Posts Tagged ‘Fine Arts Education’
Kalaripayattu is a martial art practiced, performed, and celebrated in Kerala. It is one of the oldest combat techniques in the world. Kalaripayattu is practiced in dedicated schools, called kalaris. Education in Kalaripayattu is given at these schools.
Placing the students on a mat, and giving them oil massage starts of the Kalaripayattu training. The oil massage supposedly gives the body a lot of vigor and agility. Kalaripayattu uses agile movements like sprinting, running, jumping high, pouncing, somersaults etc. It also uses war-weapons like swords, knives, and daggers. Kalaripayattu education will cover the use of weaponry, and also the use of bow and arrow.
It is easier said than done to do an education in Kalaripayattu. It takes a lot of physical and mental stamina. The training is rigorous, and unrelenting. There is no room for wavering hearts, indecisive minds. Kalaripayattu education purely focuses on training for war, even if it means an imaginary war.
Kalaripayattu education is all about attacking-cum-self-defense mechanisms. There is a strong undercurrent of religion as well. When training starts, it never stops until the person has achieved mind-body coordination like no other. Kalaripayattu practitioners are known to flay their swords and spears, as if they were extended limbs of their body. There is a tremendous need for control and accuracy when using these dangerous weapons, and it is always advised to take up Kalaripayattu education only at the kalaris.
It is interesting to note, that free-hand combats are kept for last. All weapon related combats are taught in the beginning, and hand-to-hand fighting is done later. The most distinguishing factor in Kalaripayattu is that students are given education on healing techniques. They are taught the various traditional ways to formulate herbal medicines to heal various types of wounds.
There are different phases to Kalaripayattu education. The phases are namely, Meithari, Kolthari, Angathari, and Verumkai. The first phase is about conditioning the mind and body. The second deals with fighting with wooden weapons, and later graduating to real weapons in the third phase. The last phase is all about using free-hand combat techniques.
Kathakali is a dancing form that enacts a story. Originated in Kerala, it has got its own idiosyncrasies and style. The dancers are dressed in an unusual manner that can be misleading to the first-time viewer. The dance-enactment is through carefully constructed body and facial movements involving the eyes, mouth, eyebrows, hands, and feet. These movements require years of practice and expertise.
There are plenty of education centers offering courses in Kathakali. The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is one. Amity University offers courses in classical dances, which covers Kathakali as well. In Kerala, a reputed institution by the name of Kerala Kalamandalam located in Shoranur imparts quality Kathakali education.
Ramanattam and Krishnattam are two dynastic dance forms from which the Kathakali residue has been obtained. To master an education in this fine art, one needs to be ready for long years of training. The training might even take more than ten years. Males have predominantly dominated Kathakali; however this trend is changing with more women showing active interest and participation in this dance form.
Most of Kathakali drama is based on Indian epics. Kathakali dancers are talented artistes who are instrumental in making the art form popular. Out of all the fine arts, Kathakali fine art education goes back a long way in history. Though it has its origination in Kerala, it is practiced, learnt, and performed in many different parts of the world.
Music, and singers accompany Kathakali dance. The singers do a storytelling in a song format. The Kathakali dancers essay the story through their dance-drama enactment. It is almost like a musical story. The musicians use different musical instruments. Some of them are the mandalam, chenda, and edaka. Chenda is a musical instrument, which generates a unique tone when stroked upon. Mandalam and edaka are drums. There are two main singers who do the song-storytelling.
Guru Ramanakutty is an acclaimed Kathakali dancer from Kerala. He and his troupe of Kathakali dancers are known for their regular international performances, and continuing support to Kathakali education centers around the world.