Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon
Encyclopedia
Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon (1881–1949) 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
. He was trained in the art form at a culture-patronising Namboodiri mansion in Vellinezhi
near his home, even as his genius ensured that Menon later redrew the aesthetics of Kathakali and, resultantly, its future profile altogether.
Young Ravunni, a native of Chethallur in present-day Palakkad district, was groomed in Kathakali by the renowned Kalluvazhi Mandavappalli Ittiraricha Menon (1828–1903) at Olappamanna Mana with Kariyattil Koppan Nair and Malankattil Sankunni Nair as his co-students. Ittiraricha Menon's demise led to Ravunni Menon becoming the chief tutor at Olappamanna, since when he started handling lead roles (Aadyavasana vesham) on Kathakali stages. He was initially associated with the Manjeri
Kaliyogam (Kathakali institution-cum-troupe).
Menon, who was till then said to be focused solely on the body movement aspect of Kathakali, acquired a major asset in his profession when he imbibed the essence of emotive acting (rasabhinaya) under scholar-poet Kodungallur
Kunhikuttan Thampuran
. It gave birth to a new chapter in the Kalluvazhi style, noted for its economy of space while moving the body, well-defined hand gestures, their clinical synchronisation with the musical beats and percussion accompaniment. This quantum improvement later helped him earn quite a few epoch-defining Kathakali disciples when he joined Kerala Kalamandalam
in 1933 and worked there for a decade. Prominent among the pupils are Thekkinkattil Ramunni Nair, Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair
, Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair
, Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair
, Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair
and Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair
(who was also his son). He was also teacher to reputed artistes like Mampuzha Madhava Panikkar, Kavungal Sankarankutty Panikkar, Kariyattil Kumaran, Kunhunni Nair, Guru Gopinath
, Madhavan, Kelu, Sivaraman, Sivasankaran, Krishnan, Kattissery Raman, Balakrishnan and Krishnankutty Varrier.
Menon, known for his temperamental behaviour stemming from innocence, was a purist of sorts. He was a pedagogue to the core—unkind while punishing pupils in the classroom even while exhibiting retrained love to them after study hours.
On the stage, Menon was celebrated for his lead roles in the four Kottayam Thampuran plays: Kalakeyavadham, Kirmeeravadham, Bakavadham and Kalyanasougandhikam. His masterpieces also included Dakshan, Nala
n in Nalacharitan Randaam Divasam, Arjuna
n in Subhadraharanam, Cheriya Narkasuran and Ravan
an in Balivijayam, Ravanolbhavam, Kartaveerarjunavijayam and Balivadham besides minukku roles like Bhrahmanan in Santanagopalam and Rukminiswayamvaram, and Durvassavu in Ambareeshacharitam. He was known to be particular for using his own set of costume paraphernalia (kalikkoppu) all the time.
Menon's notes on the aeshtetics of Kathakali have been published in a book, which has also formed material for art research scholars.
"The modern history of Kathakali begins where the life history of Pattikkamthodi ends. “As life expectancy during his time was relatively low, at the age of 68 he was bed-ridden. Though he was sure that he had reached the end of his life, which was devoted to Kathakali for almost six decades, his only desire was to perform one last time with his specially made and renovated head-gear,” his eldest son and last disciple, the late Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair (1928-2007), former Principal of Kerala Kalamandalam" according to KK Gopalakrihnan, (Director of the Centre for Kutiyattam of the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi)
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...
, having played a crucial role in remoulding and refining its grammar in the famed Kalluvazhi tradition of the 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...
. He was trained in the art form at a culture-patronising Namboodiri mansion in Vellinezhi
Vellinezhi
Vellinezhi 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...
near his home, even as his genius ensured that Menon later redrew the aesthetics of Kathakali and, resultantly, its future profile altogether.
Young Ravunni, a native of Chethallur in present-day Palakkad district, was groomed in Kathakali by the renowned Kalluvazhi Mandavappalli Ittiraricha Menon (1828–1903) at Olappamanna Mana with Kariyattil Koppan Nair and Malankattil Sankunni Nair as his co-students. Ittiraricha Menon's demise led to Ravunni Menon becoming the chief tutor at Olappamanna, since when he started handling lead roles (Aadyavasana vesham) on Kathakali stages. He was initially associated with the Manjeri
Manjeri
Manjeri is a town and municipality in Malappuram District in the state of Kerala, India. It is the commercial capital of Malappuram District and is 28 km from an international airport and 50 km from Kozhikode railway station....
Kaliyogam (Kathakali institution-cum-troupe).
Menon, who was till then said to be focused solely on the body movement aspect of Kathakali, acquired a major asset in his profession when he imbibed the essence of emotive acting (rasabhinaya) under scholar-poet Kodungallur
Kodungallur
Kodungallur is a municipality in Thrissur District, in the state of Kerala, India on the Malabar Coast. Kodungallur is located about 29 km northwest of Kochi city and 38 km Southwest of Thrissur, on National Highway 17 . Muziris the ancient seaport at the mouth of the Periyar River was...
Kunhikuttan Thampuran
Kunhikuttan Thampuran
Kunhikuttan Thampuran was an Indian poet from Kodungallur, Kerala. He was a member of the royal family.He was the son of Venmani Achan Nampoothiripad and Kunchipilla Thampurati and was born on Malayalam era 1040 Kanni 4...
. It gave birth to a new chapter in the Kalluvazhi style, noted for its economy of space while moving the body, well-defined hand gestures, their clinical synchronisation with the musical beats and percussion accompaniment. This quantum improvement later helped him earn quite a few epoch-defining Kathakali disciples when he 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...
in 1933 and worked there for a decade. Prominent among the pupils are Thekkinkattil Ramunni Nair, 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....
, Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair
Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair
Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair was one of the most renowned Kathakali artists of any time, and arguably the greatest in the history of the four-century-old classical dance-drama from Kerala in southern India...
, Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair
Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair
Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair was one of the most revolutionary Kathakali artistes in the history of the classical dance-drama from Kerala, India...
, Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair
Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair
Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair is one of the most senior performers of Kathakali, having been a grand and sober presence on the art form's stage for a span of over seven decades...
and Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair
Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair
Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair was an eminent Kathakali exponent, equally known for his capacities as a tutor, theoretician and author of a few authentic texts on the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India....
(who was also his son). He was also teacher to reputed artistes like Mampuzha Madhava Panikkar, Kavungal Sankarankutty Panikkar, Kariyattil Kumaran, Kunhunni Nair, Guru Gopinath
Guru Gopinath
Guru Gopinath was an Indian classical dancer, Kathakali master and mentor of a relatively new creative modern dancing style called Kerala Natanam. - Significance :...
, Madhavan, Kelu, Sivaraman, Sivasankaran, Krishnan, Kattissery Raman, Balakrishnan and Krishnankutty Varrier.
Menon, known for his temperamental behaviour stemming from innocence, was a purist of sorts. He was a pedagogue to the core—unkind while punishing pupils in the classroom even while exhibiting retrained love to them after study hours.
On the stage, Menon was celebrated for his lead roles in the four Kottayam Thampuran plays: Kalakeyavadham, Kirmeeravadham, Bakavadham and Kalyanasougandhikam. His masterpieces also included Dakshan, Nala
Nala
Nala , a character in Hindu mythology, is the king of Nishadha Kingdom, son of Virasena. Nala is known for his skill with horses and culinary expertise. He marries princess Damayanti, of Vidarbha Kingdom, and their story is told in the Mahabharata. His main weakness is gambling...
n in Nalacharitan Randaam Divasam, Arjuna
Arjuna
Arjuna in Indian mythology is the greatest warrior on earth and is one of the Pandavas, the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna, whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' Arjuna (Devanagari: अर्जुन, Thai: อรชุน, Orachun, Tamil: Arjunan, Indonesian and Javanese: Harjuna,...
n in Subhadraharanam, Cheriya Narkasuran and Ravan
Ravan
Ravan could refer to:* Ravana , the villain in the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana* Ravan , a DC Comics villain* Ravan , a 76-km Russian river...
an in Balivijayam, Ravanolbhavam, Kartaveerarjunavijayam and Balivadham besides minukku roles like Bhrahmanan in Santanagopalam and Rukminiswayamvaram, and Durvassavu in Ambareeshacharitam. He was known to be particular for using his own set of costume paraphernalia (kalikkoppu) all the time.
Menon's notes on the aeshtetics of Kathakali have been published in a book, which has also formed material for art research scholars.
"The modern history of Kathakali begins where the life history of Pattikkamthodi ends. “As life expectancy during his time was relatively low, at the age of 68 he was bed-ridden. Though he was sure that he had reached the end of his life, which was devoted to Kathakali for almost six decades, his only desire was to perform one last time with his specially made and renovated head-gear,” his eldest son and last disciple, the late Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair (1928-2007), former Principal of Kerala Kalamandalam" according to KK Gopalakrihnan, (Director of the Centre for Kutiyattam of the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi)