Dr. Mahesh Sharma condoles the demise of eminent Kutiyattam exponent Guru Kidangoor Rama Chakyar
The Union Minister of State for Culture (IC) and Tourism (IC) and Civil Aviation, Dr. Mahesh Sharma has deeply mourned the sad demise of Guru Kidangoor Rama Chakyar, an eminent Kutiyattamexponent and Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee (2004) on 2 September 2015 at Vallachira, Thrissur, Kerala. Dr. Mahesh Sharma said that in the passing away of Guru Kidangoor Rama Chakyar, the world of Indian dance-theater has lost an eminent performer and teacher of Kutiyattam.
Born in 1927 in Kottayam, Kerala, Shri Kidangoor Rama Chakyar was trained in Kutiyattam under his father, Shri Painkulam Narayana Chakyar and Kidangoor Narayana Chakyar. In addition to the prabandhas for Koothu and Kutiyattam as they are usually performed, he also studied Anguliankam, Mattavilasam and Manthrankam in Sanskrit in the Gurukula system.
Shri Rama Chakyarwas particularly well known for his performances of ManthrankamKoothu in the Annamanada temple; he performed in the temple for more than six decades. He also taught Kutiyattam for a number of years at Kerala Kalamandalam, Dr. Mahesh Sharma added. Besides the Annamanada temple, Shri Chakyar performed Kutiyattam in the shrines at Vellur, Thirunakkara, Kidangoor, Vaikom, Udayanapuram, Ayamkudi, Puliyannoor, Punjar, Tripunithura, and Kaduthuruthy. His work was documented by the Sanskrit University, Kalady.
For his outstanding work as a teacher and performer, Shri Rama Chakyar was honoured by Kerala Kalamandalam, the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.
