerala Kalamandalam
. Hailing from a poor family, his parents had struggled to pay the admission fee—incidentally "a Hindu and a Christian" helped him secure admission in the premier performing arts institute, as Hyderali later recalls in his autobiography.
At Kalamandalam, he received training gurus like Kalamandalam Neelakantan Nambisan
, Sivaraman Nair and Kalamandalam Gangadharan. Madambi Subrahmanian Namboodiri, Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri
and Kalamandalam Tirur Nambissan were his contemporaries. On passing out, he hunting for a job for a while, before M.K.K Nair, a patron of the arts, offered him a job in the FACT Kathakali school in Ambalamedu off Kochi along with other gems of Kathakali such as Kalamandalam Keshavan (Chenda instructor), Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier
(Maddalam instructor), Kalamdanalam Sankaran Embranthiri (Kathakali Music), Vaikom Karunakaran Nair and FACT Baskaran (Kathakali instructors).
Hyderali, along with Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri and Venmani Haridas, was instrumental in remoulding the aesthetics of Kathakali music and making it more popular. Hyderali was blessed with a light, pliant and sonorous voice that tuned well to softer and melodramatic scenes on Kathakali stage. His emotive singing used to earn him praise from masters like Kalamandalam Gopi
.It was Ali and his inseparable friend Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri who gave a Carnatic touch to Kathakali music. They started rendering Kathakali music in independent music programmes, without the visual background. Their innovation has since come to stay and there are now different audiences in Kerala keen to listen to Kathakali music alone, without visual performers.
Hyderali, suave and soft-spoken, nurtured the wish to see Lord Krishna in real life, but had to occasionally suffer professional humiliation on religious grounds, as entry to temples (where a chunk of Kathakali shows finds stage) in Kerala is barred for non-Hindus. Kathakali aficionados recall how those in control of an ancient temple in Chengannur actually broke down a part of the temple wall and erected a platform there for Ali to sing for the Kathakali performers inside the compound, since his Muslim identity barred him from being allowed inside.
Hyderali, by the 1990s, had gained reputation for his expertise in handling both romantic/dramatic and choreographically dense classical stories in Kathakali. But, just as his career was peaking, a road accident at Mullurkara near his hometown, while he was on his way to his alma mater driving a car, claimed the musician's life on January 5, 2006.
Hyderali's music does seem to live on in Kalamandalam Harish who not only has the same singing style but also bares a very striking physical similarity. Harish has sung with him on many occasions and seems to have really absorbed his style of singing.
Kathakali
Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
singers of his generation, and the first non-Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
artiste to make a mark in the four-century-old classical dance-drama from Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
in south India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Hyderali was a native of Ottupara in Wadakkanchery of Thrissur
Thrissur
This article is about the city in India. For the district, see Thrissur district. For the urban agglomeration area of Thrissur see Thrissur Metropolitan Area...
district. His father, Moidutty, was an exponent of Mappila Paattu. The art world first took notice of little Hyderali’s talent when he won a local-level competition, singing the Malayalam film song "Kalle Kaniville".
It was when he was 11 years old that Hyderali joined Kerala Kalamandalam
Kerala Kalamandalam
Kerala Kalamandalam , lately renamed as Kalamandalam Deemed University of Art and Culture, is a major centre for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the southern state of India, with the special emphasis on Kerala. It is situated in the village of Cheruthuruthy in...
. Hailing from a poor family, his parents had struggled to pay the admission fee—incidentally "a Hindu and a Christian" helped him secure admission in the premier performing arts institute, as Hyderali later recalls in his autobiography.
At Kalamandalam, he received training gurus like Kalamandalam Neelakantan Nambisan
Kalamandalam Neelakantan Nambisan
Kalamandalam Neelakantan Nambisan was a trend-setter Kathakali musician who played a crucial role in remoulding the aesthetics of singing for the classical dance-drama of Kerala, south India...
, Sivaraman Nair and Kalamandalam Gangadharan. Madambi Subrahmanian Namboodiri, Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri
Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri
Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri was one of the most popular Kathakali musicians, credited with initiating a new wave in the rendition of songs for the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India...
and Kalamandalam Tirur Nambissan were his contemporaries. On passing out, he hunting for a job for a while, before M.K.K Nair, a patron of the arts, offered him a job in the FACT Kathakali school in Ambalamedu off Kochi along with other gems of Kathakali such as Kalamandalam Keshavan (Chenda instructor), Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier
Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier
Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier is an acclaimed Indian percussionist of the Kerala ethnic drum called maddalam, and has specialised in its playing for the dance-drama of Kathakali.-Personal life:...
(Maddalam instructor), Kalamdanalam Sankaran Embranthiri (Kathakali Music), Vaikom Karunakaran Nair and FACT Baskaran (Kathakali instructors).
Hyderali, along with Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri and Venmani Haridas, was instrumental in remoulding the aesthetics of Kathakali music and making it more popular. Hyderali was blessed with a light, pliant and sonorous voice that tuned well to softer and melodramatic scenes on Kathakali stage. His emotive singing used to earn him praise from masters like Kalamandalam Gopi
Kalamandalam Gopi
Vadakke Manalath Govindan Nair popularly known as Kalamandalam Gopi is a exponent of the classical dance-drama style known as Kathakali...
.It was Ali and his inseparable friend Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri who gave a Carnatic touch to Kathakali music. They started rendering Kathakali music in independent music programmes, without the visual background. Their innovation has since come to stay and there are now different audiences in Kerala keen to listen to Kathakali music alone, without visual performers.
Hyderali, suave and soft-spoken, nurtured the wish to see Lord Krishna in real life, but had to occasionally suffer professional humiliation on religious grounds, as entry to temples (where a chunk of Kathakali shows finds stage) in Kerala is barred for non-Hindus. Kathakali aficionados recall how those in control of an ancient temple in Chengannur actually broke down a part of the temple wall and erected a platform there for Ali to sing for the Kathakali performers inside the compound, since his Muslim identity barred him from being allowed inside.
Hyderali, by the 1990s, had gained reputation for his expertise in handling both romantic/dramatic and choreographically dense classical stories in Kathakali. But, just as his career was peaking, a road accident at Mullurkara near his hometown, while he was on his way to his alma mater driving a car, claimed the musician's life on January 5, 2006.
Hyderali's music does seem to live on in Kalamandalam Harish who not only has the same singing style but also bares a very striking physical similarity. Harish has sung with him on many occasions and seems to have really absorbed his style of singing.