Hand-held curtain in Krishnanattam

Hand-held curtain in Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am performance
A. Purushothaman and A. Harindranath
14 October 2012
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Introduction
Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am [1, 2] is a temple ritualistic art performed at Guruvayur temple (Guruvayur,
680101, Trishshur District, Kerala) by a troupe owned by the Guruvayur Devasvam. The
performance of Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am is based on Kr.s.n.agīti, a poetic text in Sanskrit containing
verses and stanzas, written by the Zamorin King, Mānaveda in 1654. The story of Krishna,
described in detail in puranas and epics such as Bhāgavata, Mahābhārata and Harivamśa, is
presented in Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am as songs, dance and acting, in a sequence of eight plays in eight
days. The eight plays in sequence are Avatāram, Kāl.iyamardanam, Rāsakrīd.a, Kamsavadham, Svayamvaram, Bān.ayuddham, Vividavadham and Svargāraohan.am. After lighting the
lamp, the performance of Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am begins with the ritualistic playing (Kel.ikkayyu) of
the musical instruments, namely maddal.am (drum), ceṅgila (gong) and ilattāl.am (cymbals).
After playing the musical instruments, the curtain is held by two stage-hands. Tot.ayam [3]
is performed behind the curtain. Tot.ayam, comprising of prayer to gods and honouring the
performance stage, is not to be seen by the spectators. Curtain is held at beginning of the
performance of Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am so that Tot.ayam is not seen by the spectators.
In the performance of Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am two stage hands are required to hold, remove and
hold the curtain half way. The half held curtain is a specialty of Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am. Curtain
is used in the performance of Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am to separate the scenes as in the performance
of a modern play. But, in Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am, it is seen that, curtain is used for other different
purposes as well.
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2.1
Plays
Avatāram
When Devas (Deva women) praise Mahāvis.n.u while he is in the womb of Devaki (verse 4,
bodhamayāvyaya), the concept that the feet of Devas do not touch the earth, is depicted on
the stage by holding the curtain half way [4].
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Figure 1: (1) Deva women praise Vis.n.u, (2) Vasudeva enters with yogamāya
Figure 2: (1) Kamsa and Devaki, (2) Pūtana in the guise of Lal.ita
After the birth of Krishna, Vasudeva (Krishna’s father) takes the new born baby from Devaki
(Krishna’s mother) who is standing in front of the curtain and exits the stage from one side
of the curtain (to Ambādi) and enters the stage from the other side of the curtain carrying
the new born baby girl, Yogamāya. In this scene, the curtain is used cleverly and effectively
to distinguish between two different places (Mathura and Ambādi).
In the same scene, as Devaki stands in front of the curtain, holding Yogamāya (the
baby girl), the curtain is used for Kamsa’s entry to the stage (tiranot.t.am). Kamsa stands
behind the curtain, revealing only his head and upper portion of the body to the audience.
Afterwards, from Kamsa’s hands, Yogamāya leaps to the sky above (and behind) the curtain!
What a beautiful presentation!
Pūtana, arriving at Ambādi as Lal.ita (a beautiful woman) feeds breast milk to baby
Krishna, lying on a stool kept in front of the curtain. Tormented by the severe pain inflicted
by Krishna sucking her breast, Lal.ita runs to the back side of the curtain, carrying the baby.
When the curtain is taken away, the audience see Putana as the demoness. (enacted by
another actor).
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2.2
Kāl.iyamardanam
Figure 3: (1) Krishna observes kāl.indi, (2) Gopīvastrāpaharan.am
The curtain is held immediately after Krishna kills the demon Baka who appeared as a
bird. When the curtain is taken away, the audience see Baka dying in the form of a demon
(enacted by another actor). Curtain is immediately held and taken away to reveal Krishna
playing with the beaks of the just vanquished Baka.
Krishna standing on a stool kept behind the half held curtain, beautifully depicts his
preparation to jump into the river Kāl.indi on the stage. The back side of the half held
curtain indicates the bank of the river and the front side clearly indicates the river.
Afterwards, the hood of the serpent Kāl.iya which comes up frequently to the front below
the curtain, depicts Kāl.iya moving up and down on the waves of the Kāl.indi river realistically
on the stage.
In the scene of Krishna taking away the clothes of gopa women, the half held curtain is
cleverly used to effectively indicate the gopa women standing in the river, upto their waist
level.
2.3
Rāsakrīd.a
Curtain is not used in any of the scenes of Rāsakrīd.a, beginning with the entrance scene of
Krishna. Rustom Bharucha [5] has pointed out that the absence of the curtain beautifully
indicates the continuity of space and time in Rāsakrīd.a. The absence of curtain helps to
erase the boundaries defined by the inside and outside of the performance stage. Towards
the last part of this play, the curtain is held for the entrance scene of Śaṅkhacūd.a, a yaksha
who travels in the sky.
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Figure 4: (1) Śaṅkhacūd.a, gopa women, (2) Śaṅkhacūd.a, gopa women
Afterwards, the gopa women pursued by Śaṅkhacūd.a run to the backside of the curtain
from one side and comes to the front side of the curtain from the other side. In this scene,
it may be stated that the curtain helps to differentiate between the sky and the earth.
2.4
Kamsavadham
Figure 5: Kamsa - tiranot.t.am
In the play Kamsavadham, before Krishna and Balarāma wrestle with the wrestlers, there is
an extremely short scene, in which, Kamsa and the wrestlers view the stage, as the curtain
is taken away. After a moment or two, the curtain is quickly held.
In this play, just before Kamsa is killed, there is an entrance scene (tiranot.t.am) of Kamsa
as well.
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Figure 6: (1) Yavana and Krishna, (2) Curtain held sideways, Krishna
2.5
Svayamvaram
After mocking Krishna, Yavana removes the red cloth tied around his waist, and hangs it
on the curtain. This red cloth is immediately taken away by the stage hands. When the
red cloth is again hung on the curtain, the players performing on the stage easily get the
indication that Mucukunda (who was sleeping in a cave for a long time) is now lying on the
back side of the curtain!
In the same play, Jāmbavān gives his daughter Jāmbavati to Krishna, along with the
symantaka jewel. After Jāmbavān and Jāmbavati exit, the curtain is held sideways at an
angle and Satrājit and Satyabhāma are presented. By holding the curtain sideways, the
different locations of the cave of Jāmbavan and Dvāraka are differentiated cleverly on the
stage.
2.6
Bān.ayuddham
The first scene of Bān.ayuddham is a beautiful breathtaking tableau showing Krishna, accompanied by Satyabhāma, mounted on Garud.a travelling to the city of Prāgjyotis.apura
(Verse: Mukharam Svadaram). Instead of taking away, the curtain is wrapped on both sides
below the wings of Garud.a to create the impression of travelling through the sky. Afterwards, as Krishna and Satyabhāma stand in front of the curtain, the demon Narakāsura
performs his entrance (tiranot.t.am), by standing behind the curtain and showing his head
and top portion of the body. In this scene, the curtain indicates the boundary of the city.
Besides, the curtain is used to indicate that the demon Narakāsura, is arriving, mounted on
an elephant [6].
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Figure 7: (1) Krishna, Satyabhāma, Garud.a, (2) Narakāsura - tiranot.t.am
2.7
Vividavadham
In the story of Kucela, the last scene of Vividavadham, Kucela arrives at Dvāraka, walking
through the spectators sitting on the floor. The meeting of Kucela and Krishna takes place
among the spectators. This helps to dramatise the meeting. Not using the curtain in this
scene is definitely an innovation.
2.8
Svargārohan.am
Figure 8: (1) Balarāma abandonds his body, (2) Jara hunts
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Figure 9: (1) Krishna blesses Jara, (2) Dāruka enters
The scene of Balarāma abandoning his body is presented by holding the curtain half way.
Afterwards, in front of the curtain, Jara (the hunter) hunts birds in the forest. As Krishna
sits behind the curtain, the spectators see only the tip of Krishnas toe. After Jara shoots
the arrow, the curtain is lowered and held half way. The spectators now see the arrow struck
on Krishna’s leg! Krishna blesses Jara. After Jara exits, Dāruka enters from the other side
of the curtain.
Figure 10: (1) In front of the wooden stage Śiva, Garud.a, (2) As the curtain of the wooden
stage is moved to one side by pulling the string, Vaikun.t.ha
The curtain used during the performance of a modern play, operated by pulling strings,
is used in Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am only in the last scene of Svargārohan.am to present Vaikun.t.ha.
Vaikun.t.ha is presented using a special stage made of wood. As the hand held curtain is
taken away, the spectators see this wooden stage, S.iva and Garud.a standing on either side.
As the curtain of the wooden stage is moved to one side by pulling the string, the spectators
see the wonderful scene of Vaikun.t.ha.
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3
Conclusion
There is no special stage for the performance of Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am, enacted by the side of the
path of circumambulation on the North side, in the Guruvayur Temple complex. The performance lamp defines the place of performance. In Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am, the curtain held by the
stage hands performs the usual role of separating the scenes and concealing and revealing
the performers. Beyond this, the curtain is used in Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am to give directives to the
performers. Besides, it is seen that the curtain is used in Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am to define and represent the various dimensions and boundaries of space and time. Depending on the situation,
the curtain is used to indicate the temporary and eternal nature of time. While the curtain
is used some times to define the location, some other times, the absence of curtain is used to
erase the boundaries of the performance stage (Rāsakrīd.a, the Kucela episode in vividavadham). Thus we understand that curtain has a special and significant role in the performance
of Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Guruvayur Devasvam, Kerala, India for giving special permission
to photograph various scenes of Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am and Venu Edakkazhiyur who facilitated the
process.
References
[1] Krishnattam, Martha Bush Ashton-Sikora and Robert P. Sikora, Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi (1993). ISBN 81-204-0769-5
[2] For more information, http://www.dvaipayana.net/krishnanattam
[3] Krishnanattam (Krishnagiti), Manavedakavi, Prose Translation, Prof. P.C. Vasudevan
Elayath. Second Edition, Guruvayur Devasvam (2009).
[4] Krishnanattam (Krishnagiti), Shri Manavedan Raja, Prose Translation, P.C.V. Raja, Sri
Manavedan Fourth Centenary Celebration Committee, Guruvayur (1986).
[5] Rustom Bharucha, Preparing for Krishna, chapter ten of Theatre and the World - Performance and the Politics of Culture, first published by Manohar Publications, India
(1990). Reprinted by Routledge, London (1993).
[6] Explanation given by Kr.s.n.anāt.t.am Artist Shri M.V. Unnikrishnan.
A. Purushothaman (purushu55@@gmail.com)
A. Harindranath
(harindranath_a@yahoo.com)
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