Mani Madhava Chakyar
{{Short description|Indian actor (1899–1990)}}
{{For|the 1994 Indian film on him|Mani Madhava Chakyar: The Master at Work}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = Nāṭyācārya Padma Śrī
| name = Mani Madhava Chakyar
| honorific_suffix = Vidūṣakaratnaṁ
| image = Mani Madhava Chakyar.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Mani Madhava Chakyar
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1899|02|15}}
| birth_place = Karayad,Perambra Kozhikode, British India (present-day Kerala, India)
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1990|01|14|1899|02|14}}
| death_place = Ottappalam, Kerala, India
| yearsactive = 1910–1990
| occupation =
| spouse = P. K. Kunjimalu Nangiaramma
| website =
| awards = 1964: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
1964: Paderewski Foundation (New York) Certificate of Merit
1974: Padma Shri
1975: Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award
1976: Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship
1982: Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship
1982: Govt. of India Emeritus Fellowship
1982: Kalidasa Academy Fellowship
1983: Kerala Kalamandalam Fellowship
1987: Tulsi Samman
1991: Guruvayoorappan Sammanam
}}
Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar (IAST: Māṇi Mādhava Cākyār)
(15 February 1899 – 14 January 1990) was a celebrated master performance artist{{Citation
| title=Cultural News from India
| url=https://books.google.com/books?q=chakyar&um=1&start=80
| publisher=Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Govt. of India
| year= 1982
| page= 77
}} and Sanskrit scholar
| editor-link=Radha Vallabh Tripathi
| editor-last=Tripathi
| editor-first=Radha Vallabh
| title=INVENTORY OF SANSKRIT SCHOLARS
| publisher=RASHTRIYA SANSKRIT SANSTHAN, New Delhi
| year=2012
| isbn= 978-93-86111-85-2
| pages= 38
}}
from Kerala, India, considered to be the greatest Chakyar Koothu and Koodiyattam (ancient Sanskrit drama theatre tradition) artist and authority of modern times.{{cite web| url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060416/spectrum/main2.htm| title=Spectrum| publisher=The Sunday Tribune, 16 April 2006| access-date=29 June 2007| archive-date=30 September 2007| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930041352/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060416/spectrum/main2.htm| url-status=live}}{{Citation
| editor-link=Ananda Lal
| editor-last=Lal
| editor-first=Ananda
| title=The Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre
| publisher=Oxford University Press, USA
| year=2004
| isbn= 978-0-19-564446-3
| pages= 75–76
}} He was considered as the authority of Abhinaya (the classical Indian acting style) and Nātyaśāstra.
Known as "the Emperor of Rasa-Abhinaya",Akavur Narayanan, Shatam Jiva Sharadah, Mathrubhumi weekly, March (15–21) 1987, p. 20. he had an exceptional ability to perform Rasa-Abhinaya.enacting different sentiments in their perfection His Netrābhinayaenacting different sentiments, etc. through the beautiful and masterly movements of eyes only was world-famous and he had the ability to act only with eyes. He was well versed in all the traditional Koodiyattams and all the prabandhas used in Chakyar Koothu. He was able to explain the concepts, methods and practices of Koodiyattam and Chakyar Koothu in a clear and authentic way. He had an in depth study of Nātyaśāstra of Bharata Muni, as well as ways of acting which were popular in Kerala. His knowledge and mastery over both theory and practice of Koodiyattam were superb. He was a veteran teacher and practitioner of these art forms and Sanskrit.{{cite news |title=On a mission of a cultural sort |date=17 June 2005 |url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/06/17/stories/2005061702540300.htm |access-date=21 July 2007 |archive-date=26 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026054003/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/06/17/stories/2005061702540300.htm |newspaper=The Hindu |url-status=dead }}
He was the first one to take Koodiyattam and Chakyar Koothu outside the precincts of the temples of Kerala to all over India and to impart training in Kudiyattam to non-Chakyar disciples including foreigners. He had produced many disciples in Kutiyattam and other classical arts like Kathakali. He was a Sanskrit scholar and was used to give lectures and talks in Sanskrit.
He is the author of Nātyakalpadrumam – an encyclopaedic treatise on all aspects of Koodiyattam. He was a Fellow of national art academies including Sangeet Natak Akademisupreme state art academy of Govt. of India and recipient of coveted titles like "Nātyāchārya", "Vidūshakaratnam" and awards including Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.
Early life and education
Image:Mani Madhava Chakyar as Ravana.jpg, at the age of 89, at Tripunithura. It was one of his last public Koodiyattam performances]]
Mani Madhava Chakyar was born on 15 February 1899, in his ancestral home at Thiruvangayoor near Karayad,near Perambra of Kozhikode district of Kerala. His father was Vishnu Sarma and mother was Savithri Illotamma. He belonged to the Mani family of Chakyars of North Kerala, who for centuries have been the custodians of Koodiyattam – the traditional Sanskrit theatre - and Chakyar Koothu, another classical art form based on Sanskrit Champu Kavyas.{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}}
He trained in Chakyar Koothu and Koodiyattam in traditional way, under the direct guidance of his uncles who were great scholars and masters of these art forms. They were Guru Māni Parameswara Chakyar, Guru Māni Neelakandha Chakyar and Guru Māni Narayana Chakyar. He belonged to the "Mani" tradition of Koodiyattam and Chakyar Koothu which gives importance to both Rasa-abhinaya and Vachika-abhinaya.{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}}
Chakyar was a Sanskrit scholar and gave lectures in Sanskrit. He studied Alankarashastra, Nātyaśāstra, Vyakarana, Nyaya, Jyotisha, etc. in the traditional way, under scholars such as Panditaratnam Pazhedathu Sankaran Nampoothiripad. He was the student of Darsanakalanidhi Rama Varma Parikshith Thampuran (the Maharaja of Cochin). He had his higher studies in Nyayashastra and Natya Shastra under him. Chakyar taught Sanskrit at Balakollasini Sanskrita Pathasala of Killikkurussimangalam.{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}}
His first performance (Arangettam) of Koodiyattam was at the age of 14 at Trikkaikkunnu Temple of North Kottayam of Malabar. He performed the huge number of Atiyantara koothus of Mani family (the koothus which are assigned to the family from ancient times) in large number of temples stretching from Malabar to Thrissur. It consist of all devotional ritualistic Koothus and Kudiyattams including Anguliyanka, Mattavilasa Prahasana, Mantranka, Ezhamanka ( seventh act of Ascharyachoodamani) about eight decades continuously in temples of Kerala. It includes ancient Kerala temples such as Matayikkavu Bhagavathi Temple of Kannoor, Taliparamba Rajarajeshwara Temple, Kottiyoor Perumal Temple, Lokanarkavu Temple of Vatakara, Thali (Tali) Siva Temple of Kozhikode, Thirunavaya Navamukunda temple, Thiruvegappura Sree Mahadeva Temple, Pandamangalam Krishna temple of Kottakkal, Kotakkal Vishwambhara (Shiva) temple, Kallekkulagara Emoor Siva temple, Triprayar Sri Rama temple, Peruvanam Shiva temple of Cherpu, Avittathur Shiva Temple etc. Chakyar won high renown for the artistry of his performance in these temples, as well as in many others.{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}}
He married P. K. Kunjimalu Nangiaramma, the daughter of his uncle, Mani Parameshwara Chakyar. She was an exponent in female characters of Kudiyattams and Nangiǎr Kūthu and various Ragas and Shlokas used for the art form. She used to accompany him in the performances.{{Citation
| author-link=Bharati Shivaji
| last=Shivaji
| first=Bharati
| title=The Art of Mohiniyāttam
| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_g87AAAAMAAJ&q=mani+madhava
| publisher=Lancer International
| year=1986
| isbn=978-81-7062-003-7
| page=28
| access-date=10 October 2007
| archive-date=24 May 2011
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524124800/http://www.google.co.in/books?id=_g87AAAAMAAJ&q=mani+madhava&dq=mani+madhava&pgis=1
| url-status=live
}}
Master of Rasa-Abhinaya
Image:Mani Madhava Chakyar-Sringara-new.jpg Rasa-abhinaya of Guru Māni Mādhava Chākyār.
He is considered as the all-time great master of Rasa-abhinaya (enacting sentiments in their perfection) with special reference to Netrābhinaya (enacting sentiments, etc. through the beautiful and masterly movements of eyes only). He was exceptionally well in the field of Satwika-Abhinaya. He is considered as "one of the most wonderful theatre actors of the last century".Sruti - India's premier Music and Dance magazine, Chennai, March 2008 {{cite web |url=http://www.sruti.com/2008/sruti_magazine_mar_2008.php |title=Sruti:Magazine - March 2008 Issue |access-date=2008-10-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516091559/http://www.sruti.com/2008/sruti_magazine_mar_2008.php |archive-date=16 May 2008}}
He was known for his roles ( which has importance of Satvika-Abhinaya in Koodiyattams ) like Ravana (Katti vesha), Arjuna (Pacha vesha), Udayana (Pacha vesha), Jeemootavahana (Pazhukka vesha) etc.Dr. V Raghavan, [https://books.google.com/books?id=O_U7AAAAMAAJ&q=mani+madhava p.21] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524125225/http://www.google.co.in/books?id=O_U7AAAAMAAJ&dq=mani+madhava&q=mani+madhava&pgis=1#search |date=24 May 2011 }} Natya, Bharatiya Natya Sangh, 1962.
His abhinaya of Kailasoddhārana (lifting of Kailasa) and Pārvatī Viraha (separation of Pārvatī),{{Citation
| author=New York Public Library
| title=Bibliographic Guide to Dance 1989
| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-UAbAAAAMAAJ&q=mani+madhava+chakyar
| publisher=New York Public Library
| year=1990
| isbn=978-0-8161-7127-9
| page=311
| access-date=3 February 2008
| archive-date=11 October 2020
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011164713/https://books.google.co.in/books?id=-UAbAAAAMAAJ&dq=mani+madhava+chakyar&lr=&hl=en
| url-status=live
}}{{cite web| url=http://www.sangeetnatak.com/film.htm| title=Films of Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi| access-date=15 March 2006| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927131850/http://www.sangeetnatak.com/film.htm| archive-date=27 September 2007| url-status=dead}} enriched with the Netrabinaya and Pakarnnaattam – Abhinaya (actor playing the role of another or more than one character shifting constantly without changing costume), were widely acclaimed.
He was known for the abhinaya of the slokas like "sikhinishalabham.." of the play Subhadradhananjayam by playing it with mere eyes. He was able to act in detail the Moths falling in and out of the lamp fire by evoking his Netrabhinaya, with assigning different rasa's for female moth, male moth and the fire.{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/br/2007/07/31/stories/2007073150031600.htm |title=Indigenous Sanskrit theatre form|work=The Hindu|date=2007-07-31 |access-date=2013-09-30 |archive-date=7 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080407200110/http://www.hindu.com/br/2007/07/31/stories/2007073150031600.htm |url-status=live }} Guru's Abhinaya of the shloka smaramyavandhyadhipateh sutayah ( स्मराम्यवन्त्यािधपतेः सुतायाः ) from Bhasa's Swapnavasawadattam is also widely acclaimed one.{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}}
