Latest news with #RLVCollegeofMusicandFineArts
Time of India
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Rasa, Rhythm and Revolution
Kathakali, a dominant classical art form since the 16th century, was long a male bastion. Originating in feudal Kerala's aristocratic households, it demanded intense physical discipline, years of training and long hours of performances—expectations seen as unsuitable for women. Deep-rooted patriarchal norms further confined women to domestic roles, rendering their participation on stage virtually taboo. Men portrayed even the most delicate of female roles. Legendary artists like Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair and Kottakkal Sivaraman earned acclaim for playing characters like Damayanthi and Sairandhri with grace and grandeur. Amid this backdrop of rigid tradition, KT Rama Varma of the Kochi royal family sowed the seeds of change. With a progressive vision, he decided to train his 10-year-old daughter, Radhika Varma, in Kathakali—a move that startled many in conservative circles. Varma's bold step gained backing from legendary Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, then a tutor at RLV College of Music and Fine Arts in Tripunithura. He trained young girls, laying the foundation for an all-women troupe. Thus was born Tripunithura Vanitha Kathakali Sangham—a pioneering women-led kathakali group that would go on to defy stereotypes and win audiences across India and the world. Their debut performance in May 1975 at the Palace School auditorium, with only one male percussionist (madhalam), marked a historic moment. The first story they staged was Kalyana Sougandhikam, with women enacting characters such as Yudhishtira, Bheema and Hanuman. Radhika took on the powerful role of Bheema while Vrinda Varma portrayed Yudhishtira and Sreemathy Narayanan became Hanuman. Despite initial resistance, curiosity soon turned to applause. 'Even the orthodox Kathakali audience started accepting us,' recalls Radhika, who is still part of the troupe. In its early days, the troupe grappled with finding women skilled in singing and percussion. But with support from Krishnan Nair and like-minded enthusiasts, they assembled a full-fledged team. Vijayamani from Kollam became the troupe's first female chenda artist. Several women from Kochi royal family and across Kerala joined the troupe. Gurus like RLV Damodara Pisharody and FACT Padmanabhan moulded these women into consummate performers. Over the decades, the troupe evolved into a symbol of women's empowerment. Beyond performance, it became a hub for fostering female talent in all aspects of Kathakali—from acting and singing to percussion. In 2002, they stunned audiences in the US with a performance of Duryodhana Vadham at the Smithsonian Institution, just a year after 9/11. Through Radhika 'manodharmam' (improvisation), they re-enacted the terror attacks, evoking chills and earning standing ovation. 'For a moment, the audience felt 9/11 was revisiting them,' Radhika recalls. The journey wasn't without setbacks. 'Many troupe members took long breaks due to family responsibilities but returned with renewed enthusiasm,' says Geetha Varma, who has been with the troupe for more than three decades. 'Most of our senior members have been with us for nearly four decades,' says Geetha. 'Sathi Varma played a big role in ensuring the smooth functioning and coordination of our programmes. She served as the troupe's manager until her passing,' Geetha says. 'It was quite difficult at first to find girls who could handle chenda and even madhalam. But now, we feel confident in including them, as many girls have become proficient in playing both instruments.' Their dedication was recognized when they received the Naari Shakti Puraskar from President Pranab Mukherjee in 2017. As the troupe enters its Golden Jubilee Year in 2025, they are preparing for a celebration on July 12– 13 at Kalikotta Palace, Tripunithura. The event will feature a seven-hourlong Kathakali portrayal of key women from the Ramayana. Renowned dancer and Kerala Kalamandalam chancellor Mallika Sarabhai will inaugurate the festivities. The celebrations will also feature an all-women panchavadyam.
The Hindu
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Artist Bindhi Rajagopal's works showcase the ecological importance of mangroves
Shades of mossy green, dominate artist Bindhi Rajagopal's latest show, The Grounded Guardians: A Meditation on Mangrove Roots, on at the Durbar Hall Art Gallery. The latest show is an ode to mangroves which form a green wall around the city where it meets the backwaters. Mangroves hold the earth, they prevent natural calamities and they nurture life like a mother would, hence, Bindhi says, she has used them as a recurring motif in the works. 'This is my first solo show in a long time. First came the 2018 floods, then COVID-19… one thing after the other kept happening. The works on show are those that I worked on over this period. These are not all, just some,' she adds, laughing. Intertwining mangrove roots border some of the works, footprints forming the background for a couple of her latest works. The past impacts the future as much as the present. Bindhi seems to suggest that we have to be careful about what we leave behind for future generations. 'I attended a workshop by a scientist on the role mangroves play in preserving ecology, and that got me curious about them. The idea embedded itself in my mind,' Bindhi explains why she chose mangroves. Some of the works have a woman with cats, while others have fish and algae-like life forms, all of which seem to draw sustenance from each other. The paintings reveal symbiotic relationship with nature and all its creatures, mankind included. 'I am trying to say through my works how our actions impact all creation, and how we should be responsible.' Bindhi, an alumnus of RLV College of Music and Fine Arts, has been practising her craft for close to three decades. She held her first show in 1992 followed by one in 1998. Over the years she has been part of solo and group shows in Kerala and abroad and has also curated art shows. She has been an art teacher in a school and later, an assistant professor of visual arts in a college. She uses visual metaphors and symbolism to get her point across. For instance, one of her paintings done during COVID-19 is actually three - a triptych, which shows three women on three different canvases. All three wear masks, and despite being together they cannot inhabit the same space. The isolation is unmissable. 'Isn't that how we felt during the pandemic? My daughters felt it intensely, not being able to step out or meet friends. That was all of us. The painting is the three of us or it could be anybody!' The artist is preoccupied with the past, present and future, and how one impacts the other. The works on show bear testimony to it. The show on at Durbar Hall Art Gallery concludes on April 30.
