'r ? l t MARGI ANNUAL REPORT 2003- 04 I MARG I Thirtythird AnnualReport - Yearending 31 .3.2004 '- THE MARGIKALTYOGAM (Peiformino Grouol Margr,staned in 1970,is currentlyfunclaoning as a Kaliyogam(training cum performing groupf from 199.1-95.The impo.tantfeatu.es of the l<aliyogamsystem are: 1 lvlaintaininga group of excellentartistes graded under differenl c€tegories like Guru, Adyasthanam(Top level),Onnamkida, ldatharam, Kuttitharam (othef levels) as againstthe old syslemof teachersand stipendiafieswho hadto leavethe institution on completionof the tim€bound course like 4 years,6 yearsetc (Themain pitfall in the timebound course, as experiencedin premierinstitulions like Kerala Kalamandalametc. is that, on completionof the course,the artisteshave to fend for themselvesto remainin lhe paofession.Junior artrstes are seldomoffered slage venues. ln theaesult most of lhem hadto eam their livelihoodin otherlay pfofessions.Actually, Margi hasabsorb€d number of adistesfrom Kerala Kalamandalam etc. and provided them financial supportand pedorhanc€opportunities. Many of them haveturned out io be outslanding artrstes) Continuoustraining and performanc€sside by srdethroughout the lifetimoof the ani$es and stayingtogether as a well knit cohesiveunii, whichleads to high level productionva'ues. Thigsystom is the onemost suited to restorethe artsto theirformer glory by enabling revivals,cjeative €laboration through poetic lreatment etc. There is a constantchallenge to the creativetalents of the artistesin every oroductionand oerformance. For a Kalryogam(tralning cum perfomanceorganization) to functioneffectively, the matn ne€dis to have a longt€rm progEmme of faining/performancesch€dules. This was spelt out by the late Sri.D.AppukuttanNair (Margifounder and a grcat theatrepersonality of our tmes) lt consistsof new productionson a continuousbasis; not reallynew, but revivalsof a multitudeof themesand theatrepractices which had lost therrway down the yea.s of dwndlingappealtor classic€larl foms. Moreprecisely,fo. Kathakali,lhecontinuous lrarntng YARGIAnnual Report 2003-2004 rson enactingall popularplays in theirentirety and bringing onstage, revivals ofextinct plays. In Kutiyattam,the waning phase was more pronouncedand whole plays/acishad disappearedfrom stageand muchmore gfoundhad to be coveredto build up a stzable rqJeertoire,which alone can sustainan art for long. Hence,these pfocesses were set in motionquite early in Margiby Srj.Nair as follows. {1) Hewrole enlarged performance nanuals for playslike Nalacharitha pads l, ll, lll; Banayudhom;which plays had inflnitescope for elaborationand deep poetic treatment. (2) He wrote,perhaps for the fi|st time,deiailed performance manuals for extinct plays belongingto the seriesknown as'Ramanatlom" authofed by ihe former ruler of the regionknown as KottarakkaraThampuran (these plays are very signilicantas they mark,the very beginningof the aft of Kalhakaliitself) The plays thus revived were Vischinnabhishekomand Kharavadhomand Sethubhanandanam(compiled by ScholarSri. S.Ganesalyeo (3) For Kutiyattam,the revivals were Acts l, lll and Vll of Sakihibhadra's Ascharyachoodamaniand Act ll of KulasekharaVarman's Subhadra Dhananjayam.The performancemanoals were preparedfor Maagiby Veteran Guru PadmashreeAmmannur lvadhava Chakiar. N4oreground was covered lat€rby addingBhasa's Mantrankom and lvlahendfaVikraman's firathavilasom {taughtto Margiartistes by the veteranGuru Sri. P.K.N.Nambiar) ForNangiarkoothu, in addition to the 'SriKrishna Charitham' series, Sri Ramacharithamby tulargl Sathi is also being enacledcontinuously in the lvlargiprogrammes. Other addrtionsare Subhadre'sNirvahanam in ActV of SubhadraDhananiavam. Everyyear Margi'sworking prog.amme consists of trainingon lhe themesselected from the foreloingextensive material and pedoming them onstage. In thisforrnat each session js a new presentalion,a challengein creativityfor actor,singer and pefcussionisialike to continuously honetheir respeclive innovative talents. This greatly helps to fevitalizethe arts ACHIEVEMENTS2003-2004 KATHAKALI Followingthe longlem guidelinesspelt out already,the following Kathakali classrcs were staged ,n greatdetailwithout omitting any portion(Even in all nightprogrammes this is not practicable cJeto constraintsof time) \L{RGI Amual Repot 2003-2004 I KottayathuThampuran's Kalakeyavadhom - 6 days 2 Bakavadhom - 6 days 3 RamaSaskigal's Banayuddhom - 4 days a KottarakkaraThampuran's vischinnabhishekom - one part only 5 lrayimmanThanpi's Keechakavadhom - onepad only Lectue - Demonstrations: Several lecture demonstrationwere aranged !n schools and (}tv€.sity centorsby Da.P-Vsnugopalen, Vic€ Presidentof MARGI. The.e was very enthusiaslic responsepartidlarly from lhe youngergeneralion. The press had also given very good coverage . b tlEse programmes. TIE instiMions covor€d in lhis pfttgramme werc the Model School, St.Joseph School, tliruvdEnthapurami Th€ Govemm6ntCollegs tor Womon,All Saints Collog€ for women; NSS cdl€90 br womonetc. dlt rr9ch prog'ammes (tbthakal| ICCR Fostival of Sri Kdshna Jayantii at New Oelhi (August 2003) A tu€lvs membor Margi Kathakali group presented th€ Sri Krishna related populaa play 'Ddyodanavadhom',wtliafi was well received. hdr. G.df Nalioial C6nfo for the Arts (IGNCA),Southom Regional Centre "Rangostav" - Bangaloro(December 2003) Kdtakali & ttutiyattam adjstes of Margi performedin the Rangotsavan Dec€mber 2003. A full l(atlakali Fogrammo and a lectuae- demonstratronon Kutiyattomwere staged at Bangaloae. Thiswas a veryprestigious and well attended festival visited by Danc€and Theatre expefts from dl over the country. Sn. P.NarayanaKurup of Margi co-ordinatedthe activitiesand led the leciure demonstrataon- Visits of forsign Dignitariesto Margi l*. Rich€rdD.HEynes, CosulG6nelal, USA wilnessed a Kathakaliprogramme specially ar€nged e the Margi Kathakalicenter (Odober 2003) Our Guest was very appreciativeof lhe a.t of lcthakali as wsll as ih€ ambiencein Margi, conduciveto preseruingour heritage. MARCIAnnual Report 2003-2004 TtB FrEnch Arnbassadorto lndia accompaniedby the Oirector Allianc€ Francais€, Tl*rJvans hapuramand oth€rs enjoy€d a lGthakaliProgramme spocially arranged for themin lE lil4gi stagein Odob€.2003. TortNsfiom all p€rtsof lhe woddinvariably a$gnded Kathakali programmes in Margiduring the tesoo. Kalhakalihas becomeso appealingto tourisls who are becomingincr€asingly *a€cidiv€ ot o(rrtEritsga arts. KUTIYATTAflA NANGIARK(X)THU Wth slppd fton lGNt€ Sanget NatakAkdeni Th. ttutiyattamshq,vr in Margias woll a8 outrgachprogramm$ as pgr ongoingprogramms of !.ppo.l by fie l(endraS€ng€et Nataka Acadsny, continu€d durir€ the year. Thisis the 13hyear d tE SM suppo.tedsd|€.m and paogranrEs w€re staged during the year, covoringa rrit .r€e; drawingfrgn ih€ vEsl rep€rtoirebuilt up in Margi duringlhs proviousyeaG as well as tqr Evivals afrorshldy of teds as p€r qfignt Edrem€. (Pleas€s€€ list of programmes) TIEB sas significant p.ogress in taking this ad to a wider aldience. Outre€cfi P.ogrammes qod in tqiples. the dt coll€ges and other univefsity cenlres were very successful in tt Eahg the art amoaEthe youngerg€neratiofl of loversof classic.l thealre. AtdE developmEnt,started last year 6nd continued during ths ygar, was the staging of &liy€tam in lhe 'Koolhambalam' (tfaditional type of theatre slructure)recently constructedby It tlggartn€af of Cultre, GovEmmentof lGrala €s pad of its e)donsiveCulture Complexnamed Jb. a great lElayalsn post viz - Ths ValliopallySarn8kithi Bhavan. The Diredor of this c€nter 13 rEde availabb trtu tacility to Margi on soveral occasions dudng the yar Naturally l(liydem, f|e oldegt Sanskrn theatre ot our land, wtEn staged ina Koothambalarnacquires dd.d 8pp6€l€mong th€atr€ oolhusiasts. llGS@ P,o.r .don ot Kutiyattam as wodd ho,itage an; lho fallout b|Lo had b€€n m€d€ in lhe last f6l , smud reports about Margi's initiative in prep.ating (rdd8turs fils ard submittjm it to the UNESCOwith a thr€e hour video doqJmenlationon fqri/dan ftlm€din lt|e Kidan€oo.and HaripadKoothmabalams, by Adoor Gopalakishnan. On if, Iay 2001. ttutiystt€m, *as p.oclaimed as on€ of the 'lt s,erprsces ot the Ortt .od l.dgrbbr/E''&gool Hananiv. LARGI Amual R€port2M3:2O04 Ilr talbJt of t€ UNESCORoclamation in finaocialtems has come into view. As a firsl step, a trso ,€ar adion plan has b€en chartedby th6 UNESCO. The Govenrmentof India, Ministryof Tqrisrn & Culturewill also b€ providingtunds. f,gi b na'ldd .a the rla,ional implqrcntiog agoncy lor this UNESCOp.ogramme. A ||*t?E was tptd by tl|e Jdnt S€qEtaryto Govemmentof India,Ministry of Tourism& Culture at Alyaye in FsbruarymCB. The UNESCOr€prqsentativo was also pres€nt. All the lGtiyattam crL.s in l<.rala atlend€dth€ mo€ling. nr pd€.n gf providingirldg to thg vario8 institulions,lh9 obj€.ts etc w9f9 dis@ss€din detail n'|g me€ting. SI{A ASSISTA CE FOR RA'IVALS _ NEWSCHETIE Fiqr 1.7.20d, the K€rdIa Sange€t Nataka Akademy modified its pattErn of a$istanc€ of r$o.t to lGiyattEm thlogh ii€rgi. llonthly paFent \Nass€ndjoned to all artistes tor the ditd.d studying ad €rEding new drsnatc tods (.6vivals of old ad discontinu€d A.t rE ftod€s etc,) Tho p€donnance subsidy wEs ho{sv.r reducsd from aiding four Fporsnrnes a month to two. The total assislEnce(benelit to lhe artistes) however showEdan 6dl incaoasg. (The 4ssistancgfof costum€s,p€rcussioo, instuments, programrneexp€nses - was ,Educodtrgm RS.1 hkn to Rs.50,00O/-This sum is provingto b€ very iosufficienttaking d @.Ilt trs cost sscalationbr thEs€s€rvicas). ll|(F the S}|A assidance programr|€ consbting of