Budget boosts traditional art of Kerala

Finance Minister P Chidambaram's proposal to allocate Rs 5 crore for the revitalisation and preservation of traditional art forms in the country has come as a manna for Kerala's centuries-old Koodiyattom.

E K Bharat Bhushan, state principal secretary, department of cultural affairs, said: "The Budget proposal to revive and revitalise Koodiyattom would certainly act as a fillip to create more awareness about the art form. Further, the Budget allocation for Koodiyattom could be channelised to set up more schools to teach this traditional form of art.''

Bharat Bhushan added that a part of the funds can also be utilised to honour the masters of this traditional art form, taking into account their contributions for keeping Koodiyattom alive.

The budgetary allocation would, in fact, be also helpful to other art forms closely related to Koodiyattom, he said. "We would also set aside a part of the funds to rejuvenate Krishnanattom, Nangiyarkoothu, and other art forms closely linked to Koodiyattom,'' he said.

Koodiyattom has the unique distinction of being one of the first art forms from India to be declared as a human heritage art by Unesco. In 2001, Unesco declared Koodiyattom as one among the 'masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity'. The central government, as of now, provides an annual grant of Rs 15 lakh for conserving Koodiyattom.

This art form, considered Kathakali's 2000-year-old predecessor, is traditionally enacted in temples and is an offering to the deity. Both men and women perform together in Koodiyattam. Abhinaya is the most important element. Sanskrit verses are acted out through four types of abhinaya - angikam, vachikam, sathvikam and aharyam.

Koodiyattam is traditionally performed at Koothambalams, the theatres attached to temples in Kerala.