Krishnanaattam   Krishnanaattam was the dance-drama created by the Zamorin of Calicut, which deals with the life and activities of Lord Krishna. Its technique had the foundation of the folk drama and its content had a religious inspiration. It is believed that the Zamorin had a vision of Lord Krishna who gave the chieftain a peacock feather, which became the living symbol of this dance drama. Krishnanaattam players wore a peacock feather and thus commemorated the vision of the chieftain. Krishnanaattam's pattern of art was based on the Geetha Govinda. Geetha Govinda describes the turmoil in the love life of Krishna and Radha through words spoken by Krishna, Radha and a sakhi, companion.   More Pictures           The stories of Krishnanaattam are borrowed from the Bhaagavata, and are meant to be performed on eight successive nights. The series commences with Avataaram, the manifestation of Vishnu in his incarnation as Krishna, and is followed by kaaliyamardana, Raasakreeda, Kamsavadham, Swayamvaram, Baanayuddham, Vividhavadham and Swargaarohanam, each dealing with one major episode in his life. Place of Performance During the time of the Zamorins Krishnanaattam was performed only in Malabar. Performances took place at the Zamorin's palaces and palaces of other members of the royal family. The entire eight play series was often performed in various places but the usual programme consisted of one or two plays.   Within the royal family of Calicut there were five sthaanis, i.e. the five eldest members of the family, including the Zamorin. There were three palaces belonging to the Zamorin - Maankaavu and Thiruvannuuru in Calicut and the palace at Kottakkal. It was compulsory that there was at least one performance per year in whatever palace the sthaanis were residing. In the Zamorin's palace however, the entire series plus Avataaram again had to be performed in palaces of kings under the Zamorin's control and in temples belonging to other kings. Area of Performance In all the palaces there were courtyards within the palace compounds. Krishnanaattam as well as other performances took place on the floors of these courtyards; this area was referred to as the nadappura. The lighting was the traditional Kali Vilakku (an oil lamp).   Dressing Room   The dressing room was a room close to the courtyard and selected by the ashaan (a teacher). During the time of making up and costuming the stage crew placed another three-and-a-half-foot-high oil lamp center stage front and placed the shuddha maddalam, topi maddalam, gong and cymbals on the floor of the performance area. Just before the performance was about to begin, a brahmin lit the lamp. The Invitation to the Audience In the late afternoon or evening, the drummers and the gong and cymbal players went to the entrance of the palace (the Padippura) where they performed the keli. When the play was performed at a temple, the keli was played just outside the entrance of the temple.   The performers of the keli believed that the sounds of the musical instruments would bring not only the audience but also the deities to the place of performance. The Performers It was the tradition that during the day of the performance all performers ate only vegetarian food. If by mistake they did eat non-vegetarian food they could not play the role of Krishna. Those who played the role of Krishna could eat only one meal that day, the actor who played Lord Vishnu could eat only snack food, not a meal. Before coming to the dressing room each performer ritually purified his body by bathing.   Costumes, Makeup and related Rituals The teachers and artists themselves made the costumes. The basic costume differed for male and female characters. The dress of male characters consisted of (1) a starched gathered petticoat (2) a gathered white skirt with orange/orange-red and black horizontal stripes near the bottom (3) bells attached to leather pads to tie below the knees (4) a long-sleeved shirt open at the back, secured by ties. (5) a breast-plate (6) chest ornaments of beads and fresh flora (7) a girdle (8) upper arm and wrist ornaments (9) one shawl or more with a mirror at each end; (10) ear and forehead ornaments; and (11) a headdress.   Characters who wore this basic costumes distinguished themselves by several means (1) colour and design of their make-up and mark (2) design of headdress; and (3) weapon or other stage property.   For the female characters the basic costume included (1) a long, almost floor-length white gathered skirt with red border, wrapped so that the material crossed in the back (2) a long sleeved blouse which was open in the back, secured by ties; (3) a girdle (4) arm ornaments; (5) a wooden breast plate with the breasts covered in red cloth and with ornamentation above and below the breasts (6) beads (7) ear and forehead ornaments. For a head piece the dancer tied onto his head an item made of cotton covered with black cloth resembling hair that had been wrapped in a bun. The particular style of this bun was that it extended from top of the head at about a 45o angle upwards and toward the left side. Over this bun he draped a piece of cloth which was secured at the forehead with an ornament leaving the remaining cloth to fall over the shoulders and down the back. Female characters tie strings of bells around their ankles. These are called chilanka. To mix the colour for the make-up the dressing room staff used neelam for blue; manayola for yellow and chaaillyam and cencillyam for red. They also used black and white. They used soot for black and rice powder mixed with water for white.   The actors used any or three colours for their basic make-up. (1) pazhuppu, an orange with more red than yellow (2) minukku, an orange with more yellow than red. (3) Paccha, a particular shade of green which has more yellow than blue. If he was to wear a chutti the chutti artist applies it. The chutti was two white protruding borders which extended from ear to ear along the jaw and chin line.   The green for Krishna as a young child has more yellow than blue. Before applying make-up the actor prostrated himself before the oil lamp and thought of the God Guruvayoorappan.   The process of costuming will be begun after his make-up. Just below his knees he ties Chilanka. Next he wears a cotton underskirt. In preparing the underskirt, two people hold taut, a long piece of quilted material, approximately 4" wide by 6 1/2 yards long; others drape one edge of a length of streched cloth over this quilted strip of cloth and gathers it. Together the actor and helpers wrap the gathered underslip around his waist and secures it. Over this underslip they wrap the white stripped skirt in the same manner. Over the top of the skirt, on each side they place a six-to-eight inch wide panel of material trimmed with brocade and tuck the upper end of the panel into the waist band of the underskirt. In the next stage of costuming the actor puts on long-sleeved shirt which is open at the back and fastened with ties. Over this shirt he adds a breast plate, chest decorations of necklaces and garlands, depending on the character; one or more long shawls with a mirror at each end and arm ornaments. The actor uses these mirrors to check his make-up throughout the performance.   Finally, he wraps his head in a black cloth, adds the ear and forehead ornaments and following his silent prayer to Vishnu, put on the appropriate head dress.   The most sacred part of the Krishnanaattam costume is the head gear.There are two basic kinds of head dress; a mudi, 'hair that has been wound into a bun and a kiriitam 'a crown'.   There were two types of mudis and two types of kiritam. There was a simple ritual associated with the wearing of a mudi, crown or mask. Whoever placed the headdress on the actor's head (usually the chutti artist) first gives the actor a little water. The actor puts this water on his eyes and feet symbolic of washing his face and feet. This is called tottu vandanam - 'showing reverence or respect for something or someone by touching the object with the hands'. This ritual is a short cut to washing face and feet, a Hindu requirement before praying. He then touches the crown with both hands and touches both hands to his forehead. This was called talayil vacchu vandikkuka put (head dress) on your head with respect. Then the actor choses his weapon. He asks the permission of his teacher to enter the stage and requests his teacher's blessings on his performance. Singer's Preparations   It was the tradition that all vocal trainees gave their teachers gurudakshina before the beginning of the performance on Vijayadashami day. Each teacher, in turn handed his student(s) a gang and on stage the teacher and student together sang the beginning poems and songs of the night's performance.   The Audience During the Zamorin's time, audiences usually consisted of 100 to 200 people. The Namboodiri brahmins sat in the front; they knew Sanskrit and the meanings of the hand gestures. Most of the audience understood these hand gestures and older women used to explain them to the children. Atleast one third of the audience knew the stories. At home people daily read the sacred books of Bhaagavata Puraana, Ramaayana, Mahabhaarata and other stories; children learned the stories both at home and at school.   The composition of the audience has changed considerably since those days. When the troupe performs at the Guruvayur Krishna Temple a great deal of the audience consists of the devotees who have come for the 3 a.m. worship services at the temple and who are passing time at Krishnanaattam performance and using their sitting space as a place to sleep. When the troupe performs outside the Guruvaayur Krishna Temple; however, the audience is usually interested; they come especially to see the performances and they are awake and attentive until the performance ends. Rituals On the first day of the Krishnanaattam season, the senior opens the palm leaf manuscript of Krishnagiiti, the entire series of plays being performed at the palace where the Zamorin was residing. Then it is performed at Guruvaayur Krishna Temple, at other palaces and at the homes of individuals who sponsor them.   When it was time for the performance to begin, a brahmin lights the oil lamp and the musicians come to the stage. They wear a long mundu with a shorter one tied over it. They are bare chested except for a cotton shawl draped over the shoulders. The senior singers wore turbans given to them by the Zamorin in recognition of their talent and service in Krishnanaattam at temples, though it is not permitted for other men to wear turbans in temples.   All musicians prostrate themselves before the lamp, pick up their instruments, touch the instruments and then each touch his own forehead. This is a sign of respect for the sacred sounds produced by the instruments. Holding the drum up with one hand, he plays certain single sounds on that end of his drum which faces stage rear and then faces the audience. Then, taking the gathered cloth strap over the head each drummer hangs his drum around the waist and positions it comfortable over his stomach. They perform a specific sequence to inform the audience that the performance is now starting. After the drum sequence stagehands hold up a curtain with concentric rectangular shape. Behind this curtain step several dancers dressed in female attire. They touch the floor in reverence to Goddess Earth. The singers then begin their vocal performance of the Totayam means "beginning". The pre performance song is followed by a poem in praise of Vishnu as Guruvayuurappan. They sing these same poems prior to the performance of each of the plays. Krishnanaattam music is sung in sopaana style. There are four major talaas for Krishnanaattam music champa, champata, atanta and panchari.   A tirassiila, curtain, held by two persons, is brought to the stage and behind this, four dancers in female attire dance the totayam. This is followed by the Purappadu, in which Krishna or Balarama come behind the curtain and perform their stage rituals. When the singers complete the poems, stagehands remove the curtain and the dancers perform the Purappatu. After these rituals actual story of the evening begin. Presentation of the Story Upon the exit of the Purappatu dancers, two persons bring and hold the curtain. The first characters of a play after performing the rituals of touching the musical instruments, come behind the curtain. Most often, one of the first characters is Krishna. Small pieces of leaves are tossed over the curtain to announce his arrival. These leaves are symbolic of the god's sprinkling flowers from heaven. Each time the character of Vishnu entered the stage for the first time he also receives this ritual. Throughout the story each major character makes his entrance onto the stage first behind the curtain. Then the curtain is removed to reveal them in all their splendour.   Once the curtain is removed the dancing begins. Eye movements and facial expressions are a noticeable feature of Krishnanaattam. Each combination conveys a specific meaning.   Explicatory hand gestures generally do not occur during pure dance sequences. They occur, rather when the characters are sitting or performing very simple dance steps. The drummers follow the dancer's movements with appropriate rhythms and sounds.   Female characters perform many of the same steps as males but they perform them more gently. Krishnanaattam includes some unusual properties, in addition to the common properties of bows and arrows maces and swords. The actor portraying Brahma wears two extra wooden arms, Baana has six extra arms, and Garuda has a beak and beautifully painted wings.   Also unique to Krishnanaattam is some of the staging. One scene is a tablean vivant of krishna and satyabhaama riding the bird garuda, which opens the play Baanayuddham. In this same play the curtain represents a protected place such as a fort or palace behind the curtain looking down on the action below.   Two spectacular scenes occur in Svargaarohanam, both are in Vishnu's heavenly abode, Vaikunta. In the first Vishnu sits wearing a serpent-hooded crown with several deities in the background, in the second Vishnu reclines on his serpent Ananta. Both scenes are played on a special raised, walled and roofed stage used only for these scenes. In the latter scene the stage crew lights incense and small oil lamps in abundance in front of the raised stage. The rising smoke creates a screen between the audience and the stage.   Krishnanaattam dancers sing along with the singers only once during the entire series of plays.This occurs in the play Raasakriida. Krishnanaattam mainly stresses devotions to Krishna and Krishna's battling to overcome evil forces. Humor is a minor part. The monkey characters Jaambavan and vivida and some other characters called the Ghantaakarnas and ganas tease children in the audience by poking fun at them or trying to frighten them. The tapper who brings the toddy to Balaraama also behaves in a humorous manner. When a play concludes, the actors, most often the last actors on stage, perform a mangalam dance. The mangalam dance is a pure dance sequence in which the dancer's hands move only in the basic hand gesture pattern and there is no expression of emotion.   The dancers pay their respects to the audience by bowing, performing traditionally set dance steps with their hands in a praying position, and exit the stage. The drummers play a short sequence and this is the end of a three or four-hour performance.   Performers return to the dressing room and give respect to the oil lamp, which represents Krishna, by touching the lamp. Then they begin the process of taking off costumes and make-up.   The last performance of the season was always that at the Zamorin's palace. It was called the Petti Vechu Kali. Reference   Sikora, Martha Bush Ashton and Sikora, Rober P. Krishnattam: New Delhi: Oxford & IBH Publishing C0. Ltd., 1993