Kalasagar awards 26
- Rajan Poduval, Secretary Kalasagar
Mob: 9282449995
Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval - 102nd Birth
Anniversary Celebration and Kalasagar Awards presented on 28 May 2026.
Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval, who composed rhythmic masterpieces
on the Kathakali stage through the strokes of the chenda, was born on
May 28, 1924, to Thelakkattu Madhavan Namboothiri and Pappi (Parvathi
Poduvalsyar) of Vellinezhi Kavil Pothuvatil. His first guru was his
maternal uncle, Kavil Pothuvatil Govinda Poduval. It was under him that
Krishnankutty Poduval learned all the traditional temple percussion
forms and disciplines including thayambaka, keli, kottippadi seva, pooja
kottu and various temple rituals and conventions.
Whenever Poduval took his place at the rear right side of the stage,
seated with closed eyes as though freeing himself from all distracting
thoughts and immersing in total concentration, the chenda rhythms that
flowed from him carried both brilliance and vitality. His powerful
percussion infused actors on stage with energy and inspiration.
Artists who received universal recognition across regions in the world
of Kathakali, like Poduval, are indeed rare. His extraordinary gift lay
in understanding deeply the nature of the story, the psychology of the
characters, the dignity of ritual, and the meaningful appropriateness
required in performance, and then blending perfectly with them through
his artistry.
Another unforgettable chapter in Kathakali history was the majestic
melappadam created through the combination of the maddalam of the
contemporary maestro Kalamandalam Appukkutti Poduval and the chenda of
Krishnankutty Poduval. Their performances elevated Kathakali
connoisseurs to the heights of aesthetic experience and immersed them in
an ocean of rasa. Equally remarkable was the famed “Kutti Trio” — the
grand combination of the heroic performances of Kalamandalam Ramankutty
Nair, especially in kathivesham roles, along with the percussion
brilliance of the Poduvals. The magical impact created by these three
masters together on stage is beyond words.
Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval, the towering genius who left his
unique imprint in every sphere of Kathakali, was remembered through his
102nd birth anniversary celebrations held on May 28 at the Vazhenkada
Kunchu Nair Memorial Trust Hall with the support of the Central Ministry
of Culture. The event was organized by Kalasagar.
In memory of Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval, Kalasagar honoured
distinguished personalities connected with Kathakali through the
Kalasagar Awards this year. The awardees were Sri K. B. Raj Anand (Art
Criticism), Sri Kalluvazhi Vasu (Performance), Sri Kottakkal P. D.
Namboothiri (Music), Sri Kalamandalam Narayanankutty & Smt.
Vijayamaniyamma (Chenda), Sri Kodassery Parameswaran Nair (Maddalam),
and Sri Kottakkal Ramachandran (Chutti).
The memorial meeting began at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 28, at the
Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair Memorial Hall. The welcome address and
introductory speech were delivered by Sri Vellinezhi Anand. The meeting,
presided over by Sri T. K. Achyuthan, President of Kalasagar, was
inaugurated by Padmashri Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar, Patron of
Kalasagar. Sri V. Kaladharan spoke in detail about the non-percussion
artistic perspectives of Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval. In simple
yet profound language, he explained how Poduval shared his deep
knowledge of various aspects of Kathakali with actors, students of
different art forms, and art lovers alike. The audience received his
insightful speech with great appreciation and applause. Sri Kalamandalam
Unnikrishnan, former Principal of Kerala Kalamandalam, introduced this
year’s Kalasagar award recipients to the audience. Sri Peethambaran
Anamangad, Secretary of the Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair Memorial Trust,
delivered the vote of thanks.
A special highlight of the event was the presentation of the crown once
used for many years by the late Kathakali acharya Narippatta Thirumeni,
recently passed away, by his family to the Kunchu Nair Trust. It was
this very crown that adorned Sadanam Krishnankutty in his famous
portrayal of Keechakan.
Following the award ceremony, the Kathakali performance “Keechakavadham”
was staged. Dr. Sadanam Krishnankutty performed as Keechakan, Sri
Kalamandalam Keshavan Namboothiri as Sairandhri, Sri Vellinezhi
Haridasan as Sudeshna, and Sri Kottakkal Devadas as Vallalan. The music
was rendered by Sri Nedumpally Ram Mohan and Sri Sadanam Jyothish Babu,
while the percussion ensemble was led by Sri Sadanam Ramakrishnan, Sri
Sadanam Jithin, and Sri Sadanam Devadas. Chutti was done by Sri
Kalamandalam Sreejith, and the backstage arrangements were handled by
Sri Kalamandalam Balan and team. The costume arrangements were by
Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair Memorial Trust, while the presentation was by
Kalasagar, Kavalappara. The “Keechakavadham” performance turned out to
be a unique artistic offering that gave art lovers an unforgettable
aesthetic experience.
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