Visual exploration of Kadammanitta poems

Madhu Eravankara

The poet and the place become one in Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan's poems. The vibrancy and blazing hues of the poems emanate from the luxuriant groves and shrines of his village.

`Nishadam', a 30-minute-long documentary film directed by Madhu Eravankara, screened at the Savitha Theatre on Sunday, was in the director's own words, "a visual interpretation of Kadammanitta's poems.'

Shot in 16 mm format and blown up into 35 mm, with camera by M.J. Radhakrishnan, sound by Krishnanunni and music by Ramesh Narayan, the film captures the visual splendour of `Padayani' and many other rituals.

The poems including `Kadammanitta', `Kadinjoolppottan', `Devisthavam', `Kozhi', `Oru Pattu', `Kirathavritham', `Kattalan', `Kurathi', `Nagarathil Paranja Suvishesham', `Kunje Mulappal Kudikkaruthu' and `Santha' form the main sound track in the poet's own voice. Each poem depicts stages of his life, almost in chronological sequence.

There is little narration in the film. "I wanted to break the conventional format of the documentary, loaded with heavy narration or commentary. So I used poems alone as sound track, with the percussion and chanting of rituals forming a distant backdrop," the director says.

Most of the accompanying visuals were sensibly chosen, especially those of the murals representing the different facets of the Goddess. The dances and rituals of the tribal people for `Kurathi' and the rituals of `Oorali' of the Devi temple for `Oru Pattu' and the `Marutha Kolam' from `Padayani' for `Kozhi' form the apt backdrop.

However, some `enacted' scenes are jarring in the otherwise rhythmic film. Like the appearance of a girl in `Devistavam' and that of a `kattalan' with bow and arrow.

A Chemistry lecturer at the Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta, Mr. Eravankara made a number of documentaries for the Audio Visual Institute of Eritria, while working there on a U.N. project from 1997 to 2000.

Apart from the documentaries `Victims of Silence' and `Asmara - the City of Dreams', he has also brought out a video magazine, `Nehna', for the Institute, depicting the ethnic life and social issues of the African country. His book, `Malayala Cinemayum Sahithyavum', had won the national and State awards in 1999 for the best book on cinema. He won the Film Critics Award - 2000 for the best writing on cinema (`Portrayal of Women in Malayalam Cinema') and in 2002 for the best book on cinema (`Alivinte Mandarangal').

By Renu Ramanath

Photo: H. Vibhu

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