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Krishnanattam (IAST: Kṛṣṇanāṭṭaṃ) is a temple art inKerala, India. It is a dance drama and presents the story ofKrishna in a series of eight plays and was created byManaveda (1585–1658 AD), the thenZamorin Raja ofCalicut in northernKerala.[1] The eight plays are: Avataram, Kaliyamardanam, Rasakrida, Kamsavadham, Swayamvaram, Banayuddham, Vividavadham and Swargarohanam.[2] It survives in its glory at theGuruvayur Sri Krishna temple (Thrissur district, Kerala, India).
The troupe of players who were maintained by the Zamorin came toGuruvayur Devaswom[3] in 1958, and they are the only troupe of artists who are well maintained by the devaswom till date.[citation needed]
Krishnanattam is based on Krishnagiti (1654 AD) written byManaveda,Zamorin of Kozhikode.[4] It is believed that the Zamorin had a vision of Krishna who gave the king apeacock feather, which became the living symbol of this dance-drama. Krishnanattam players wore a peacock feather and thus commemorated the vision of the chieftain.[5]
KingManaveda told Vilwamangalam about his ambition to view Krishna. The next day the Swamiyar told him that Guruvayurappan has given his consent andManaveda can seeGuruvayurappan playing in the early hours of the morning at the platform of the Elanji tree.[6] He could only see and not touch Him. When as per this agreement,Manaveda sawGuruvayurappan in the form of little child Sri Krishna, he was so excited that he forgot himself and, rushed to embrace little SreeKrishna. Guruvayoorappan immediately disappeared saying, "Vilwamangalam did not tell me that this will happen". However,Manaveda got onepeacock feather from the headgear of BhagavanKrishna.[1]The peacock feather was incorporated in the headgear for the character of Sri Krishna in the dance drama Krishnanattam based on his own text krishnageeti which is composed of 8 chapters . It was performed near the sanctum sanctorum of theGuruvayur Temple. On the ninth day, Avatharam was repeated as theZamorin felt that it was not auspicious to end the series with the demise of Lord Krishna.[7] The blessed art form is still maintained byGuruvayur devaswom and staged as an offering bydevotees.[8]
Samoothiri Manavedan Raja (1585–1658 AD) had education from Anayath Krishna pisharody and Desamangalath varrier.
He wrote Poorva bharatha champu (Sanskrit) in 1643.[9] He completed Krishnanattam on 16 November 1653.[10] His statue was installed near 'Panjajanyam' guest house inGuruvayur.
TheSanskrit text based on which Krishnanattam was created was written on A.D 1653, aged 68.[11] It consists of eight plays:Avataram,Kaliyamardanam,Rasakrida,Kamsavadham,Swayamvaram,Banayuddham,Vividavadham, andSwargarohanam.It is based on 10th and 11th skandhas ofBhagavata Purana dealing solely the story ofKrishna.[12] It has also gained inspirations fromGita Govinda ofJayadeva,Sree krishna vilaasammahakavya andNarayaniyam ofMelpathur Narayana Bhattathiri.[13]
Openingsloka of Krishnanattam is
Apart from such slokas it is also adorned by many padyageethams like that ofGita Govinda ofJayadeva.Krishnagiti is a masterpiece work insanskrit by akeralite.
The eight plays are: Avataram, Kaliyamardanam, Rasakrida, Kamsavadham, Swayamvaram, Banayuddham, Vividavadham and Swargarohanam.[14] its easily memorised by amnemonic "a-ka-ra-ka-swa-bha-vi-swa".On the ninth day, Avatharam is repeated.[15]
The various benefits of Krishnanattam as an offering are listed here.
All four aspects of a drama, as told byBharata Muni-viz, Angika, Vachika, Aharya and Satvika are well coordinated in it.
The teachers and artists themselves made thecostumes.[17] The basic costume differed for male and female characters. The dress of male characters consisted of
For the female characters the basic costume included
Female characters tie strings ofbells around their ankles. These are called chilanka.[19]
The actors used any or three colours for their basic make-up.
The green forKrishna as a young child has more yellow than blue. Before applying make-up the actor prostrated himself before the oil lamp and thought of the GodGuruvayoorappan.[21]
The most sacred part of the Krishnanattam costume is the headgear.[22] There are two basic kinds of head dress; a mudi, 'hair that has been wound into a bun and a kiriitam 'acrown'.[23]
Training for artists starts as early as 10 years for 'vesham' and music, 5 years forMadhalam and chutti.[citation needed]
Night performances inGuruvayur temple in north to LordGuruvayurappan occurs as offering by devotees. Apart from performing all over India, its reaches are spanning over Europe and the United States.Europe-1980, U.S.A-1985,[24] Singapore, Paris.
Consists of over 70 employees under Guruvayur Devaswom. Bookings have to be done through Devaswom alone. The rates for one kadha inside the guruvayur temple is rs.3000.[25]
Media related toKrishnanattam at Wikimedia Commons