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.
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.
