The vibrant hues of Padayani, a ritualistic theatre performed in villages on both sides of the Pampa, are now being mounted into an exclusive museum. A Padayani museum, coming up at the sleepy hamlet of Kadammanitta that hosts the Padayani village, will capture the glimpses of this centuries-old ritual. The museum, being set up inside the Padayani Learning and Research Centre here, is slated to be opened in July.
The museum, according to the organisers, will display 15 types of Padayani Kolams or masks, an intricate craftwork made of fresh areca spathes and tender coconut leaves. Each of these Kolams, depicting mythical characters such as Ganapathi, Bhairavi, Kanjiramaala, etc., have different roles to perform in this epic theatre.
“These Kolams are used during the performance at the Kadammanitta Bhagavati temple. More such Kolams that are used elsewhere may be added to the collection later,’’ said Kadammanitta Reghukumar, a Padayani exponent.
Wholly natural colours
The items on display, the sizes of which vary from one foot to nine feet, are made of processed areca fronds and palm leaves to ensure shelf life. Barring black, all the colours on the artefacts are made of natural ingredients such as turmeric, laterite stone, rice flour etc.
Staged on open venues, Padayani is performed as an offering to the goddess of select temples for ‘warding off evil forces and purifying the village and its residents.’ “Generally staged between two major harvest seasons, it is intrinsically connected with the rich farming legacy of Central Travancore as well,’’ said Mr. Reghukumar.
Tourist attraction
An eclectic blend of music and dance, the Padayani performance in Kadammanitta has evolved into a major tourist attraction over the past couple of decades. The village currently has around 300 Padayani artists among its residents.
Though the village hosted a Padayani Kalari or training centre for several decades, the art form received a fresh lease of life with the establishment of the Kadammanitta Gothra Kala Kalari in the late 1980s led by Kadammanitta Vasudevan Pillai and the late Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan.
The works to establish the Padayani Learning and Research Centre at Kadammanitta began in 2007 with the help of the State and Union governments and the project is currently at its third phase of development. Alongside the musuem, a training hall, mini theatre, amphitheatre, and library too are being set up here in the current phase of development.
