“The Art of Explaining Emotions Through Expressions”
“Koodiyattam is the oldest form of theater and drama of Kerala at more than 2000 years. It is a highly complex theater language repeated with elaborate traditional hand gestures and facial expressions. It is declared by UNESCO as”master piece of the oral expressions and heritage of humanity. Koodiyattam is practiced in Koothamabalam which is a traditional temple theater. As Koodiyattam’s traditional taste progressed, many artists put their effort to present this art outside the traditional theater, so as to show the world what Koodiyattam really is.”
Examining Koodiyattam’s Magnificence: An Intriguing Art Form
As a long-standing and highly respected art form, koodiyattam uses the mysterious Abhinaya power to enthrall audiences with meaningful movements and expressions. It is a performing art form with roots in classical Sanskrit scriptures that skillfully combines a wide range of emotions and narratives.
Look : A look in to the face of Koodiyattam
Abhinaya: Koodiyattam’s Soul
The fundamental component of Koodiyattam is Abhinaya. With the use of mudras, or wordless hand and eye gestures, it reveals stories, feelings, and characters. Through delicate gestures and subtle facial expressions, this art form skillfully conveys messages.
Bhavas : The Expressions of Nangiyar in Koodiyattam
Nirvaham: A Deep Gesture Communication
In Koodiyattam, Nirvaham is used to expose personalities in a way that is incredibly engrossing. Hand and eye gestures are used to vividly portray each character, giving the narrative more depth and realism.
Nangiyar Kuthu : Female Artiste in Koodiyattam
Navarasam, the cornerstone of Koodiyattam, consists of nine different face expressions. A variety of feelings and messages are communicated to the audience by each expression, such as Sringaram, Hasyam, Karuna, Raudram, Veeram, Bhayankaram, Bibhalsam, Adbutham, and Santham.
Diversity of Faces : Koodiyattam artist revealing his talents
Sringaram: A Story of Desire and Love
Sringaram comes in two varieties: Sambhoga Sringaram and Vipralambha Sringaram. Both versions depict the core of love between people. While the latter portrays the anguish of separation, the former expresses passionate yearning and love.
Sringara : The romantic facial expressions in Koodiyattam
Hasyam: Accepting Joy
Hasyam, who is the epitome of humor, rules this term. The portrayal uses a careful and nuanced arrangement of face characteristics to elicit joy and contentment from the viewer.
Karuna: Expressing Anguish and Feelings
Karuna is the symbol for expressing grief, which frequently arises from loss, separation, or unfavorable circumstances. To illustrate the profundity of these feelings, the performer carefully displays facial expressions.
Raudram: The Expression of Aggression and Violence
Raudram portrays the unadulterated feelings of hostility, violence, and conflict. The performer’s tightened teeth, quivering lips, and wide-open eyes all powerfully convey these tremendous emotions.
Veeram: The Heroic Spirit
Veeram is the embodiment of bravery, courage, and combat preparation. It depicts bravery in a striking way and stands for strength, daring, and a heroic mindset.
Bhayankaram: The Apprehensive Expectation
The sense of terror and the expectation of impending peril are well captured by Bhayankaram. Extreme terror is conveyed by the performer’s expressions, which include shaking features and dilated eyes.
Bibhalsam: Fundamental Emotional Description
Jugunsa captures the spirit of Bibhalsam with dramatic, exaggerated facial expressions that elicit strong feelings from the viewer and weave an engaging story.
Bibhasta : Art of facial expressions combined
Adbutham: Wonder’s Manifestation
Adbutham displays astonishment and wonder. The performer captivates the audience with awe-inspiring expressions of happiness and wonder.
Santham: Calm and Serenity
Santham is the embodiment of calmness and contentment, a mind free from worldly ambitions. A genuine serenity is conveyed by the actor’s composed demeanor and tranquil expressions.
The facial expression and makeups in these types of ancient arts is enriched with the art
Alluring in Koodiyattam
A distinctive art form, koodiyattam skillfully combines the several rasas to create captivating narratives that are conveyed through hand gestures, eye movements, and facial emotions. Audiences are in awe of the ageless beauty and power of this ancient art form as it conveys significant emotions and stories
Copyrights:
All the photos and text in this post are copyright of Govind Raj , Ernakulam , Kerala Creative Hut Institute of Photography .Their reproduction, full or part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.
