Nedumbassery: The abduction of Sita was told twice, in two distinct dramatic interpretations, at Nepathya in Moozhikkulam as its 14 day Koodiyattam festival drew to a close with the staging of Mayaseethankam.

The festival, which began on August 19 and was held in two phases, featured a series of performances showcasing the rich acting tradition and repertoire of the classical art form.

The two major presentations were Mayaseethankam, the third act of Shaktibhadra’s Ascharyachoodamani, and Ravananankam, the fifth act of Bhasa’s Pratima Natakam. While both centre on the abduction of Sita, the episode takes on a different dramatic texture in the works of the two playwrights, offering contrasting possibilities for interpretation and acting.

The staging of these rarely performed sections also gave younger audiences an opportunity to experience the finer nuances of Koodiyattam’s traditional acting techniques. Introducing these distinctive aspects of the art form to a new generation was one of the key objectives of the festival.

Prof David Shulman, Bharatanatyam dancer Leela Samson, Dr Sudha Gopalakrishnan and Dr K G Paulose were among the prominent personalities who attended the festival. Artists, researchers and Koodiyattam connoisseurs from across India and abroad also took part.

The festival was part of Nepathya’s continuing efforts to preserve and promote Koodiyattam through traditional training and performances. By bringing performers, scholars and audiences together, it also provided a platform to deepen appreciation of the classical art form among a wider and younger audience.

With equal emphasis on preserving tradition, gurukula training system and performance, Nepathya continues to take Koodiyattam to new audiences while keeping its distinctive performance practices and acting techniques rooted in tradition.