Kerala School Kalolsavam 2026: Classical wit meets contemporary pulse as young satirists take centre stage

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Wit, satire, and expressive storytelling defined the Chakyar Koothu and Ottanthullal stages astatine the 64th Kerala State School Arts Festival connected Wednesday, underscoring the enduring relevance of classical creation forms successful modern times.

With emphatic facial expressions, restrained choreography, and a keen consciousness of timing, young chakyars forged an intimate rapport with the audience, effortlessly alternating betwixt humour and incisive societal commentary.

Observations steeped successful sarcasm elicited peals of laughter arsenic performers took connected contiguous socio-political issues. The Sabarimala contention — on with references to the golden theft lawsuit and the relation of Unnikrishnan Potti — emerged arsenic favoured themes.

True to the tone of Chakyar Koothu, artistes exercised their accepted licence to mock anyone and everything, transforming satire into a potent instrumentality of reflection.

Complementing these modern allusions, the Mandharam unfastened signifier astatine the Kerala Sahitya Akademi reverberated with classical narratives drawn from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

Episodes specified arsenic Satyabhama’s playful indignation towards Krishna and Kiratham, depicting Arjuna’s aggravated penance and his humbling brushwood with Lord Shiva, were rendered with melodramatic flair, seamlessly blending devotion, drama, and humour.

Equally heartening was the enthusiastic effect to Ottanthullal, an creation signifier that originated successful the 18th period and is often feared to beryllium waning amid the emergence of modern show styles. The Kerala Sahitya Akademi’s M.T. Vasudevan Nair Memorial Hall was filled to capacity, with the assemblage captivated by the rhythmic narration and spirited movements of the performers.

Together, these performances reaffirmed that Kerala’s classical creation forms proceed to evolve, engage, and entertain — gracefully bridging contented with the pulse of the present.

Published - January 14, 2026 08:44 p.m. IST

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