Mani Madhava Chakyar

Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar ( 15 February 1899 - 14 January 1990) was a performance artist and Sanskrit scholar from Kerala, South India, considered to be the greatest Chakyar Koothu and Koodiyattam artist and authority of modern times.

He was well versed in all the traditional Koodiyattams and all the prabandhas used in Chakyar Koothu. He was able to explain the concepts, methods and practices of Koodiyattam and Chakyar Koothu in a clear and scientific way. He had an indepth study of Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni, as well as different ways of acting which were popular in Kerala. His knowledge and mastery over both theory and practice of Koodiyattam were superb.

He had his training in Chakyar Koothu and Koodiyattam in the traditional way, under the direct guidance of his uncles who were great scholars and masters of these art forms. They were Guru Mani Parameswara Chakyar, Guru Mani Neelakandha Chakyar and Guru Mani Narayana Chakyar. He belongs to the great Mani tradition of Koodiyattam and Chakyar Koothu which gives importance to both Rasa-abhinaya and Vachika-abhinaya. He was also a Sanskrit scholar of supreme rank. He used to give lectures in Sanskrit. He studied Alankarashastra, Natya Shastra, Vyakarana, Nyaya, Jyotisha, etc. in the traditional way, under great scholars such as Panditaratnam Pazhedathu Sankaran Nampoothiripad. He was the beloved student of one of the greatest scholars of all time His Highness Darsanakalanidhi Rama Varma Parikshith Thampuran (Maharaja of Cochin). Mani Madhava Chakyar had his higher studies in Nyayashastra and Natya Shastra under him.

He is considered as the all time great master of Rasa-abhinaya (enacting different sentiments in their perfection) with special reference to Netrabhinaya (enacting different sentiments, etc. through the beautiful and masterly movements of eyes only). His influence in the field of different classical performing arts of Kerala is famous. Many Koodiyattam, Kathakali and Mohiniyattam artists were trained by this great master. Many great Kathakali artists including the legendary Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, Guru Kelu Nair, Anand Shivram are his desciples. He is known as the master who gave eyes to Kathakali.

File:Mani Madhava Chakyar Award.jpg

Mani Madhava Chakyar receiving Central Sangeet Natak Academy Award from Dr.S Radhakrishnan - the President of India, in 1964. It was the first national award to a Koodiyattam - Chakyar Koothu artist.

He has received titles and degrees such as Natyacharya (1930), Vidushakartna (1958), Padma Shri, etc. All major awards for Chakyar Koothu and Koodiyattam, such as the Central Sangeet Natak Academy Award (1964), Paderewski Foundation (New York) certificate (1964), Padma Shri (1974), Kerala Sahitya Academy Award (for his book Natyakalpadrumam) (1975), the Central Sangeet Natak Academy Fellowship (1976), Kerala Sangeet Natak Academy Fellowship (1976), Government of India Emeritus Fellowship (1982), the Kalidasa Academy Fellowship (1982), Kerala kala mandalam Fellowship (1983), Tulsi Samman of Madhya Pradesh (1987), Guruvayoor Devasvam Award etc. for the first time came through him only.

He was considered as a reference to Abhinaya (acting) and his ability to perform the same was considered as "the perfect". His ability to perform Netrabhinaya is considered as one of the wonders of the art world, ranking alongside the symphonies of Beethoven by noted critic Dr.V.K Narayana Menon (Illustrated Weekly of India, New Delhi, India).

Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj considered him as one of the greatest actors - "He had his own style. He could convey his thoughts through expressions. His eye movement was superb."
Noted scholar Stella Kramrisch (Philadelphia Museum of Art) described him as "the greatest eye-wizard of the world", after seeing his Netrabhinaya.

He brought Chakyar Koothu and Koodiyattam outside Koothambalams of Hindu temples. The first Koodiyattam performance outside Kerala was held at Chennai (1962) by his troop. He performed Koodiyattam all over India and popularized the same. He along with his troop did Koodiyattam performance in places like New Delhi, [[Banaras|]Varanasi], Ujjain, Bombay, Madras, Bhopal etc.

He choreographed and directed plays like Kalidasa's Abhijñānaśākuntala, Vikramorvaśīya and Mālavikāgnimitra ; Bhasa's Swapnavāsavadatta and Pancharātra for the first time in the history of Koodiyattam.

When his guru, His Highness Darsanakalanidhi Rama Varma Parikshith Thampuran wrote a new Sanskrit champu prabandha called Prahlādacharita and requested some senior artists to study and perform the same on the Chakyar Koothu stage, they said it was impossible for them to stage such a new prabandha. Then the guru asked Mani Madhava Chakyar, who was then a comparatively young artist, to try. He agreed and studied a part of the prabandha within one night and performed the same on the next day at Tripunithura - the then capital of Cochin state! The incident made great scholars to accept his mastery over both Sanskrit and the classical art form. After some months, he performed entire Prahlādacharita at the same stage.

It was he who performed Chakyar Koothu and Koodiyattam for All India Radio and Doordarshan for the first time, which helped to attract thousands of listeners to these traditional art forms. It was he who started 'demonstrations' in Kudiyattam to popularise the same.

When Kerala Kalamandalam (a school for the performing arts) was founded by Vallathol Narayana Menon, he invited the greatest Guru of Rasa-abhinaya, Mani Madhava Chakyar as the master trainer for Rasa-abhinaya to the Kathakali students. Later Kerala Kalamandalam, PSV Natyasangham- Kottakkal and Gandhi Seva Sadanam Kathakali Academy- Perur used his services as visiting professor of Rasa-abhinaya.

He has written an authoritative, award winning book on Koodiyattam called Natyakalpadrumam, this monumental work is being used as a reference by scholars. Natyakalpadrumam deals with all aspects of Koodiyattam in a scientific and critical manner. His biography, Mani Madhaveeyam (published by the Department of Cultural publications, Government of Kerala) gives an excellent account of him and his lifelong devotion to the art form.

It was he who taught Koodiyattam for first time to a non-Chakyar - Nambiar caste member. It was a Polish student named Maria Christopher Byrski (Warsaw University),who was then a research student at Banaras Hindu University, came to study the only surviving ancient Sanskrit drama Koodiyattam, from its great Guru around early 1960s. He stayed at Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar's home and studied Koodiyattam in its traditional way. Dr.Farley Richmond (University of Georgia, USA), noted Sanskrit drama scholar also studied about the ancient Sanskrit art form under Mani Madhava Chakyar by staying at his home at Killikkurussimangalam.

Mani Madhava Chakyar died at the age of 91 on 14 January 1990.

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