When walls speak a thousand words at the Centre for Performing Arts in Varkala

Folklore, rituals, myths, kalaripayattu, theyyam, padayani, mohiniyattam and extra come alive on the walls of the new Centre for Performing Arts at Varkala, about 42 kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.

“The idea was to capture the evolution of Kerala’s cultural heritage of performance arts — from folk arts to thiruvathirakali, theyyam, thira and padayani to semi-classical forms and then to classical art forms,” explains auteur Adoor Gopalakrishnan, chief advisor of the venture.

During the lockdown when most individuals in Kerala stayed at dwelling on account of the pandemic, a workforce of eight artists led by famend mural artist Suresh Muthukulam had been onerous at work on the premises of CPA, often known as Rangakala Kendram.

Suresh was briefed by Adoor on the goals of CPA and the artwork varieties it proposes to popularise, protect and showcase. Suresh made elaborate sketches of the works and obtained them authorised by Adoor.

Rangakala Kendram, an initiative of Vision Kerala Varkala Infrastructure Development Corporation (VIVID), is positioned on a two-acre plot on the premises of the authorities visitor home in the coastal city of Varkala.

“It is an emerging tourist destination and we felt the CPA would enhance the potential of the place. We also aim at trying to get kalaripayattu recognised as an intangible oral heritage by UNESCO. We are trying to bring under one roof all the art forms of Kerala, including tribal art forms,” mentioned V Ramachandran Potty, managing director, VIVID. He explains that the CPA, designed by architect B Sudhir, has already been approached by 60 artwork college students from completely different universities in India for analysis into the completely different performing arts of Kerala.

“I studied the location of the building and its surroundings before conceptualising and making my sketches. The place is full of Ezhilam Pala trees (Alstonia scholaris) — celebrated in verse and song in Malayalam — a 150-year-old pond and a sacred grove. It is a lively ecosystem filled with bats, birds, owls, porcupines and civets. I was inspired by the flora and fauna on the site,” says Suresh.

He explains that, historically, murals in Kerala give attention to thematic concepts from Hindu mythology. Although many artists have now begun engaged on new themes to maintain in contact with the change in instances, Suresh feels such an elaborate work in the mural model of portray, is uncommon. Moreover, murals are often discovered inside palaces, temples and church buildings. “I myself have done some new concepts for private collectors.This is perhaps the first time that such a comprehensive work on the art and culture of Kerala has been done in the mural style,” says Suresh.

The work adorn the foremost entrance, inside and exterior walls of the kalari thara (the place kalaripayattu is taught) and the mallika (higher ground) on one in all the buildings.

“I did all the sketches and my students filled in the colours. In this case, we used acrylics since the works are on ordinary cement walls. Murals in its true sense are painted on specially prepared walls and natural materials are used to give colour to the murals,” explains Suresh.

An alumnus of the first batch of The Institute of Mural Painting in Guruvayoor and a disciple of the legendary Mammiyoor Krishnankutty, Suresh explains that he studied varied postures in kalaripayattu earlier than reworking it artistically. He has additionally delved into the myths involving the origins of kalari. “While the Northern school in Kerala consider Parshurama as their preceptor, in the Southern school, that place is accorded to sage Agastya. I have depicted both those beliefs,” says Suresh.

Adoor explains that the postures and stances in kalaripayattu had been impressed and derived from the actions of animals and birds. “These have been artistically and aesthetically interpreted by Suresh,” factors out Adoor.

In the malika, the artists have drawn the 108 karanas (transient motion phrases) of Indian classical dance.

The main theyyams of Malabar, full with elaborate headgear, costume and facial make-up, gaze at guests. Drawing inspiration from the environment, one important work outdoors the kalari thara reveals a theyyam artiste gazing at his reflection in the pool.

While the work inside the kalari, the entrance and the malika are a burst of heat earthy colors, the work on the walls outdoors the kalari thara are in austere black and white. He says that Adoor’s eager involvement in the venture was evident in the method he even visualised the colors of the works.

“The lockdown actually helped us. We would begin work at 6 am and go on till about 8 pm. We were engrossed in our work and there was nothing to disturb us. So we were able to complete the work in three months,” he says.

In all, about 2,000 sq. toes have been painted with murals, the greatest work being inside the kalari thara.

“This centre holds a lot of promise for the study and preservation of Kerala’s cultural art forms and, eventually, we hope to develop two museums, including one devoted to tribal arts and an art gallery,” says Adoor.