How Girish Karnad saved the dying art form of Koodiyattam: ‘At the risk of sounding immodest, I must take credit for this’

Girish Karnad was known for his work in the theatre and films, but the artist saved the dying art form of Koodiyattam after he became the Chairman of Sangeet Natak Academy.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | May 19, 2023 07:56 AM IST

4 min read

Girish Karnad passed away in 2019. (Photo: Express Archives)

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Girish Karnad was known for his work as a writer-director-playwright in theatre and films by his legion of admirers. Theatre, however, remained his first love and Karnad even said that he “was never interested in films”. It was after watching the cinema of Satyajit Ray that he developed an interest in the movies. But apart from being a performer and a writer, Karnad facilitated the growth of many Indian art forms during his time as the chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi from 1988 to 1993. Karnad passed away on June 10, 2019 but just a few days before that, he sat down with Arshia Sattar and Anmol Tikoo for a podcast about his life and career, and those conversations ‘The River Has No Fear of Memories’ are available at Bangalore International Centre.

One of the anecdotes shared by Karnad on the podcast has him speaking about Koodiyattam and how he managed to save the ‘dying art form’ by putting his head on the chopping block in 1988. Koodiyattam is a performing art that takes elements from Sanskrit theatre and is primarily performed in Kerala.

He recalled during the chat that during the first meeting at Sangeet Natak Akademi, a man named Appukuttan Nair came to meet him and requested him to preserve the art form, Koodiyattam. Girish described Appukutan as a “great Kathakali scholar’. “He said if you don’t do anything, Koodiyattam will die. I knew of Koodiyattam and I asked why is it dying? He said the last guru is in his 80s and once he dies, the art form will die with him. If Sangeet Natak Akademi doesn’t support it… there are no students, no one is interested, no one knows anything about it,” he recalled.

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Appukutan requested him to approach the Ministry of Culture but Girish was certain that if he goes to the ministry “nothing will happen”. “In the performing arts, once a guru dies, that’s the end. You can’t revive it by looking at books. It has to be taught face to face. So I formed a committee, we worked out that it would cost about Rs 5 lakh. I signed a document that we’re giving Rs 5 lakh and the Akademi exploded,” he shared.

Girish shared that as soon as he signed the document, he was told that he doesn’t have any financial authority and would be suspend for his actions. However, he understood the power he had as he had just been nominated as the chairman, and it would look bad if they immediately suspended him. Eventually, the Akademi had no choice but to relent.

Girish Karnad served as the chairman of Sangeet Natak Academy from 1988 to 1993. (Photo: Express Archives)

“If you put your neck on the block, you can get through with it. People are continually trying to avoid responsibility,” he recalled. Girish said that after they assigned the money and provided the resources, Koodiyattam “flourished.” “At the risk of sounding immodest, I must take, along with Appukuttan, sole credit for this. If I hadn’t done it at that time, that art form would have died,” he shared.

UNESCO recognises Koodiyattam as a ‘Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity’.

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