NALACHARITHA MELA(നള ചരിതം മേള )

NALACHARITHA MELA(നള ചരിതം മേള )

Cultural forum Drisyavedi is celebrating its 41{+s}{+t}anniversary and organising the 26{+t}{+h}Kerala Natyotsav from November 24 through a rare presentation of ‘Nalacharitham Attakatha,’ which will have the forum bringing in well-known artistes to perform all the four acts of the story, divided into two parts each and one part to be staged each day, thus promising a treat spread over eight days.To be presented at the Theerthapada Mandapam and the Sree Karthika Thirunal Theatre, the inauguration of the performance will be at 5.30 p.m. on November 24. Actor Nedumudi Venu will ormally inaugurate the event.

The first part of the first act - Nalacharitham Onnam Divasam (Poorvabhagam) – will have Sadanam Balakrishnan donning the role of Nalan while Margi Vijayakumar will bring Damayanthi alive on stage for the ‘attakatha’. Ratheeshan will play the golden swan while the music will be handled by Kottakal Narayanan, Nandakumar, and Meledam Narayanan Namboodiri. Kuroor Vasudevan Namboodiri (chenda) and Margi Ravindran (maddalam) will also be part of the performance. The second part of the first act – Onnam Divasam (Uttharabhagam) will also be at the Theerthapada Mandapam from 6 p.m. on November 25.Padmashri awardee Kalamandalam Gopi, Pathiyur Shankarankutty, and Madavur Vasudevan Nair are among the well-known names that will be on stage and behind it during the eight-day Nalacharitha Mela, the organisers said.

Prof. John Kurakar