Kathakali performance “Kiraatam”
Artists: Kalamandalam Hari R Nair, FACT Biju Bhaskar, Kalamandalam Radhakrishnan, Kalamandalam Radhakrishnan, Vengeri Narayanan, Kalamandalam Sreejith, Kalamandalam Harish, Kalamandalam Vineeth
13th Jan, 2018, 6:00 – 7:30 PM
Saj Earth Resort (Location)
The story of Kiratham, is an episode from the epic Mahabharatha, rewritten by Erattakulangara Rama Wariyar adapted for Kathakali theatre performance. The story is narrated in four scenes beginning with Arjuna, the Pandava prince journey to Kailasa for the tapass (an asceticism) to Lord Shiva in order to obtain Pashupatasthra, a weapon to strengthen his armory.
Lord Shiva on the insistence of his wife Parvathi, agrees to give him the boon for the weapon but on the condition that Arjuna should be tested whether to be given the power of the weapon as it can be fatal in the wrong hands.
Meanwhile, Duryodhana, Arjuna’s cousin and opponent tries to thwart Arjuna’s efforts and arranges the demon, Mukasura to kill him. Lord Shiva times his test of Arjuna accordingly so as to kill Mukasura also and he arrives along with Parvati as a Tribal hunter couple. (Kattalan & Kattalasthree)
Mukasura disguised as a wild pig charges on Arjuna and as Arjuna shoots his arrow, the Kattalan also shoots his and Mukasura gets killed, hit by both the arrows. Kattalan gets into an argument with Arjuna as they both claim that their arrow killed the boar. It leads to fierce fight between the two and despite the Kattalasthree’s(Parvathi) warning to Arjuna that the Kattalan is not an ordinary being, Arjuna continues to fight desperately and consequently loses his weapons and also stripped off his false pride and ego. He starts praying to Lord Shiva and finally realizes as the tribal couple reveal their divine identity. Arjuna seeks their blessing and is bestowed by Lord Shiva, the divine weapon, Pashupatasthra.