Tanwarpal Singh at 04:26, 12 January 2026

2026-01-12T04:26:31Z

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{{Short description|Koodiyattam artist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Kalamandalam Sivan Namboodiri
| image =
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| birth_date = 1950
| birth_place = [[Shornur]], [[Thrissur]], [[Kerala]], India
| death_date =
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| occupation = Koodiyattam performer
| yearsactive =
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| website = {{URL|http://www.heritageindia.org/sivan.html|Official web site}}
| awards = [[Padma Shri]] [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi]] Award Margi Gold Medal Natyakala Ratnam Award Mrinalini Sarabhai Award Smithsonian Institution Certificate of appreciation}}'''Kalamandalam Sivan Namboodiri''' is an Indian classical theatre performer, the first person from outside [[chakyar]] community to practice [[Koodiyattam]],<ref name="non chakyar">{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/mag/2005/01/30/stories/2005013000440500.htm | archive-url=https://archive.today/20140805062603/http://www.thehindu.com/mag/2005/01/30/stories/2005013000440500.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=5 August 2014 | title=Subtle technique | date=30 January 2005 | first=K.K. | last=Gopalakrishnan | newspaper=[[The Hindu]] | access-date=27 October 2018}}</ref> from Kerala. He was awarded the [[Padma Shri]], in 2012, for his contributions to the art of Koodiyattam, by the Government of India.<ref name="Govt announcement">{{cite web | url=http://www.pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=79881 | title=Padma Awards Announced | date=25 January 2012 | publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs | location=India | access-date=27 October 2018}}</ref>

==Biography==
{{quotebox|align = left|qalign=center|width=24em|''My venture in Koodiyattam was accidental,'' '''says Kalamandalam Sivan Namboodiri''', ''It happened thanks to [[Kathakali]] maestro Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair and my guru, late [[Painkulam Raman Chakyar]]''<ref name="The Hindu" />}}
[[File:KoodiyattamFaceCostume.jpg|thumb|left|Sivan Namboodiri with Koodiyattam face makeup]]
[[File:Koothambalam at Kerala Kalamandalam.jpg|thumb|240px|Koothambalam at Kerala Kalamandalam]]
[[File:Thoranayudham- Madras1.jpg|Guru [[Mani Madhava Chakyar]] and his troupe performing ''Thoranayudham'' (part of [[Bhasa]]'s play ''Abhiṣeka Nataka'' based on the epic [[Ramayana]]) Koodiyattam (1962, Chennai). It was the first ever Koodiyattam performance outside Kerala.|thumb|right|240px]]

Sivan Namboodiri was born in 1950 to Ammankotu Manakkal Madhavan Namboodiri, a farmer and Devaki Antharjanam, as the youngest of their three sons, at [[Shornur]], [[Palakkad]], in the south Indian state of Kerala.<ref name="The Hindu Bio">{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/an-inimitable-artiste/article2949939.ece | title=An inimitable artiste | date=1 March 2012 | newspaper=The Hindu | first=V. R. Prabodhachandran | last=Nayar | access-date=27 October 2018}}</ref><ref name="Kerala Tourism">{{cite web | url=https://www.keralatourism.org/kerala-article/kalamandalam-sivan-namboodiri/156 | title=Kerala Tourism | access-date=27 July 2014}}</ref><ref name="Artist's web site">{{cite web | url=http://www.heritageindia.org/KS/artist.html | title=Artist's web site | access-date=27 July 2014 | archive-date=12 August 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812081429/http://www.heritageindia.org/KS/artist.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> He had his early schooling at [[Kanayam]] and [[Vadanamkurissi]], but, being a poor student, had to drop out of school at Grade 7. He joined [[Kerala Kalamandalam]], in 1965, at the age of 14, to learn [[Kathakali]].

During that period, the renowned Koodiyattam maestro, [[Painkulam Raman Chakyar]], was in the process of setting up the Koodiyattam department at Kalamandalam and, on the insistence of [[Vallathol Narayana Menon]], the founder of the institute, and K. N. Pisharody, Sivan changed his course to study Koodiyattam, as one of the two students of the first batch of Koodiyattam.<ref name="The Hindu Bio" /> Sivan was fortunate to learn the art from the masters such as Painkulam Raman Chakyar, [[Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair]] (Kathakali thespian), and [[Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval]] (Chenda exponent).<ref name="Kerala Tourism" /><ref name="Artist's web site" />

After the initial study of 6 years, Sivan enrolled for the post graduate course of 2 years at Kalamandalam. This was followed by an advanced course in New Delhi, with the help of a scholarship from the Department of Culture, Government of India.<ref name="Kerala Tourism" /><ref name="Artist's web site" />

In 1975, he joined Kerala Kalamandalam as an instructor in the Faculty of Koodiyattam and, at present, is the most experienced teacher there. In 1980, [[University of Calicut]] invited him to be a part of the School of Drama where is working as a visiting professor since then.<ref name="Artist's web site" />

Sivan Namboodiri is married to Indira, [[Sanskrit]] teacher at a local school and the couple has two children. The family lives in Palakkad.<ref name="The Hindu Bio" />

==Career highlights==
The highlight of Sivan Namboodiri's career came in Paris, when he performed two acts, ''Kailasoddhaaranam'' ([[Ravana]] lifting [[Mount Kailasa]]) and ''Parvathiviraham'' ([[Goddess Parvathi]]'s separation from [[Lord Siva]]), before a UNESCO jury to select art forms to be considered for inclusion in UNESCO's [[Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity]]. The jury approved the inclusion of Koodiyattam subsequent to the show.<ref name="The Hindu Interview">{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/an-inimitable-artiste/article2949939.ece | title=The Hindu Interview | newspaper=The Hindu | date=March 2012 | access-date=27 July 2014}}</ref>

He also performed in Germany at the Cologne Festival in 1980.<ref name="The Hindu">{{cite web | url=http://www.hindu.com/mag/2005/01/30/stories/2005013000440500.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050204151232/http://www.hindu.com/mag/2005/01/30/stories/2005013000440500.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=4 February 2005 | work=[[The Hindu]] | title=Title unknown | date=2005-01-30 | access-date=27 July 2014}}</ref>

==Legacy==
Sivan Namboodiri was the first artist from outside the [[chakyar]] community to perform Koodiyattam. He is also considered as the first person to learn Koodiyattam in an institutional way; till his entry, Koodiyattam was taught under the [[gurukula]] system. Another first attributed to Sivan Namboodiri is that he was the first male to perform [[Nangyar Koothu]] which was the domain of [[Nangiaramma|nangiars]], the ladies from [[Nambiar (Ambalavasi/Mizhavu)|Nambiar]] community. He is also credited with revolutionizing the Koodiyattam costumes and accompanying music.<ref name="Amazon">{{cite book | title=Amazon | isbn=8188698083 }}</ref>

==Awards and recognitions==
2007 He Got Sangeet Natak academy award for Kutiyattam
* [[Padma Shri]] - 2012<ref name="Govt announcement" /><ref name="Amazon" />
* Margi Gold Medal for Best Young Koodiyattam Performer - 1970<ref name="Amazon" /><ref name="Awards">{{cite web | url=http://www.heritageindia.org/KS/achievements.html | title=Awards | access-date=27 July 2014 | archive-date=12 August 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812081444/http://www.heritageindia.org/KS/achievements.html | url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Margi Gold Medal for Best Young Koodiyattam Performer - 1971<ref name="Amazon" /><ref name="Awards" />
* Margi Gold Medal for Best Young Koodiyattam Performer - 1972<ref name="Amazon" /><ref name="Awards" />
* Natyakala Ratnam Award of Calcutta Malayalee Association - 1992<ref name="Awards" />
* Junior Fellowship - the [[Ministry of Human Resource Development (India)|Ministry of Human Resource Development]], Department of Culture, New Delhi - 1995<ref name="Awards" />
* [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]] for Koodiyattam - 1998<ref name="Amazon" /><ref name="Awards" />
* [[Mrinalini Sarabhai]] Award for Classical excellence - 1999 (he is the first recipient of the award)<ref name="Amazon" /><ref name="Awards" />
* Certificate of appreciation from the [[Smithsonian Institution|Smithsonian Institution, Washington]]<ref name="Amazon" /><ref name="Awards" />

==Works==
[[Invis Multimedia]] has brought out an almost hour-long video on the performance of Sivan Namboodiri.<ref name="Kutiyattam Kailasodharanam">{{cite AV media | url=https://www.amazon.com/Kutiyattam-Kailasodharanam-Kalamandalam-Sivan-Namboodiri/dp/8188698083 | title=Kutiyattam Kailasodharanam | publisher=[[Invis Multimedia]] | date=5 May 2006 | medium=NTSC on DVD |author=Kalamandalam Sivan Namboodiri |isbn=8188698083}}</ref>
* {{cite book
| title = Kutiyattam Kailasodharanam
| author = Kalamandalam Sivan Namboothiri
| year = 2005
| publisher = Invis Multimedia
|isbn=8188698083
}}

==See also==
{{Portal|India}}
* [[Koodiyattam]]
* [[Mani Madhava Chakyar]]
* [[Ammannur Madhava Chakyar]]
* [[Painkulam Raman Chakyar]]
* [[Mani Damodara Chakyar]]
* [[Ammannur Rajaneesh Chakyar]]
* [[Natyakalpadrumam]]
* [[Arts of Kerala]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{YouTube|MItlDo6Zhn4|Performance - 1}}
* {{YouTube|PSZm3SsaQ0A|Performance - 2}}
* {{YouTube|AqVwZZO82GA|Performance - 3}}
* {{YouTube|o_RPvlTipFo|Performance - 4}}
* {{YouTube|xaj1WOLsH9I|Performance - 5}}
* {{YouTube|kKDkuoFhNR8|Performance - 6}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Art}}
{{Dance in India}}

{{UNESCO Oral and Intangible music}}
{{Padma Award winners of Kerala}}
{{Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Winners of Kerala}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Namboodiri, Kalamandalam Sivan}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts]]
[[Category:Malayali people]]
[[Category:Arts of Kerala]]
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]
[[Category:Dancers from Kerala]]
[[Category:People from Thrissur district]]
[[Category:Koodiyattam dancers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dancers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]]

Kalamandalam Sivan Namboodiri - Revision history

Tanwarpal Singh at 04:26, 12 January 2026