Kalamezuthu Festival - Delhi 2013 - painting, music, rhythm, dance, drama at Lalit Kala Akademi, Garhi Studios, Kalka Devi Marg, East of Kailash > 8th to 14th December 2013

Time : 2:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Entry : Free

Place : Lalit Kala Akademi, Regional Centre Garhi, Artist Studios, Kalka Devi Marg, East of Kailash, New Delhi – 110 065
Venue Info : lalitkala.gov.in/garhi.html | Map | Nearest Metro Station - 'Kailash Colony(Violet Line)'

Event Description : Lalit Kala Akademi Regional Centre-New Delhi is organizing a Kalamezuthu Festival - Delhi 2013.
Kalamezuthu is a traditional art form of Kerala. Kalamezuthu contains painting, music, rhythm, dance, drama and magic. It started around 4th century in the southern region of India, specially of Kerala.  It’s an art form of social expression; also spread the knowledge among people. There is nothing better to call it as traditional form of contemporary art installation.

Kalamezhuthu is a ritual art connected with sacred groves and very old ancestral homesteads in rural Kerala. As a form of worship, it traces its origin to antiquity. As an art form, it is a complex network of Kalam, thottam and koothu (drawing, singing and performance) that ends in a finale close to epiphany.

Kalam is  Dhuli Silpa, a handcrafted art in 3-dimensional form made of powders from natural plants and done in primary colors. Kalams can be broadly divided into figurative and abstract, which are representational in function. They are drawn in sync with rituals. Close to sunset, lighted bell-metal lamps are placed around the Kalam with offerings for the deity. Tender coconut leaves are hung around the awning to mark its sanctified bounds. Now the kalam is a combination of drawing that creates three-dimensional illusion, special lighting and installation. It has a religious aura under night skies of summer days in rural kerala.

After sunset, consecration starts with thottam, invoking the deity. The myth connected with the special aspect of the deity called upon is the content of the song sung to the accompaniment of native orchestra. Thus Geetham and vadyam are complementary in thottam pattu The singing style takes us to the roots of later sopana sangeetham exclusive to Kerala. The orchestra consists of percussions and string instruments and is effectively used for inducing trance when needed. 

Koothu is the performance part, the dramatization of the myth associated with the deity that is pictured in the kalam. This ritualistic dance is performed by people empowered to represent the deity. As the personification of the deity drawn in the kalam for the ritual, the performer is known as kolam. When kolam takes over the spell begins to build up. Soon the singing, orchestra and dance synchronize to create a heightened frenzy during which the kolam erases the kalam and the resultant mix of powders is given as Prasad.

Major art colleges will be invited to be part this festival with the participation of 5 senior students. These students would be part of festival as observers among the participating traditional artists from Kerala. This is important aspect of this festival to spread knowledge of traditional art forms and also enhance the visual vocabulary in contemporary context. Approximately there would be more than hundred participants in the above event.

LIST OF PROGRAM & ARTISTS :

Shri K K CHAKRAVARTY (Chairman Lalit Kala Akademi) – Chief Guest
Shri Rama Krishna Vedala (Secretary I/C Lalit Kala Akademi) – Guest of Honor
Shri Dr RAGHAVAN PAYYANAD (Scholar & Folklorist) Lecture / 8th Dec 2013
Shri Dr K G PAULOSE (Eminent Scholar & Writer) Lecture / 8th – 14th Dec 2013
Shri BALA NAMBIAR (Senior Sculptor) Lecture / 8th Dec 2013             

·         BHADRAKALI KALAM
·         PERFORMANCE : Melam, Edum Koorum, Kalampradikshnam
·         MANIKANDAN KALLAT– 8th December, 2013
·         Group of eight artists

·         ASWAROODA AYYAPPAN KALAM
·         PERFORMANCE : Kalampattu, Melam, Shasthavatharam Kooth, Komarkm
·         THIYADI  RAMAN  NAMBIAIR – 9th December, 2013
·         Group of five artists

·         CHETHIKOL KALAM (MALANAYADI KALAM)
·         PERFORMANCE : Kalampattu, Chendamelam, Malanayadi Nrithum
·         SHAJAN UORAKAM – 10th December, 2013
·         Group of twelve artists

·         VALIYANAGA KALAM
·         PERFORMANCE : Kalampattu, Thriuzhichil, Kalam Mayckal
·         SUDHEER MULLURKKRA – 11th  December, 2013
·         Group of seven artists

·         MUDIYATTU KALAM
·         PERFORMANCE : Melam, Kolamkali, Mudiyattu
·         PANYOOR VASUDEVAN – 12TH December, 2013
·         Group of nine artists

·         AGNIGULIKAN KALAM
·         PERFORMANCE : Agnigulikan Theyyam
·         SUNIL PANIKER – 13th December, 2013
·         Group of 10 artists

·         SHAKETHEYA KALAM
·         PERFORMANCE : Pottan Theyyam
·         SUNIL PANIKER – 14th December, 2013
·         Group of 10 artists

Related Links : Music | Dance | Theatre | Exhibitions