4. Vacika-abhinaya in Kerala theatre

It is well known that vacikabhinaya plays an important role in Indian classical theatre. In the Kerala theatre, Kutiyattam follows the tradition of classical theatre and the Natyashastra Vacikabhinaya in Kutiyattam is unique. In Kutiyattam the svaras have different aspect of usage and

dimension. They are following the tradition of Samaveda. There are about twenty-four svaras in Kutiyattam. The svaras in Kutiyattam may be discussed in detail. The vacika in Kutiyattam, be it prose or verse, is presented in a particular cadence. The characters in Kutiyattam express their emotions by imitating the mode of speech in real life. On the other hand, the musical style in Kutiyattom enhances the rasabhinaya of the actor through the medium of vacika, with the powerful exploitation of the technique of suggestion. Several svaras are used to suit different characters, rasas, and the corresponding time. These are also sometimes referred to as ragas. The following are the svaras (ragas) used in Kutiyattam. vela dhulivaratitotipuranirandhalipauralayah tanascantarayasca kamarayuta srikanthatarkahvayoh | gandharasca kurolkurijni vimala muththabhidha kaisiki hindoladvayapancamatrayayuto ragasca natye smrtah || It is said that Kutiyattam has only twenty-four mudras and an equal number of important ragas. But only twenty-one ragas have been identified. Since there are slokas to determine the application of the twenty-one ragas, they can be understood easily. The names of the ragas mentioned in the sloka quoted above, are as follows. 219

1. Veladhuli 2. Varati 3. Toti (Tontu) 4. Puraniru 5. Andhali (Arta) 6. Paurali 7. Tana (Dana) 8. Antari 9. Ghattantari 10. Name is not clear (though there are three Antaries (8-10) the definitions of only two of them are available. The application for the third is not clear) 11. Kamara (Srikamara) 12. Tarka 13 Viratarka (12-13 :) 14. Gandhara (Dukkhagandhara) 15. Kurolkkurinji (Korakkurin) 16. Vimala (application) not identified) 17. Muddha 18. Kaisika (Kaisiki) 19. Indala 20. Chetipancama 22. Bhinnapancama. 23. Virapancama (21-23), Pancamatrayam) 24. Srikanthi. From the above, the two ragas Varati and Vimala are not clear. Similarly the name of Antari is also not known. The basis for their application has not been found. It is not clear whether they can be of use in items like akkitta. In the kramadipika of Ascaryacudamani, K.P. Narayana Pisaroti mentions twenty-three ragas. Mani Madhava Cakyar in Natyakalpadrumam asserts: "Pattum pattumatayitum" (ten plus teni.e. twenty). One thing is certain - in plays like Anguliyanka, twenty one ragas are still being used. The prescriptive rules for the application of the ragas may now be examined. The slokas containing the definition of each raga (svara), along with its explanation, are given below. 220

1. Indala 221 viranam nayakadinamuttamanam svabhavatah | gitasiddhantattvajnairindalo raga ucyate || For noble heroes (and heroines) in ordinary situations i.e. when they are not under the spell of emotions like love, anger etc. Indala is used Examples follow:- (i) (ii) In Nagananda, Act I, Jimutavahana's sloka beginning with 'ragasyaspadamityavaimi nahi me dhvamsiti na pratyayah ... ' In Ascaryacudamani, Act I: Sri Rama's portion beginning with the curnika 'devi nagaradhivasat savisesa iva vanadhivaso me pratibhati | ' (iii) ascaryacudamani, Act II: Sri Rama's portion beginning with (iv) (v) (vi) the curnika 'vaidehi vidure sarva vismayaniyataya sruyate | ' For noble heroines, Sita's part in Surpanakhanika : 'ayyavutta atimamaviko duhalam ..... In Balacarita: For sutradhara, and in benedictions, 'sankhaksiravapuh ....' In Ascaryacudamani: 'virasthane sahasram ..... (vii) In Mattavilasa : ' bhasavesa ...' and madhyamanam tu patranam kvacidindala eva hi| tu cetipancamaragasca kvacidityucyate budhaih ||

On certain occasions, even some middling characters have Indala. For example:- (i) In Pratimanataka, Act II: Bharata's words beginning with suta (ii) (Ramayanam kramadipika 8-45 line-3) In Mantranka Yaugandharayana's sloka, beginning with ' snatasya yasya samupatita .... But middling characters usually have the raga Cetipancama 2. Cetipancama nicanamapi patranam balakanam tathaiva ca | cetipancamaragah syannetaro drsyate kvacit || For evil characters and for children, Cetipancama is employed in ordinary situations. For example, for evil characters: (i) Pratimanataka, Act II, the soldier's words: alg affifandi etakayyam ..... ' (ii) Abhiseka Act III: the words of Ranabhiru: "..." (iii) Example for children: Sakuntala, Act VII: Sarvadamana's words: 'munca mam bhava . " 222

3. Korakkurinji (i) koralkurijniragah syat kapinantu svabhavatah | Monkeys in ordinary situations have Koralkurinji raga. On other occasions, Tarka, Virataraka, Dana, Dukkhagandhara etc. may be used. For example: In Ascaryacudamani Act VI: Hanuman's curnika: 'samprati hi lankam prapo'si .... ' And the sloka 'mainakam nagakanya ... , (ii) Abhiseka, Act I: Sugriva's sloka, beginning with 'samprapita harivarabahu ...' in Tarka. (b) 'aparadhamanuddisya ...' in Veladhuli (c) ...' in Dukkhagandhara " 4. Antari avasthayantu tattvajnairantari raga ucyate | While enacting in avastha Antari raga is used. Here avastha means the enactment of a story where the character deviates from his real nature. This raga is usually employed in nirvahana slokas. For e.g. the nirvahana sloka in Anguliyanka 223

'ravanavarajatatra raghavam madanatura | abhipede nidagharta vyaliva malayadrumam || ' is recited in Antari. The earlier sloka deals with Surpanakha's tempting of Sri Rama by adopting the disguise of Lalita. This is done in the bhava of Surpanakha. This situation is given in the attaprakara thus: " Then Surpanakha goes to Sri Rama and salutes him in kamalaparivartana and stands in stribhava. And then pulling down the edge of her skirt she acts in this avastha. Surpanakha, the sister of Ravana, goes to Sri Rama under the spell of love, like a female serpent oppressed by heat reaching the shade of a Sandal tree. But according to the kramadipika of Abhisekanataka, in "Samudraratnakara", on one occasion Varuna makes use of this raga. 5. Veladhuli veladhulistvarayantu bhayanakarase kvacit | Another version is also seen in the Natyakalpadruma of Mani Madhava Cakyar. It is vela dhulistvarayantu bhayanakarase'pi ca | durasthabhasane caiva sa eva parikirtitah || Therefore it can be said that Veladhuli raga is used in excitement and fright, as well as calling out from a distance. 224

(i) Example for excitement: Nagananda, Act II, When the hero comes to know that the heroine wants to commit suicide, the sloka "ug zug ye...... , (ii) Example for fright: Ascaryacudamani Act II, Sri Rama on seeing Surpanakha discards her disguise, and come to him as a raksasi, the sloka 'bhimadamstramarunordhva ... ' (iii) Example for calling out from a distance: (a) Svapnavasavadatta, the nirvahana sloka 'viksobhayantyamburujanti vrksan ...' and Abhisekanataka, Balivadhanka Act I: (b) 6. Srikamara Sugriva's challenge." atarkitapramode tu ragah srikamaro matah | Srikamara is used in unexpected happiness. Eg: (i) Ascaryacudamani, ActV: Ravana mistakes the moon for the sun, and finds to his great joy that it is the moon itself: "na bhanuresa maya dattabhayascandrama ' (ii) Subhadradhananjaya, Act I: a) the hero's sloka evahamamuna ..' and (b) 'vyalolaharamurasa tarasa .. ' 225

7. arta srrngarakhyarase prayo ragastvarto nigadyate | On almost all occasions of srngara, Arta is used. The word 'praya' indicates other occasion also. That would be discussed later. Eg. (i) Nagananda, Act II. The sloka 'vyavartyai vasitasilaksanaruca ... ' (ii) Dhananjaya Act I, the slokas 'calakuvalaya ....' and 'saundaryam sukumarata ....' 8. Paurali 'paurali vipralambhakhyasrrngarasya tu murcchane | ' Paurali is used at the height of vipralambha Eg. (i) (ii) Ascaryacudamani, Asokavanikanka: When Ravana goes to meet Sita in Assokavanika, he describes the garden and the beauty of Sita and is overcome by the impact of love, the sloka, 'janatamasokasahakaramanjari ... ' Anguliyanka: Hanuman while describing Sri Rama's excess love 'apadya bhangisayanam ...' Dhananjaya, Act III Arjuna's slokas in vipralambha : , (iii) ' cakitacakitam ' and 9 Muddha 'candralokan ... ' Eg: (i) raksasanantu srrngararase mudho nigadyate | ascaryacudamani, Act III 'maratakatate mandakinya madankanisadini ... ' Also in sambhogasrngara : (ii) Raksasotpatti nirvahana; 'piban madhumukham cumban ' 226

10. Muralindala 227 tesantu vipralambhasya murcchane muralindalam | sriramasya tu sambhogasrrngare muralindalam || raksasa's viprlambhasrngara and Sri Rama's sambhogasrngara are in Muralidala. Examples. (i) ascaryacudamani, Act VI: 'kuvalayapalasaksi kva tvam gata .. (ii) ascaryacudamani, Act VI: , The sloka 'ayatam mamaparicitaya ....' is in Paurali because it is vipralambha, while in Ascaryacudamani, Act II: 'carananalinasadhyam yana ...' is in Muralindala 11. Kaisiki rasayoh kausikim prahurhasyabibhatsayorapi | In hasya and bibhatsa rasas, Kaisiki is used: Eg: (i) for hasya : Mattavil asa, Kapali's sloka 'bhasmalankaragaurassasikusumajata ... ' (ii) for bibhatsa : Anguliyanika, nirvahana : 12. Tarka 'payam payamasrnmajjam svadam svadam ca mastakat ... ' krodhe raudrarase capi tarkaraga udahrtah | In krodha and raudra rasas, Tarka is used. Eg: (i) For krodha: Abhiseka Act III: Ravana's anger about Hanuman : 'aha katham katham rnijaghneti ... '

(ii). For raudra: Ascaryacudamani, ActII: Sri Rama seeing surpanakha soaked in blood, 'sandhyarunassalilavahaparampareva ...' At the height of krodha, an extreme level of Tarka is used. (iii) Ascaryacudamani, Act V: Ravana suddenly getting up from his prostrate position:...' (This may be seen from the attaprakara of Asokavanikanka). 13. Viratarka viranamni rase rago viratarkah smrto budhaih | Virataraka is used in virarasa Eg (i) Ascaryacudamanni, Act V Ravana's sloka 'ahibhavanapidhananyayudhikrtya ...' (ii) Ascaryacudamani Act VI Parnasalanka a..... ng (iii) Ascaryacudamani, Act II: Mayasitanka 'fcaricarura..... , (iv) Ascaryacudamani, Act II: Sri Rama's sloka 'Pan van.. 14 Virapancama (According to the Natyakalpadruma) atyanta dhirasamrambhe virapancama iritah | Virapancama is used in highly valiant actions. " Eg: (i) Ascaryacudamani, Anguliyanka nirvahana - Sri Rama's reply to the challenge of raksasas: ..." (ii) Ascaryacudamani, Anguliyanka Kapila Vasudeva's sloka on seeing that the sixty thousand sons of Sagara approach to kill him. 'tan pasanakrpanakarmukagadam ... ' 228

15 Dukkhagandhara duhkhagandhararagastu duhkhe ca karune matah | This raga is used in dukkha (grief) and karuna (pathos) Eg. (i) for dukkha ascaryacudamani, Act II: Sri Rama's floka 'dhigaham manusam janma vasudhamatragocaram ....' (ii) for karuna: 16. Dana ascaryacudamani, Act III: Laksmana's sloka 'satyavadini dharmisthe putri ... ' danarago'dbhutarase bhayanakarase kvacit | Dana raga is used in adbhutarasa, and sometimes in bhayanaka. The word 'sometimes' is used in the sloka because usually Veladhuli is used in bhayanaka. E.g.s for adbhuta: (i) ascaryacudamani, Act III: Ravana while seeing Sita for the first time: 'indranimahamapsarobhirayanam ... (ii) Dhananjaya, Act I: when Arjuna describes the hermitage. 'aho mahanubhavata .....' and 'sikhinisala bho ...' 229

17. Ghattantari persons. dustanigrahavelayam ghattantarirudahrta | Ghattantari is used on occasions of reporting the death of evil E.g.:ascaryacudamani, Act III: Laksmana's sloka and Anguliyanika, nirvahana: 'ksatajakanikapatat sandhyadyana ..'. Though according to the textual practice, this is the sloka for Ghattantari, in Mantranka, it is supposed to be used in some instances. But no evidence for this has been found. 18. Tontu tontakhyaragassante ca bhaktibhave ca kathyate| Tontu is used in santarasa and bhakti. Eg.: (i) for santa: Mattavilasa nirvahana : 'mano navadvaranisiddhavrtti .... ' (ii) for bhakti (a) Abhiseka Act IV: 'narayanasya nararupamupasritasya ... ' (b) Balivadha nirvahana: 'dasarathasutarama ... ' 19. Bhinnapancama ( According to the Natyakalpadruma) praharsatisaye rago bhinnapancama ucyate | The raga Bhinnapancama is used in excessive joy. 230

Egs: (i) Nagananda, Act II 'sakhe pasya pasya aklistasobha adharasya (ii) Nagananda, Act III , 'smitapuspodgamo'yam te drsyate'dharapallave ....' 20. Puraniru puranirakhyaragastu varsakalasya varnane | prabhatavarnanayanca gitajnairupagiyate || Puraniru is used in the description of rainy reason, and in the description of morning. Eg. (i) For description of rainy season: 'kekaya ca sikhina mrdudhutaketaki ... ' (ii) for description of morning: Pratijnayaugandharayana, nirvhana of Mantranka 'ksirodavaridhavale sayane prasupta ....' 21. Srikanthi ankavasane srikanthi dustanam himsane'pi ca | sandhyavarnanavelayam madhyahnasya ca varnane || bhaktibhave ca vidvadbhih kathyate gitiparagaih || Srikanthi is used at the end of an act, at the killing of evil persons, in the description of noon and dusk time, and in bhaktibhava. 231

E.g. (i) for the end of an act: Ascaryacudamani Act VI 'raksovadhat viratakarma visrjya capam ... (ii) For description of dusk time: Dhananjaya Act II 'aparagiri nisannam vasaram vasarasri ... (iii) description of noon: Ascaryacudamani, Act I 'tapat talksanaghrstacandana ....' (iv) for killing an evil person: Balacarita: 'sandhyakale sabhadvare .... ' (v) for bhakti the invocation beginning with 'clafarg......'in Ramayanam Prabandha