Sri Mookambika Mahatmyam - ശ്രീമൂകാംബികാമാഹാത്മ്യം ആട്ടക്കഥ അരങ്ങേറ്റം

                                                     

Invitation

The Debut performance of  Sri Mookambika Mahatmyam (ശ്രീമൂകാംബികാമാഹാത്മ്യം ആട്ടക്കഥ) is scheduled to happen on 8th February 2015 at E.A.P Hall, Near Srikrishna Temple, Thodupuzha, Kerala at 5:30 PM. All are invited.

Location Map can be found here.

Story Writer: Dr Ganesh Neelakanta Iyer, Progress Software, Hyderabad

Advise/Music: Sri Nelliyodu Vasudevan Namboothiri, Sri Kalanilayam Rajeevan

Story Summary:

The story tells the greatness of Lord Mookambika. Adi Shankaracharya prayed Parvathi Devi and requested her to come to his village. She accepted the request with a condition. She told him that he has to walk in front and She will walk behind him. He should never look back. At any point of time, if he looks back, She will stand still there. He agreed and they started. When they reached Kolapuram (current Kollur), with the divine power of Lord Siva there, Shankaracharya looked back and Parvathi Devi joined Siva there. 

In that area, there lived a demon called Kamhasura. He started praying to Siva to get the power of Indra (the God of heaven). When Siva appeared in front of the demon, he couldn't open his mouth (thus called as Mookasura)due to the power of Lord Saraswathi (Goddess of studies). Siva disappeared, Getting angry, demon attacked heaven. Indra came to Siva for rescue and Siva suggested him to prey Goddess Parasakthi along with Kolarshi (a saint who lives in Kolapuram). Parasakthi appeared and killed demons and gave peace to the universe. Demon upon killed got salvation and he requested her to know as his mother. Hence Goddess started knowing as Mookambika (Mother of Mookasura). 

Artistes: 

Parasakthi - Sri Sadanam Krishnankutty

Kamhasura - Sri Nelliyodu Vasudevan Namboothiri

Shankaracharya - Sri Kalanilayam Gopi

Mookambika - Sri Chambakkara Vijayakumar

Siva - Sri Kalanilayam Manoj

Indra - Sri R.L.V. Pramod

Music- Sri Kalanilayam Rajeevan, Sri Kalamandalam Vishnu

Chenda - Sri Kalamandalam Krishnadas, Sri Tiruvalla Peethambaran

Maddalam - Sri Kalamandalam Achutha Varrier, Sri Kalamandalam Vineeth

Chutti - Sri Kalanilayam Saji, Sri Eroor Manoj

Make-up - Sri Eroor Sasi, Sri Tripunithura Sasi, Sri Chalakkudi Chandran

Costumes: Sri Bhavaniswari Kaliyogam, Eroor, Tripunithura

Sri Sadanam Krishnankutty

Sri Nelliyodu Vasudevan Namboothiri

Sri Kalanilayam Gopi

Sri Chambakkara Vijayakumar

Sri Kalanilayam Rajeevan

Sri Kalamandalam Krishnadas

Sri Kalamandalam Achutha Varrier

Sri Kalanilayam Saji 

Dr Ganesh Neelakanta Iyer, Story Writer

Location Map

Old memories: A marvelous performance I have seen

Last weekend, I got chance to see a Kathakali in Sree Vallabha temple as part of the temple festival. The stories were Lavanasuravadham and Duryodhanavadham. The show started by 10.30 PM and all artists performed very nicely.

 Lavanasuravadham started by 12.15 after a fantastic Double Melappadam. In Lavanasuravadham, Sri Oyur Ramachandran was Sita and Sri Kala. Ramachandran Unnithan was Hanuman. I watched the performance of Unnithan as Hanuman for the first time in my life. It was marvelous, superb what else to say. The expressions when Hanuman observes Kusa and Lava - "Atbhutham, Vatsalyam and Affection" and the expressions when he saw Sita - "Bhakthi Happiness, dropping tears from eyes" was simply unimaginable. On the other hand, the expressions of Sita when she watches the smartness of her sons and comparing that with Sri Rama, then later on when she saw Hanumana accidentally, when she asks him about her sisters, brothers, then husband, then when she happened to hear about the "Kanchana Sita" everything were beyond expectations.  

Duryodhanavadham started at 3.00 AM. Duryodhanan was none other than our Kannettan (Shri Ettumannor Kannan). Dussasanan was Shri Talavadi Aravindan. The scene where Durydhanan expresses Dussasanan about the fact that his wife told regarding the new palace of Pandavas, and then later on after Dussasanan made all the things ready to go to see the Palace of their birth enemies, and Duryodhanan verigying those things were very good. Then in the first and second scene (Sabhapravesham), they observing the Sabha various items like an artificial snake, but feels like it is alive and Dussasana afraid to see it first. In the Choothu, the increasing happiness of them upon conquering the belongings of Pandavas one by one, After winning completely, serving Sakuni in the best possible way etc. were very good.
Then when Panchali is praying to Lord Krishna ("Ha ha Krishna") Duryodhana came near her sat beside her and did the "Ooru chorinju" perfectly.
Then Krishna was acted by Shri Fact Padmanabhan (who is famous for that) who consoles Panchali and replies her all questions and doubts (Panchali was Shri Kala. Krishnaprasad). After the doothu, when Roudrabhima came (Shri Fact Mohanan), the scene was horrible. the expressions on Roudra Bhima and Dussasana was terrible. After killing Dussasana, Panchali terrified to see him came through the audience and her facial expressions were very nice. After that Durydhana came and when Bhima was unable to defeat him, Lord Krishna appeared immediately and showed the right signal. Then started the very good sond "Karutharam ...". That time the defeat of Duryodhana upon getting each "Gadha Praharam on the thighs" - his expressions were magnificent, marvelous.

The singers were Kottakkal P D Namboothiri, Kala Balachandran (for Purappad, Melappadam and Lavanasuravadham) and Kala Rajendran and Kala Sinu (for Duryodhanavadham). The percussion was handled by Kala Balaraman, Kala Narayanan Nair, Kalabharathi Unnikrishnan, Kala Manoj.