P R O    M E M O R I A

( Dedicated to Guru Painkulam Raman Chakyar – The Master of Natya)

By Maria Christopher Byrski

Inscrutable ordinance of the destiny make men act in a particular way and the same ordinance call a stop to all whatever men do. The only course that the left us to mortals is to accept these ordinances and bow to the will of Almighty.

 Not so long ago Guru Painkulm Raman Chakyar was among us here in Poland as the worthy Ambassador of the what is the oldest living traditional theatre of the world. With unparalleled grace and mastery he and his pupils presented to the world this difficult intricate and exquisite art. Soft spoken, profoundly cultured the artiest radiant with inner conviction and with awareness of his total mastery exerted a profound impact upon all those who happened to see him. Thanks to his life long effort the hypnotic rhythm of   “Mizhav”  started throbbing under the far-off sky of Europe. Many of us felt as if listening to our heart-beat which we have somehow forgotten. Faint as yet but quite clearly discernible awareness of our common Indo-European sources started dawning upon us. Mystified by the monolithic art of Chakyars European lovers of theatre are pondering upon the deeply existential sense of art of theatre. This fine experience was possible due to daring courage and sense of mission of the Late Guru Painkulam Raman Chakyar who decided to take this art out of the “koothambalam”. Was it a blasphemy, a heresy, a achism or a sacriledge? -  certainly non of those! Theatre-hall is the world – says Bharatamuny in the Natyashastra and the world at large is the holy “rangabhumi” for the external Natyottama of existence inacted by the Almighty King of Actors dancing forth his creation. What sacriledge can there be in enacting the Koodiyattam anywhere in the Temple of the world which is the “Ambalam” of the Koothu of existence.

 Guru Painkulam Raman Chakyar left us – he must have done it with the justified sense of triumph. Undoubtedly acting upon the will of Nadesha he left the world see itself as mirrored in art of Koodiyattam. It was him and it was his compeers, Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar and Guru Madhava Chakyar of Irinjalakuda that have been entrusted with this holy task. Let him rest in peace for the fulfilled his drama of “Natyaacharya” and there are still others who will continue his task. It is to him that the words of  the Natyashaastra apply:

  “ The one who studies the Natyaveda enunciated by Brahma,

The one who practices it and the one who watches it

Share the fate of those learned in the Veda,

Of those offering sacrifices and of the charitable.”

Late Guru Painkulam Raman Chakyar now shares this glorious fate and his scions in the natyaveda can be proud of being entrusted with a holy responsibility of praising the Vagdevi through the art of Bharathas.

Maria Christopher Byrski

University of Warsaw, Warazawa, Poland