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The dawn of the twentieth century witnessed a cultural renaissance all over
India. In Kerala among those who spearheaded the cultural renaissance poet,
Vallathol Narayana Menon is an
immortal name. Besides being an outstanding poet and scholar, Vallathol was a
passionate lover of Kathakali and other similar classical dance-theatre
traditions of Kerala.
Kerala Kalamandalam: The birth of Kalamandalam was remarkable in many respects.
It was the first institutional step in the cultural history of Kerala to start
training in classical performing arts which were so far left to the patronage of
provincial kings and landlords. Vallathol founded Kerala Kalamandalam in 1930
along the banks of the river Bharathapuzha in Cheruthuruthy, a small village in
the northern edge of Trissur District. The poet spared no attempts to see that
Kathakali, the classical dance-theatre and Mohiniattam, the classical female
dance of Kerala, flourished in the fertile campus of Kalamandalam. Today, Kerala
Kalamandalam, spread over thirty two acres, teaches Bharatanatyam, Koodiyattam,
Koothu, Nangiarkoothu, Carnatic music (vocal), Thullal, Panchavadyam, an example
of one of the wonderful instrumental ensembles of Kerala.
PSV Natyasangham: PSV Natyasangham of Kottakal is a renowned Kathakali Academy
flourishing under the protective patronage of Kottakal Arya Vaidya Sala. During
its remarkable existence for the past half century and more, the PSV
Natyasangham has given birth to many reputed Kathakali artistes and it has come
to be recognized as one of the leading performing and training centers for
Kathakali. The Natyasangham has traveled and performed widely not only in the
country but in the Western and Eastern hemispheres also.
Kathakali Sadanam : ‘Gandhi Seva Sadan Kathakali and Classic Arts Academy’
popularly known as “Sadanam’, started during 1953 as a cultural wing of ‘Gandhi
Seva Sadan’, is the third Kathakali training Center of Kerala after Kerala
Kalamandalam and P.S.V. Natyasangham. Kathakali Sadanam
celebrated its golden jubilee in the year 2003. It is now functioning in a
panoramic, sprawling ten acre campus of its own in Perur Village of Ottapalam
Taluk of Palakkad District, Kerala.
Margi: Margi was started in 1970 in Trivandrum, Kerala, as a society for
arranging programs in classical Indian theatre Arts. In 1974, the Margi centre
for Kathakali was started for training artistes in the true Gurukula style, with
the teacher and students staying together all the time under the same roof. The
first chief guru was the renowned Kathakali maestro, Mankulam Vishnu Namboodiri.
In 1980, all time great Padmashree Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair joined Margi as
Chief Guru and taught in Margi till his demise in 1990.
