A Rare act
Dasama Koothu / Dasamam
Dasamakoothu / Dasamam
Dasamakoothu is an ancient practise of acting the story of Lord Krishna as told in the 10th canto of the Bhagavatha Purana. It is traditionally performed during the death rites of an Akkithiri brahmin (performer of the Soma sacrifice) belonging to one of the families in the Irinjalakuda village.
After almost 150 years it was performed by Dr Aparna Nangiar in 2014, in Irinjalakuda. She has adapted Dasamakoothu for the modern stage and gives public performances of individual episodes like Santanagopalam and Rukmini Swayamvaram.
A ritual dance for obsequies
The srauta sacrifice of the Namboothiris of Kerala is a living tradition. Among the ancient villages where the the ‘Agni’ is kept alive, one of the most prominent is the Irinjalakuda gramam. A Brahmin who has performed the ‘Athirathram’ soma sacrifice is held in high esteem and considered at par with the Gods and is called an ‘Akkithiri’. When an Akkithiri of one of the Irinjalakuda families passes away, as part of the death rites, there is a custom of performing a Chutala Koothu (Dance of the cremation ground) or Dasama Koothu (Dance of the 10th canto of Bhagavata purana).
After the burning of the funeral pyre with the sacred Agni that the Akkithiri had tended to, the mortal remains are collected in a pot. For the next ten days while the rituals and obsequies are observed, a Nangiar enacts the the tenth canto of the Bhagavata Purana in front of the wife and sons of the deceased. The performance is filled with ritual elements and is performed under the guidance of a vaidika (priest).
This performance covers the story of Lord Krishna from his incarnation to his ascent of heaven and is different from Nangiarkoothu which recounts only the first half of the life of Lord Krishna.
There is evidence of such a performance about 150 years ago. After a long interval, a chutalakoothu was performed by Aparna Nangiar after the passing away of Naduvam-mana Narayanan Akkithiripad in 2014 at Irinjalakuda, under the able guidance of Pantal Vaidikan Damodaran (Unni) Namboodiripad and Ammannur Kuttan Chakyar.
A report
Dr Aparna Nangiar has adapted the centuries old dasama koothu for the modern stage. She presented 'Santanagopalam' at Trivandrum in 2019 under the auspices of the Koodiyattam Kendra. This was the first ever presentation of Dasama koothu for a public audience. She continues to present episodes of the dasamakoothu such as Rukminiswayamvaram, Syamantakam and Rajasuyam.
Reviews
There is evidence of such a performance about 150 years ago. After a long interval, a chutalakoothu was performed by Aparna Nangiar after the passing away of Naduvam-mana Narayanan Akkithiripad in 2014 at Irinjalakuda, under the able guidance of Pantal Vaidikan Damodaran (Unni) Namboodiripad and Ammannur Kuttan Chakyar.
A report
Dr Aparna Nangiar has adapted the centuries old dasama koothu for the modern stage. She presented 'Santanagopalam' at Trivandrum in 2019 under the auspices of the Koodiyattam Kendra. This was the first ever presentation of Dasama koothu for a public audience. She continues to present episodes of the dasamakoothu such as Rukminiswayamvaram, Syamantakam and Rajasuyam.
Reviews
The story of Ghrataci & the Nangiar lore
There is an associated lore about the nangiar women. When Bharata Muni was putting up a performance of Lakshmi swayamvara for the devas in heaven, Urvasi donned the role of Lakshmi and another apsaras by the name Ghrataci donned the role of Lakshmi’s maid (sakhi). Just then, the soul of a deceased Agnihotri Brahmin (sacrificial fire worshipper) entered the heavens and Ghrataci was awestruck by the splendor of his presence. Distracted from her role in the performance, she was cursed by Bharata to be born a mortal.
As atonement it was prescribed that she would regain her divinity when she completes 101 performances of Sri Krishna Charitham koothu in the presence of a deceased Agnihotri’s remains (Dasama koothu). The Nangiars are said to be descendants of this tradition of Sri Krishna Charitam koothu performers.
