Traditions alive! Twenty eight day long annual Chakyarkooth presentation

Irinjalakkuda Kootalmaanikya Kshethram in Kerala, is one of the rare Temples that is dedicated to Lord Bharatha, the younger brother of Lord Sree Rama. Every year after the ten day annual temple festival in the Malayalam month of Medam (April-May), twenty eight days long Chakyarkoothu is presented during the month Edavam (May-June). Also, following it, there will be a twelve day long Anguliyaankam Koothu during the month Karkkitakam (July-August).

Chakyar-koothu

Chakyar-koothu is a refined monologue in which the episodes from Ramayanam and Mahabharatham, two Epics of the Hindu culture, are narrated by a male performer (called as Chakyar) who belongs to the Chakyar community. After a short prayer, he recites a Shloka in Samskritham (Verses in Sanskrit). Then he starts elaborating it in Malayalam. His narration style that entwines the story with the jokes of social or political relevance makes it highly interesting even to the common men. These jokes are mostly hurled at different persons among the audience. It is a fact that the Chakyars were given a privilege to lampoon upon even the King during the performance.

Ammannur Kuttan Chakyar
[ Photo Credits : Valson B Vennikkal ]

Twenty eight days of Kooth

The annual twenty eight day long Chakyarkooth in Koodalmanikya Ksethram usually starts on the Thiruvonam day (Malayalam star) of the month Edavam. Incidents like a death or birth in the family can cause a slight change in this, because as per the beliefs, the family members must keep themselves away from the temple premises for a certain days in such cases. The entire episodes from the Ramayanam are presented by four years of twenty eight days each. We can see almost a similar system in Trissur Vatakkum-Naatha Ksethram, Lord Shiva temple, where the whole Ramayanam is divided among three years of forty one days each. Also, the performances in both these temples are the prerogative of the renowned Ammannur Chakyar family.

In Irinjalakkuda Koodalmanikya kshethram, the Kooth is not performed on the Amaavaasi (new moon) day, Paurnami ( full-moon) day and Prathipatham (the very next day to both these days), otherwise it is twenty eight days continuously. The same system was followed in Thalipparambu and Peruvanam villages earlier. As the month long Koothu presentation in both these villages are not live since some decades due to certain reasons, we can spot this system of twenty eight days now in Irinjalakkuda village only.

'Koothambalam', where the Koothu is presented

This year, it is 'again' a re-start of the Ramayanam, after the completion of the previous narration cycle of four years. The practice is that, before the narration of the story of Sree Rama, the story of the antihero- Ravana is presented. So, each new cycle will start with 'Rakshasolpathi' in which the story on the birth of 'Raakshasas'- the demons, the ancestors of Ravana are narrated followed by the narration on the birth of Ravana and the way he became the mighty force in the universe. On the first day, 'Brahmolpathi' ( birth of Brahma), 'Thrai-lokya-srushtti' (creation of the three worlds) etc are narrated.

After the completion the of 'Rakshasolpathi', which takes almost twenty eight days, the narration will move on to the episodes related to the Royal Dynasty-SooryaVamsha Kshathriyas- the lineage of Lord Sree Rama. Rest of the second set of episodes will be continued next year from the Thiruvonam day of the month Midhunam.

Being the eldest performer in the Ammannur joint family, Sri. Kuttan Chakyar is the leader of the team. This year, the first performance of the twenty eight days of Koothu was presented by Sri. Rajaneesh Chakyar on June 15th. Former and latter are the nephew and the grand nephew of the Guru Pathmabhushan Sri Ammannur Madhava Chakyar respectively. The Mizhaavu is handled by Sri. Vijayan Nambiar. Smt. Indira Nangiyar and Dr. Aparna Nangiyar, wife and daughter of Sri. Kuttan Chakyar respectively, will support the presentation with thaalam (rhythm) on cymbals on the alternate days.

Dr. Aparna Nangiyar (left) | Sri. Vijayan Nambiar (right)
[ Photo Credits : Valson B Vennikkal ]

Such vivacious customs are really wonderful! Let us pray that it continues to be breezy....

Ammannur Rajaneesh Chakyar

Written by
Nambiar Sooryavamsha Kshathriya