Karalmanna
Encyclopedia
Karalmanna is a south India
n village in the erstwhile state of Valluvanad along the banks of the Thootha, a tributary of the river Nila
in Palakkad district
of Kerala
. It is connected to the nearby small towns of Cherpulassery and Perintalmanna
(in Malappuram district) by road.
Karalmanna has given birth to several Kathakali
artists, in earlier times they were supported by the ten art-patronising Namboodiri Manas (mansions of the upper-caste Namboodiri community). The Shiva
temple hosts the Kathakali nights that are conducted as part of its annual ulsavam (festival).
Late Kottakkal Sivaraman
, celebrated for his female Kathakali roles, was a native and resident of this place. Karalamanna was also the birthplace of the late actor-dancer Thekkinkattil Ramunni Nair, a disciple of Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon
who rescripted the grammar of the Kalluvazhi style of Kathakali and refined its aesthetics. Among the Kathakali artistes of today from Karalmanna are Narippatta Narayanan Namboodiri and Sadanam Bhasi, besides Narippatta Raju, more known for his expertise in lighting theatre stages.
Karalmanna hosts several seminars and workshops on Kathakali and allied classical arts, thanks largely to the local cultural forum called Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair
Memorial Trust. It has of late raised an auditorium (close to the Grameena Vayanasala or the village library) that has been venue for cultural festivals like the Kathakali Samaroham, episodes of which are still being telecast by leading Malayalam television channels Asianet
and People TV
on a daily basis.
Karalmanna was the native village of the late artist Athippatta Sivaraman, simply known as A.S. Nair or A.S., whose illustrations in the Mathrubhumi
azchchappathippu, a reputed Malayalam weekly, during the 1980s and 1990s won him wide acclaim.
The most significant festival in Thirumullapulli is the Yearly Temple Festival which commences exactly eight days before the Thiruvathira Nakshathtra Varam in the Kumbha masa. The Pallivetta , the ritualistic royal hunt of the Lord to drive off the evil spirits, was originally conducted on the seventh day of the festival under the huge peepul tree that once stood in the east nada of the temple. This is now being conducted under the peepul near the Moorkkath temple .The festival culminates with the Aarattu , the holy bath of the Lord for purification at the Holy Ghat of Perandamanna kadavu of Thootha Puzha , where it suddenly changes its usual south-north course to westward.
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...
n village in the erstwhile state of Valluvanad along the banks of the Thootha, a tributary of the river Nila
Nila
Nila can refer to:* Nila River or Bharathapuzha, is a river in the Indian state of Kerala.* Nila Håkedal* Meera Chopra - a.k.a Nila, a South Indian actress* Pulau Nila, a small Indonesian volcanic island in the Banda Sea...
in Palakkad district
Palakkad district
Palakkad District is one of the 14 districts of the Indian state of Kerala. The city of Palakkad is the district headquarters. Palakkad is bordered on the northwest by the Malappuram District, on the southwest by the Thrissur District and on the east by Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. The...
of 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....
. It is connected to the nearby small towns of Cherpulassery and Perintalmanna
Perintalmanna
Perinthalmanna is a city and municipality in Malappuram district of Kerala. Perinthalmanna's name is derived from Perumthallu . It was the capital city of Valluvanad, a princely state ruled by the Valluvakonathiris, a suspected branch of the Pallava dynasty of the ancient Tamil kingdoms...
(in Malappuram district) by road.
Karalmanna has given birth to several Kathakali
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...
artists, in earlier times they were supported by the ten art-patronising Namboodiri Manas (mansions of the upper-caste Namboodiri community). The Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
temple hosts the Kathakali nights that are conducted as part of its annual ulsavam (festival).
Late Kottakkal Sivaraman
Kottakkal Sivaraman
Kottakkal Sivaraman was an acclaimed performing artiste who revolutionised the portrayal of female roles in Kathakali, the classical dance-drama from Kerala in southern India...
, celebrated for his female Kathakali roles, was a native and resident of this place. Karalamanna was also the birthplace of the late actor-dancer Thekkinkattil Ramunni Nair, a disciple of Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon
Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon
Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon was a pivotal figure in the history of Kathakali, having played a crucial role in remoulding and refining its grammar in the famed Kalluvazhi tradition of the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India...
who rescripted the grammar of the Kalluvazhi style of Kathakali and refined its aesthetics. Among the Kathakali artistes of today from Karalmanna are Narippatta Narayanan Namboodiri and Sadanam Bhasi, besides Narippatta Raju, more known for his expertise in lighting theatre stages.
Karalmanna hosts several seminars and workshops on Kathakali and allied classical arts, thanks largely to the local cultural forum called Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair
Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair
Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, also spelt Kunju Nair, was a prominent Kathakali exponent of the 20th century and the first principal of Kerala Kalamandalam, the premier performing arts institute of Kerala in south India....
Memorial Trust. It has of late raised an auditorium (close to the Grameena Vayanasala or the village library) that has been venue for cultural festivals like the Kathakali Samaroham, episodes of which are still being telecast by leading Malayalam television channels Asianet
Asianet
Asianet Communications Limited is an Indian media conglomerate jointly owned by STAR TV and Jupiter Entertainment. Formed in 1991 and headquartered in the city of Thiruvananthapuram in the south Indian state of Kerala, the company owns several television channels including Asianet, the first...
and People TV
People TV
People TV is an Indian television channel based at Trivandrum. It was launched by Malayalam Communications Limited. The channel focusses on news and current issues. It was People TV that introduced camera sting operation in Malayalam Television Journalism successfully...
on a daily basis.
Karalmanna was the native village of the late artist Athippatta Sivaraman, simply known as A.S. Nair or A.S., whose illustrations in the Mathrubhumi
Mathrubhumi
Mathrubhumi is a Malayalam language newspaper that is published from Kerala, India. Mathrubhumi was founded by K. P. Kesava Menon, an active volunteer in the Indian freedom struggle against the British.-History:...
azchchappathippu, a reputed Malayalam weekly, during the 1980s and 1990s won him wide acclaim.
Karalmanna Thirumullappulli Mahadeva Kshethram
The Thirumullappulli Siva temple of Karalmanna is quite unique in that its prathishta has but few parallels anywhere around. He is Aghora Siva, the fierce Lord sitting pre-occupied and hell-bent on avenging Daksha and worshipped in His Roudra bhava, in a posture that is awe-inspiringly ascetic. To the multifarious devotees of Karalmanna, Lord Siva of Thirumullappulli is both a protector and benefactor. He is their sole prop, a dependable deity in times of all their hardship and misery. They would willingly attribute the causes of their sufferings to the aghora aspect of the Lord of Thirumullappully, if not as the direct outcome of his curses , evidently as result of their inability to win over His other milder attributes like the valsalya bhava, which is the object of adoration in some other Mahadeva temples of Kerala .The most significant festival in Thirumullapulli is the Yearly Temple Festival which commences exactly eight days before the Thiruvathira Nakshathtra Varam in the Kumbha masa. The Pallivetta , the ritualistic royal hunt of the Lord to drive off the evil spirits, was originally conducted on the seventh day of the festival under the huge peepul tree that once stood in the east nada of the temple. This is now being conducted under the peepul near the Moorkkath temple .The festival culminates with the Aarattu , the holy bath of the Lord for purification at the Holy Ghat of Perandamanna kadavu of Thootha Puzha , where it suddenly changes its usual south-north course to westward.
Festivals
- Iyyappan villaku (Karalmanna Temple - 22/11/08, 19/11/10)
- Thoothakil pooram (may12/13-05-08)
- Makara Choova
- Arrattu (Karalmanna Shivashetram - 16/02/2008) Seven days' Programme
- Kali kadavu (Bhagavathi Pratistha) - 15/3/2008
- Puthanakavu pakal puram (cherpalacherry - 11/02/2009)
- Kalavela (Cherpalacherry -12/02/2009)
Nearest places
- Cherpulassery- 3 km from East
- Thootha - 3 km from West
- PerintalmannaPerintalmannaPerinthalmanna is a city and municipality in Malappuram district of Kerala. Perinthalmanna's name is derived from Perumthallu . It was the capital city of Valluvanad, a princely state ruled by the Valluvakonathiris, a suspected branch of the Pallava dynasty of the ancient Tamil kingdoms...
- 17 km from West - CoimbatoreCoimbatoreCoimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
- 102 km from East - OttapalamOttapalamOttapalam is a town in Palakkad District of Kerala state in India. It is also the headquarters of Ottapalam taluk. Situated on the banks of the Bharathappuzha river , it has a rich cultural heritage and has played host to many historic events. It is famous for having several films shot here...
- 21 km from North - VellinezhiVellinezhiVellinezhi is a small but culturally crucial village located in Palakkad district of Kerala in southern India. The sylvan, rugged land is located on the banks of the Kunti, a slender rivulet that forms tributary to the broad, west-flowing Bharatapuzha that criss-crosses central Kerala in southern...
- 9 km from East - Anamangadu - 6 km from West