THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Adorned in vibrant peacock feathers, renowned artist Kurichi Natesan and his troupe enchanted the audience at the Nishagandhi stage with their performance of ‘Kalyanasaugandhikam’ Arjuna Nritta, making the Thiruvonam evening truly memorable. Accompanied by the rhythmic beats of chenda, thalachenda, and ilathalam, five artists re-enacted the story from the Mahabharata’s Vanaparva, depicting Bhima’s quest for the Saugandhika flower and his encounter with Hanuman. Following in the footsteps of famous Arjuna Nritta exponent Kurichi P.S. Kumaran, Natesan started performing at the age of ten and has won the Kerala Folklore Academy Award alongside a Central Fellowship.
At the Sopanam venue, the ‘Nattarang’ troupe from Kollam captivated spectators with their performance of Kakarissi Natakam. This was followed by Parichamuttukali presented by a 12-member team from Panamanna, Ottapalam. Dressed in traditional red waistcloths and sashes, the performers stepped in rhythm while wielding small swords and shields.
Additionally, the rare ritualistic art form of Palakkad and Malappuram regions, ‘Pooppadathullal’, came alive on the Sopanam stage. A 15-member team from Kerala Kalabhavan Nadan Kalasangham, led by Kottavattom Thankappan, performed the art bearing flower-decked circular trays on their heads alongside a oracle. Meanwhile, the Thiruvarangu stage witnessed spellbinding performances of Sarpam Pattu, Kalamezhuthu, Duffmuttu, Arabana, and Thottampattu, drawing the cultural evening to a grand close.
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