24. Sopana Sangeetham

232 Sopana Sangeetham [Sangitam] is the traditional and typical temple music style of Kerala. After undergoing various stages and transformations over a period of two thousand years, it continues to manifest itself as the music of the Kerala temple festivals. Most of the songs presented in Sopana Sangita are taken from Jayadeva's Gita Govinda, which is known as Astapadi in Kerala. Traditionally the members of poduval community who serve in temples learn the songs and sing at the fixed times of worship in the temples. The people who attend the worship have the opportunity to listen and learn the songs. Like the other temple art forms sopanasangitam [sopana sangeetham] is also spreading into the secular fields and the presentations are now made outside the temples also. Anusthana kalabhyasana kendram at Peruvanam temple, Cherpu, Thrissur, is conducting classes for sopana music. Now ten students are practicing Sopana music. They are studying Sanskrit and some kavyas. Gitagovinda is prescribed for detailed study. Sopana musician 91 Sankaranarayanan of Thrissur is the teacher. Janardhanan Nedungadi and Hari Govindan from Guruvayur is the another Sopana musicians. Hari Govindan had studied Sopana Sangitam from his father Njaralath Ramapoduval in traditional way.

233 Paliyekkara Devi temple and Kshetrakalavadyavidyalayam, Guruvayur and some other places also teach the Sopana music. Sopanasangitam [sopana sangeetham] is a popular event in the radio programes and television.