The twelve Members of The Tripunithura ladies Kathakali troupe completed their highly successful tour of North America and Canada in August 2002. This tour marked the first set of performances of the acclaimed ladies troupe in America. The troupe performed to rave reviews and appreciative audiences in New Jersey, New York, Dallas, Washington, Austin, St Louis, and Orlando among others.

About Kathakali

Kathakali is a highly stylized, narrative, classical dance form from the state of Kerala in southern India. The word Kathakali literally translates to "Story - play". The style and the dramatic techniques of Kathakali are considered to be an amalgamation of Indian theatre and storytelling traditions. The stories that Kathakali performances depict are traditionally derived from Hindu mythology.

One of the most interesting aspects of Kathakali is its elaborate make-up code. Each colour and component of makeup is packed with symbolism. The colours painted on the faces serve to indicate the attributes of the character. The faces of noble male characters, such as virtuous kings, the divine hero Rama, etc., are predominantly green. Characters of high birth who have an evil streak, such as the demon king Ravana, are allotted a similar green make-up, slashed with red marks on the cheeks. Extremely angry or excessively evil characters wear predominantly red make-up and a flowing red beard. Forest dwellers such as hunters are represented with a predominantly black make-up base. Women and ascetics have lustrous, yellowish faces.

The Ladies Troupe

Kathakali was traditionally the bastion of male performers. Even the female roles were assayed by male artists. The criteria for excluding women from this art form included the rigorous and extensive training that Kathakali artists had undergo, the long performances, and the emotionally and physically challenging parts that were deemed unsuitable for women. These beliefs were challenged in the 1970s when a group of young , talented and brave women , most of whom were from the Cochin Royal Family, from the palace town of Tripunithura set up the first all-women Kathakali troupe with the encouragement of Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, albeit in the face of much opposition from other senior members.

The initial opposition that the Ladies troupe faced slowly gave way to a grudging respect from performers and audiences. The artists worked and performed for decades before receiving recognition from Kalamandalam, the academic centre of the Kathakali world. . In 1999 , 25 years after the inception of the troupe , they were invited to stage Dussasana vadham at Kalamandalam. Their impressive performance got them the long-awaited nod of approval from Prof. O.N.V. Kurup, the chairman of Kalamandalam, who remarked: "They have proved beyond doubt that women can perform Kathakali well. Yes we have to recognize them."

The major forces behind the inception of a Ladies troupe were, K.T. Rama Varma and Haridasan Thampuran- brothers and members of the Kochi royal family- with encouragement from Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, the doyen of Kathakali. Furthermore, under the guidance of Sathi Varma, sister-in-law of Varma and Thampuran, who was also the manager of the troupe as well as joint secretary of Tripunithura Kathakali Kendra, any apprehension the parents felt about the propriety of girls performing in front of the public, was dispelled. Radhika Varma , who is considered a pioneer in the field of Kathakali. Though there had been women who performed in Kathakali before, revolutionary as their role was, they had been limited to portraying only the female parts on stage. Radhika Varma was one of the first female artists who attempted and excelled in portraying villainous and challenging characters such as Dusshasana , Raudra Bheema, and Dakshan, thus not only silencing critics, but also paving the way for more women to enter the stage. The young women from Tripunithura initially began by performing short pieces at the various youth festivals across Kerala, their success led them to formally band together as a full- fledged troupe. It is remarkable that none of the members of the Kathakali troupe have adopted it as a full time profession. They work as teachers, Bank employees, homemakers, and yet dedicate their free time to their passion of Kathakali.

The USA and Canada tour

The story of this particular American tour of the Kathakali troupe is that of a labor of love that took seed in the early eighties, when a young lady named Chithra Sobhana Menon, came home to Tripunithura from Jamaica , where she was living at the time. The sheer skill of the women performers and their dedication to their art form led her to nurture the idea of exposing the Troupe to the world audience. When she settled in the United states, the idea of a North American Tour of the Troupe slowly began to evolve. With the help of Maveli Fine Arts Society , and Ushas Entertainment , the tour of America and Canada materialized. The culmination of the tour also marked the setting up of Shri Poornathrayeesan Fine Arts Inc. for the promotion of traditional art forms in America.

The tour began on an auspicious note with a performance of Prahaladacharitam at the Shri Venkateshwara Temple in Pittsburgh. It was followed by performances in New Jersey, New York, Dallas, Washington, St Louis, Florida and Canada.

The various episodes that they enacted at the various locations included Dussasana Vadham, Kiratham, Prahaladacharitam, Poothanamoksham, Gitopadesham, Dakshayagam etc.

The twelve members of the troupe traveled extensively across the United States, giving lecture demonstrations and performances. They performed one of their most popular pieces Dussasanavadham, at the Smithsonian museum, to a rapt audience.

The last performance of the Troupe in Orlando was a sentimental moment for the performers, promoters and audience alike. In these brief three months, the ladies troupe brought America a brief glimpse into the world of Kathakali.
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