Kutiyattam as world heritage

Kutiyattam, the Sanskrit theatre from Kerala, and 18 other forms of cultural expression have been declared by UNESCO as 'Masterpieces of oral and intangible heritage of humanity', an initiative that draws attention to remarkable cultural spaces. SUDHA GOPALAKRISHNAN examines the rationale behind the move.

THE recognition of Kutiyattam, the Sanskrit theatre form of Kerala, as a remarkable example of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity, has brought this once less-known art under the spotlight of global attention, and made the world citizen responsible for the protection and promotion of this art. It is as much a vindication of the perseverance and dedication of the actors of Kutiyattam who struggled to keep the art alive down the centuries in spite of heavy odds, as the untiring efforts of a few scholars and theatre aficionados who strove to keep this tradition alive through constant support and encouragement. Not only Kutiyattam, but 18 other artistic and cultural expression across the world, considered "endangered", have been selected from all over the world by UNESCO for proclamation as a world heritage.

The oral and intangible aspect of creativity is a broad area of human activity and expression, which does not lend itself to easy definitions and categorisation. Part of the collective memory of the people, it finds expression in traditional communities which have their own folklore, world view and systems of indigenous knowledge, developed through a close observation of nature and transmitted through an oral tradition. The vast, complex mosaic of diverse traditional cultures across the world are today facing the threat of subjugation to the overpowering effects of globalisation, standardisation of their richness of heritage to a set of universal norms provided by the mass media, and a gradual dissipation of their distinct identities. In this context, UNESCO's intervention of recognising remarkable forms of cultural expression as "masterpieces of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity" is a positive step in protecting cultural diversity and fostering creativity in popular and traditional forms of expression. According to UNESCO's Implementation Guide which sets forth its statement of intent, this recognition is directed towards "the totality of tradition-based creations of a cultural community, expressed by a group of individuals and recognised as reflecting the expectations of a community in so far as they reflect its cultural and social identity".

It is for the first time that UNESCO gives recognition to forms of cultural expression or cultural spaces other than built heritage such as monuments, sites of exceptional value and landscapes. This new initiative draws attention to remarkable cultural spaces and forms of expression such as languages, oral literature, music, dance, games, mythology, rituals, costumes, crafts and other such areas of human activity. The project encourages governments, NGOs and local communities to take the lead in identifying, preserving and revitalising their oral and intangible heritage. It welcomes the contribution of individuals, groups and institutions to protect their respective culture. The candidature for each form is to be submitted by the Member States of UNESCO. Only one proposal can be forwarded by a government each time, and the proclamation will be made every two years by an international jury of scholars and experts, nominated by the Director-General of UNESCO. In India, the candidature file is to be forwarded through the Ministry of Culture. The submission for each entry consists of an application form in a prescribed format, arguing a case for the form and listing the practical and legal measures to be taken for protection in the next decade if it is given the recognition. It also includes a detailed documentation of the form through visual/audio visual media, and a comprehensive bibliography. The selection criteria include the excellence of the form of cultural expression, its value as a unique testimony of human heritage, its antiquity and the risk of its possible disappearance.

The proclamation of Kutiyattam in Paris last month as part of the first series of art forms selected for the honour came as a boost to this rich theatre tradition, which traces its roots to an ancient past. A mode of Sanskrit theatre from Kerala, Kutiyattam is the only link with the ancient Sanskrit tradition of India, and may well be the oldest extant form of theatre in the world today. It was preserved down the centuries by families of actors called Chakyars and Nangiars, and its performance was codified by the elaborate acting manuals called Kranadeepikas and Attaprakarams.

Traditionally performed inside temple theatres called Koothambalams, Kutiyattam was sustained in the olden days by the patronage of kings and art aficionados belonging to the upper castes of Kerala.

Kutiyattam has distinctive features in terms of theatric conventions and methods of acting. A striking feature of this theatre is that it treats single acts from major Sanskrit plays as full-fledged plays. Kutiyattam elaborates the text of the play to such an extent that the poetic quality of a Sanskrit verse with its multiple layers of meaning and figures of speech gets its full play in its enactment. The extension of the performance text is so elaborate that a play can stretch up to 40 days and a single verse can take up to two hours through elaborate action. Theatric communication is through the actor's body movements, a codified language of gestures and facial expressions. Kutiyattam endows great significance to facial expressions, and the face with its delicately-wrought eye, cheek, brow and lip movements and the elasticity of the facial muscles, can depict a gamut of emotions on the stage. The power of communication through the eyes (netrabhinaya) is so refined, persuasive and wide-ranging that it can portray any situation, thought or activity.

The action plan for Kutiyattam proposed to UNESCO for the next decade has listed several measures including the documentation of masters of the art form. The first one seeks to document Ammannoor Madhava Chakyar, the greatest maestro of Kutiyattam), setting up archives and libraries, promoting performance opportunities, strengthening the training and research facilities in the existing schools, extension of its repertoire by referring to the old acting manuals, ensuring wider dissemination through lecture-demonstrations, performances, cultural exchanges, tours and so on.

Apart from Kutiyattam, 18 other forms of cultural expression across the world were selected for the recognition as unique examples of the heritage of humanity this year. These include Nogaku from Japan, the Kunqu Opera from China, the Sicilian Puppet theatre, the Oruro Carnival of Bolivia, the Royal Ancestral Rite and Ritual Music in the Jongmyo Shrine in the Republic of Korea, Hudhud chants of the Ifugao in the Philippines and the Mystery Plays of Elche in Spain. Each of these forms are rooted in the culture to which they belong, and has outstanding value from a historical, artistic, ethnological, linguistic or literary point of view, and faces the risk of extinction due to processes of rapid change or urbanisation.

This time, the 18-member jury was chaired by the Spanish writer Juan Goytisolo. The other members included Aziza Bennani (Ambassador for Morocco to UNESCO), Basma Bint Talal (Princess of Jordan), Alpha Oumar Konare (President of Mali), Richard Kurin (Director, Centre for Folklore and Cultural Heritage of the Institution - U.S.), Olive Levin (ethnomusicologist), Georges Condominas (cultural anthropologist) and Carlos Fuentes (Mexican writer).

The writer is a researcher on Indian arts and had drafted the candidature file for Kutiyattam for the UNESCO recognition. E- mail her at sudhagopal79@hotmail.com

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