Thrissur Guru Creates Record with 180 Disciples at Kerala School Youth Festival
Painkulam Narayana Chakyar from Thrissur has achieved a remarkable feat. He presented about 180 of his trained disciples as participants in this year's State School Kalolsavam. This continues his impressive track record of sending large numbers of students to the annual youth festival.
Consistent Participation Over the Years
Chakyar's highest participation came during the 2013 youth festival in Malappuram. That year, an impressive 217 of his disciples competed. The numbers naturally dipped during the Covid pandemic years when festivals faced disruptions. Now, his participation has bounced back strongly with 180 students this time.
Training Four Traditional Art Forms
The 66-year-old guru trains students in four distinct traditional performing arts. These include Chakyar Koothu, Nangiar Koothu, Patakam, and Koodiyattam. Among these, Koodiyattam stands out as a group event where seven students perform together in each team. The other three forms are primarily solo performances.
Chakyar has an extraordinary 39-year connection with youth festivals. During this period, he has presented over 8,000 students across various editions. His disciples come from all 14 districts of Kerala, showing his statewide influence.
Reviving Koodiyattam Through Youth Festivals
Chakyar played a crucial role in getting Koodiyattam included in school youth festival competitions. He waged a prolonged battle alongside teachers' unions and other supporters. Before this inclusion, Koodiyattam was facing decline as a traditional art form.
"Koodiyattam was sort of a dying art," Chakyar explained. "Its inclusion in school youth festival competitions has revived public interest in this aesthetically rich performance form."
Gurukula-Style Training Approach
Chakyar follows a careful selection process for his students. He assesses whether candidates show genuine interest before accepting them. He makes it clear that they shouldn't come expecting prizes or grace marks alone.
His training follows the traditional Gurukula style. Students come to his training center, which is actually his house. They stay there for several days to acquire lessons intensively. Parents drop off their children whenever they have free time from regular studies.
"I tell them they needn't come hoping for prizes or grace marks," Chakyar emphasized about his teaching philosophy.
The Challenge of Sustaining Interest
Despite his success in training students for youth festivals, Chakyar acknowledges a significant challenge. Not many students continue pursuing these traditional art forms beyond their school or college days. The transition from festival participation to lifelong practice remains difficult for most learners.
This reality highlights both the success of his youth festival training program and the ongoing struggle to preserve Kerala's traditional performing arts for future generations.
