In June, a particularly Maggi in the afternoon, six women, who are between 50 and 60, are on a trip to a memori lane. Memories are through the time – when they are schoolgirl, then the college girls, and now, are having life with women. The atmosphere in the quiet, dull dining room of the Dathphi Palace in Tripunithura is associated with all the members of the Tripunithura Vanita Kathakali Sangham, women’s laughter. Formed in May-June 1975, this year Kerala’s first woman is the 50th anniversary of only Kathakali troupe.
The first and senior member of the congregation, Radhika Verma, remember how her father, KTR Verma, a Kathakali Afsionado, looted the idea, which was supported by Radhika’s Guru, Kalamanlam Krishnan Nair. Although women were performing Kathakali then it was not yet the mainstream.
“Our families were Kathakali Afsiados, and we performed with their encouragement. All the credit goes to Krishnan. Homage For her support, it was a lot to a young girl like me, ”Radhika says, who was in her early teens at that time.
The condition set was that all the people involved in this would be women. Except for makeup and dress that was done by men, it was a show -powered show. The manager of the congregation was Sati Verma. His daughter, Suma Verma, remains an active member of the congregation.
Although the group consisted of several women from Tripunithura, it also had members of other places like North Parvur, Irinjalakuda, Poonar and Pattambi. Jayasrea Ravendran, who traveled from Pattambi to Ernakulam for performance, says, “It was not easy. But I did it, because I wanted to be a part of it and I loved what we were doing. We were handed over roles based on our ability. Ammii In this, one said, “Jaysri says, who has registered male characters.”
Radhika Verma Nari Shakti Puruskar assets the late Pranab Mukherjee from the former President on the late Pranab Mukherjee in the Durbar Hall of New Delhi from the former President. Photo Credit: Sudarson V
After the first performance of the congregation Kalyanasugandhikam In Tripunithura, in 1975, Radhika Verma, Shrimathi Antarjanam, Radhika Ajayan, Shilja Verma, Vrinda Verma and Meera Narayanan were not seen back. He was invited across the country and had more than 2,000 shows. The troupe was awarded the Nari Shakti Puruskar in 2017.
Trained by stallwarts
Although women were part of a circle, they did not train under a guru. Their teachers include Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, RLV Damodara Pisharodi, Fact Padnabhan, Cherthala Thankapa Panikkar and Kalamandalam Keshavan Poduval.
Not all early members of the congregation are still part of it, while some left for good (due to personal reasons), some others returned. While initially there were 20-odd members in the congregation, today its number is more than doubled and many are young dancers. “There are many girls learning Kathakali, I was joking on the second day that it would become like Kuchipudi!” Suma says, laughing.
Rainjini Suresh of Tripunithura Vanita Kathakali Sangham during one of her performances in Kochi. , Photo Credit: Thulasi Kakkat
One hears his conversation about Cathkali as one Aniara , Chuti (Makeup) and costumes, progress and change. They experience on stage and in the green room. Women of us who used to dedicate women to the arts showcasing women today could not understand the importance of these women today.
For some perspective, it was late by 2021-22 when Kerala Kalamandalam accepted the first batch of female students, while RLV College of Music and Fine Arts took her first female students (for Kathakali) in 2017. Kerala Kalamandalam invited Troop for some time in the late 1990s. There were two decades and two decades before women were admitted as women.
However, women had been learning Kathakali for decades under the preservation of gurus outside the holy walls of these organizations. In the 1970s, when the troupe began to perform, there were a handful of female doctors such as Chavara Parukutty Amma and Kotkarakara Ganga.
Some members of Tripunithura Vanita Kathakali Sangham in Kochi. , Photo Credit: Thulasi Kakkat
However, at that time, they were not old, to understand the vastness of what they were doing, today, in retrospect, they understand what it means – that they opened the door for women not only as young women but later in life.
Tara Verma says, “At that time, we did not think we were making a difference or doing anything. Whatever we were doing, enjoyed it.” She shares, but rather gaiety, how she performed on stage during her four months pregnant. “Imagine that I was there in full Kathakali gear, on stage!”
“You are happy now! Nelody hope [Nelliyode Vasudevan Namboodiri] Was very shocked and worried! Radhika says.
Smriti’s nugget
This small -small nuggets of memories keep on popping, “During the Solilocy of Nalan [Nalacharitham Randam Divasam]Damayanti gave his head rest on his lap. It was not much to do it once I slept. I was awakened by Kumari Ammi (one of Kumari Verma, singers), “Suma reminds.
Another time when he performed the same drama in Velinezi, Palakkad, Radhika Verma ensured that Suma was not sleeping. “Radhika Chechi Started quipping me, and I was mumbling that I was awake. The audience there literally sits two feet away from the ‘stage’. They could listen to me in protest and started saying that ‘Damayanti is making noise’! ,
During the practice, Tripunithura Vanita Kathkali members prepare for the 50th anniversary ceremony of the congregation in Kochi. Photo Credit: Thulasi Kakkat
Because they were in school and college, there could not have been an excuse to fall behind in Kathakali studies. “This was not an option. Kathakali or not, deprived of sleep or not, we went home very early in the morning … there may be no excuse for Miss College or School,” Suma says.
Stories about their experiences have black daughter in conversation. It is attractive to hear on them who talk about them Manodarma Differences between the styles of Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair and Kalamandalam Gopi, depicting the characters.
A safe place for women
Rainjini Suresh, who join the congregation in 1989, performs with the congregation and also independently; She talks about a change in attitude towards female artists both in the green room and outside. She is the daughter of Kathakali artist Kalamandalam Karunakaran, and runs her own Kathakali school. She dismisses the suggestions that Kathakali is not for women, “I disagree with that opinion, it is extremely limited … there is no role that is physically impossible for an essay for a woman. And it is a safe place for women.”
The next generation is taking its place as artists, the daughters of Geeta Verma and Rainjini – Arch Gauri Verma and Kamya – are running at their footsteps and making a name for themselves in the mandals.
What Kathakali Sangham did for women was not limited to the stage only, it shaped women who are today. This gave them the risk for new places and experiences, and to an extent, financial freedom.
It was not a political statement when he started, it is still not, but he was able to make a place for women wishing to become a Kathakali artist. Today they understand that they made a place for women who were followed, they may have less stages today because Kathakali has more women on stage, but they celebrate this fact.
