Film Examples
The film examples are provided here as a way of illustrating how symbolic gestures function in performance.
The first example illustrates how gestures are used to convey meaning without words. In this case, the drums are the only accompaniment to the action.
Illustration 1
Below is a short fragment of the stage manager’s entrance (purappada). It comes from a Sanskrit play by Bhasa entitled, The Adventures of the Boy Krishna (Balacharitam). The performance you see here is based on the instruction manual (attaprakara) used by kutiyattam artists as a guide to interpreting every play. The performer is Sri Kalamandalam Raman Cakyar. The example was recorded in July 2007.
According to the performance manual, the sequence of meanings follows accordingly beginning with aha, extreme, happiness, and so forth.
Please note that the gesture for “aha” begins approximately 50 seconds after the clip begins.
| aha | extreme | happiness | is | that | what? | I |
| dawn | at that time | in | wake up | bathe | and | pray |
| touch | to do | and | eat | and | all | and |
| conclude | so | go | quite so | starting | stage | at |
| that time | reach | at | that time | saw | many | brahmins |
| plural | they | how is that? |
Illustration 2
This is the stage manager’s Sanskrit verse from The Adventures of the Boy Krishna (Balacaritam) In Thirteen Plays of Bhasa. Translated by A.C. Woolner and Lakshman Sarup. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass,1930.Reprinted in 1985.
The verse is translated as follows: “For ever and ever may that God protect you–who, with a body white as milk or conch, of old was named Narayana in the golden age; who shone like gold and measured the triple world, entitled Vishnu in the silver age; who dark as durva grass slew Ravana, and was called Rama in the copper age; who now is black like collyrium, Damodara in the age of iron.”
A translation of the gesture meanings are indicated below. They follow the Sanskrit text and thus do not correspond to the flow of the English translations. Attempt to follow along beginning about 9 seconds into the clip starting when the artist chants the word shamka (conch shell), followed by flower picking, and so forth.
| conch shell | flower picking | body | long ago | krita | age | in |
| name/word | ?? | and | narayana | treta | age? | three |
| steps | to place/establish/measure | triple universe | vishnu | golden | shining | grass |
| black | that (he) | ravana | killing | in | rama | month |
| dwapara | in | always | next | black | similar | kaliyuge |
| in | you | vishnu |
Illustration 3
This is the first of two examples from Surpanankam. Surpanakha, the demon sister of Ravana is in disguise as Lalitha, a beautiful woman. She expresses her concern that Lakshmana, Lord Rama’s brother, is not enamored with her. The small segment is found at the end of the nirvahana portion of the play.
Illustration 4
In the next segment from Surpanankam, Lord Rama reveals that he is overcome by the power of love for his wife Sita. This is a set piece used in many kutiyattam performances by many different characters and by both men and women.
Purappad of anguliyankam
