Kutiyattam: Evolution of its Female Tradition

Kutiyattam: Evolution of its Female Tradition is an attempt to codify and systematize the nuances and techniques of the female tradition in Kutiyattam. The work traces the evolution of the female performance legacy from the time of its existence as a ritual to the present, from its existence as a temple rite through the role of women as narrators in Kutiyattam to the female performers’ strategies of resistance. Most of the practitioners who believe in the existence of an unbreakable female tradition, are but unaware of what has made it an unbreakable continuum. They know the importance of women in Kutiyattam but many a time that knowledge stops with the fact that Kutiyattam gave a space for women on the stage. However, it is obvious that a mere presence on the stage will not sustain a lineage, that too for centuries. There are other elements theatrical, aesthetic and innovative that have made the tradition progressive, strong and living. An analysis of those elements could provide a theoretical documentation of the tradition which may also benefit national and international women’s theatre practices.