Kutiyattam the unique temple art of Kerala is the only surviving tradition of ancient Sanskrit theatre. It originated in the ancient past, the earliest reference of which appears in the Tamil classic silappatikaram which proves that it dates back to two thousand years. The ancient performer of Kutiyattam is referred in this text as “Parayur Kutta Chakkyyan”. He is believed to be the ancestor of the present Chakyar who represents the actors community of Kerala. It is believed that Sanskrit dramas were staged in various parts of India in ancient times. But none of these styles exists today except the Kutiyattam of Kerala which was kept alive by the actors of the Chakyar community who handed down the extremely detailed performance system from master to pupil and preserved the same in the theatre manuals prepared from time to time on the know-how of this art known as Attaprakarams (acting manual) and Krama Deepikas (stage manual). This art represents a unique synthesis of Sanskrit and local traditions of Kerala. While the performing traditions of Sanskrit plays have ceased to exist in other parts of India, the continuation of an unbroken theatre tradition can be found in Kerala which was kept alive in the temple theatre known as kuttampalam, attached to certain temples in Kerala. We find a rich corpus of plays in Sanskrit written by dramatists like Bhasa, Harsha, Saktibhadra, Kalasekhara, Bodhayana Mahendra Vikrama Pallava in the repertoire of Kutiyattam.

Kutiyattam is performed by a community of male actors called Chakyars and female performers called Nangiars, assisted by drummers called Nambiars, in theatre houses called Kuttampalams. Kutiyattam is an inclusive term that refers to more than one art form—apart from Kutiyattam, the mode of theatre in which the Chakyars and the Nangiars take part together, it also integrates Nangiarkoothu, the theatre exclusively performed by the Nangiars, and Prabandha Koothu (or merely Chakyar koothu, as it is otherwise known), the verbal narrative drama of the Chakyars. The prefix “Kuti” in Malayalam language primarily means “combined” or “together”, and “attam” means “acting”: Therefore, the word “Kutiyattam” means “combined acting”. Simply put, it is a theatre in which several characters come together on the stage.

Chakyar is a caste from the Kerala state of south India. The women in this community are called ‘Illotammas’. They are Brahmins (Namboothris) occupy a position in the Hindu temple belong to the priestly caste engaged in the conduct of the ritualistic offering to the deity also for ritualistic performances to propagate an ideal and righteous life for the people. They used to marry from Ambalavasi community, Nambiar.

From the available evidences, it appears that the conventions of the theatre form of Kutiyattam were crystallized from the existing texts on dramaturgy and rules of aesthetics, as the artistic practices of a vibrant indigenous tradition of dance and drama. Kutiyattam shows how a theatre survives on its own aesthetic and performance principles with a firm basis on the spirit of a pan – Indian dramatic tradition, represented by the theories formulated in the Natya Sastra. It is a form of theatre, which, due to the high degree of stylization and the elaboration in acting, appeals to only a select few who have the requisite knowledge of its theatrical grammar. However it is highly essential that this performance and the technique involved there are assiduously preserved intact for the furtherance of our dramatic culture and it would be our bounden duty to keep it alive for the benefit of the whole world of theatre.

In early days Kutiyattam was only meant for the Brahmin and other higher castes, and was restricted to remain in the temple as sacred art.

The Vidushaka (jester) in Kutiyattam speaks in the regional language of Kerala, Malayalam while a major portions of the performance, is enacted in Sanskrit. Sometimes ‘Kari Veshams’ like Spoorpaanakha speaks in ‘Prakritam’. Hence Kutiyattam is a multilingual theatre.

Essentially, Kutiyattam is a theatre operating entirely through the imaginative sharing between the actor and the audience as it constantly redefines the roles and relationships of the playwrights to the actor, actor to the character and to the spectator.

Part can represent the full:

A striking feature of Kutiyattam is that it treats single acts from Sanskrit plays as full-fledged plays. The performances is based on the individual acts not on the full text of a Sanskrit play. This can specially be noted in some of the important Sanskrit plays written in Kerala; like Ascharyachoodamani of Sakthi-bhadra and Thapati Samvaranam of Kulasekhara etc. East act in Ascharyachoodamani is known by certain names like Parnasalankam, Surpanakhankam, Maya Seethankam etc. with the purpose of enactment. One Act will be sufficient to create an aesthetic finish of a play structure. No matter whether it is originally divided and named by the author or the traditional Chakyars; it definitely serves the production purpose for creating a fullness. This was again felt essential in keeping to the elaborative method of acting in Kutiyattam.

Pakarnnattam

This is a unique metta-theatric device perfected in Kutiyattam; which gives immense scope for the actor to call upon his histrionic and imaginative faculties. The actor, during the course of his acting steps out of his / her role and through the stream of consciousness of the protagonist assumes the roles of all the other characters imagined by that person and elaborates the context /scene according to his/her skill and imagination.

Kutiyattam, being the most ritualistic and orthodox form that resisted change and stubbornly stuck to tradition was the last among the classical arts to submit to the call of the world outside. Any change in Kutiyatam meant that it tampered with the exclusivity of the form, and none dared to do it until Painkulam Ramachakyar, the master performer, took the initiative to perform outside the temple. Braving severe criticism and protests from the members of his own Chakyar community, he ventured to take it to the public in out side venues.

However, the starting of a secular institution for Kutiyattam had to wait till 1965. With the opening of a school for Kutiyattam in Kerala Kalamandalam and the change of the traditional format in training, the inevitable new phase of Kutiyattam began with the admission of students from outside the Chakyar nambiar communities.

Chakyarkoothu (Prabandha Koothu)

This is a long-winded oral narration of stories from epics like Ramayana, Mahabharatha by a single male actor/chakyar in the stance and costumes of the Vidushaka (jester) in Kutiyattam, but however without any connection with a Kutiyattam play. It is also known as prabandha kooth, since the theatric text is the section of literature in Sanskrit known as “Prabandha”. The object of this oral tradition is criticism of the social order by the use of pungent humour and piercing satire.

Nangiar Koothu

Nangiar Kooth also known as Nangiaramma Koothu, is one of the classical theatre forms of Kerala, while being essentially an integral part of the Kutiyattam. It acquired an identify of its own from the days of Kulasekhara Varman who is considered as the great reformer of Kutiyattam. According to the legend, King Kulasekhara Varman married a talented Nangiar actress and to provide widespread performance opportunities to her, and in the process of popularizing the art form, the Kind decreed that Nangiar Koothu be performed in all the temples of his kingdom. He scripted a performance manual featuring stories from the life and deeds of Lord Krishna.

One of the most remarkable traditions of world theatre, it draws on the plays of the eminent Sanskrit dramatists of India. In recent times, Kutiyattam has gained the attention of theatre people and scholars from all over the world. In 2001 Kutiyattam has been declared as among the “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO. It is for the first time in the history of UNESCO that select art forms across the world have been given this recognition as part of its effort to safeguard expression of oral heritage and traditional culture which are in danger of disappearing due to the effect of globalization.