THULLAL ARTS (A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE)

                                                   THULLAL ARTS
                                               (A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE)

Nambiar

    The Thullal Gurukulam set up as a memorial to Kunchan Nambiar in his birth place at Killikurissimangalam near Lakkidi has emerged as a center of excellence for Thullal arts.Courses in different forms of Thullal- Ottan thullal, Seethankan Thullal and Parayan Thullal- are conducted the Thullal Centre. Along with this, classes for Mohiniyattom, cartatic music, and instrumental music are also held.
   The first batch of the three year course is out and the classes for the second batch have started. There are 200 students in four  batches. The Courses are recognized by Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University.
  The Kunchan Nambiar memorial has completed a Rs 54.75 lakh project to construct a Natyasala where the classes are now held,M. Ramakrishnan,out going chairman of the memorial, said. The fund was given by the state Tourism Department.
  A Rs 26-lakh project for a garden and landscaping to give a better look to the memorial was made a national monument in 1976 by the  then Chief Minister C. Achutha Menon. Kunchan Nambiar was a master of satirical poetry and invented and popularized the performing art form, Thullal. Thullan-means" Jumping about" But under  this name,Kunchan Nambiar devised a new style of verse narration with a little background music and dance like swinging movement to wean away people from Chakyar koothu, which was very popular 200 years ago.

kunchan nambiar memorial

   Among the classical performing arts of Kerala, Thullal is district for its simplicity of presentation, frank and spoken wit, and humour, The songs are in simple Malayalam and the techniques employed are not rigid, through they are based on the classical principles of the Natyasastra. Thullal is said to have been a modification of Koothu, Kunchan Nambiar also adopted many elements from padayani and other folk arts

                                                                                    Prof. John Kurakar