SAKHA, July 18, 2012 (indrus.in): Thousands of miles away from the backwaters of Kerala, Kuttiyattam performers from the southern Indian state staged performances of the Sanskrit theatre in the Russian Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The theatre-group was in the Russian internal republic for the ‘Masterpieces of UNESCO in Olonkho Land Festival’ that was held on July 10-16. The festival was held alongside the Children of Asia sports tournament that brought together under-16 athletes from across the continent.
The Indian artists were joined by performers from Indonesia, Bhutan, South Korea, China and Japan as well as groups from the Asian part of Russia. The festival, which carried the same motto as the games, “From Friendship in Sport to Peace on Earth,” focussed on showcasing various Asian cultures to the people of Yakuti.
The festival, which had performances from 13 countries, was inaugurated with a Kuttiyattam performance. Kutiyattam is traditionally performed in Hindu Temples in Kerala in the Sanskrit language and is about 2,000 years old. Since Sakha doesn’t have a Hindu temple, a jam-packed Yakutsk State Opera and Ballet Theatre hosted the performances. The audience was stunned by the power of expression displayed by the actors portraying Lord Rama, Ravana and his wife princess Mandodari. The performers managed to convey all the intricate emotions by their subtle mimicking and singing accompanied by exquisite drumbeats.