Shailooshakam
Traditions Live Event Management is happy to present yet another tryst with the glorious tradition of our classical art forms for the discerning audience of UAE. The current episode is named “Shailooshakam” and would take place at the Indian Consulate Auditorium, Dubai on May 5, 6, 7. As always, we are immensely grateful to the Consul General of India for the esteemed association and unstinting support extended to us in our quest to preserve and popularise in UAE the classical art forms of Kerala.
“Shailooshakam”, named after “Shailooshan” (Actor in Sanskrit) brings to focus three distinct and yet connected forms of our classical theater viz. Koodiyattam, Nangiarkoothu and Prabandham. The performances would be supplemented by lecture – demonstrations on these art forms. The event is being presented by acclaimed artistes from “Nepathya”, a reputed Koodiyattam organization from Moozhikkulam, Kerala.
In Koodiyattam, the first Act of the play Subhadra Dhananjayam written by the Cheraman King Kulashekaran nearly ten centuries ago would be enacted across three days of the event. The first Act depicts the hero Arjuna setting out from his palace for an year of penance with his friend Kaundinya. The heroic exploits of Arjuna who saves the heroine Subhadra from a demon and the comical countrast by Kaundinya forms for engrossing entertainment.
Nangiarkoothu is a women only theatre that closely follows the contours of Koodiyattam. In Shailooshakam, Akrooragamanam (The visit by Akroora), an episode from the Sreekrishna Charitham by the same king Kulashekaran would be enacted. The act depicts Akroora, benign servant of the cruel King Kamsa biding his time for an opportunity to meet Sreekrishna. Luck favaours him when Kamsa orders him on a mission to bring Krishna and his brother from Vrindavana to his palace. The elation of Akrura and his reminiscence as he travels to Vrindavan would be portrayed by the Nangiar (actress) on stage.
Padhakam or Prabandham is the great narrative tradition of Kerala. This art of story telling is fast dwindling in the onslaught of modern media. Shailooshakam would present this art form where the episode Ashokavana Bhedam (destruction of the Ashoka garden) from Ramayana would be elaborated by the artiste. The artise narrates in a funny vein how Hanuman the money warrior destroyed the prized Ashoka garden of the demon king Ravana.