Chavara Parukutty

Chavara Parukutty was a classical dancer and theatre artist of Indian origin. Chavara Parukutty Amma was the youngest of three children born to Naniyamma and N. Shankaran Achary, a goldsmith, in Kerala. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Economics from the Fatima Mata National College. Although initially trained in classical dance, she switched to Kathakali in her teenage years, learning from her first teacher, Muthupilakkadu Gopala Panikker. Chavara Parukutty Amma's debut performance was at the Kottankulangara Devi Temple in Chavara when she was 14 years old, at a time when women were hesitant to take up the genre.

The Kathakali field was traditionally male-dominated, with men playing both male and female roles. Parukutty Amma mainly took on female roles but also portrayed male roles. As the daughter of a goldsmith, she faced obstacles in obtaining admission to a local dance school, Leelamani Nrithakalalayam, where she was relegated to minor roles. Despite joining Poruvazhi Sreekrishnavilasm Kaliyogam and eventually performing major parts in the dance drama, her name barely appeared in festival brochures. Parukutty Amma was fortunate to secure admission to a Kathakali institute, which provided her with credentials that other women lacked, putting them at a severe disadvantage.

However, her career was still challenging, and she struggled to make a living from it. Parukutty Amma made her debut with the dance drama Poothanamoksham in 1958, playing the role of Lalita, the benevolent manifestation of the demoness Poothana sent by Kamsa to kill baby Krishna. She then began training in male roles under Poruvazhi Gopala Pillai, and her first presentation was as Bhima in Kalyanasaugandhikam. Mankulam Vishnu Namboothiri, a Kathakali doyen, saw her performance and further trained her in every female role in Kathakali.

Parukutty Amma's portrayal of Devayani, in particular, was praised for her command of nuance and emotion, as she beheld Kacha for the first time. She also played the male role of Kacha on many occasions. In 2003, Parukutty Amma established Kerala Natya Dhara, a dance school in Sankaramangalam. The Mathrubhumi Grihalakshmi and Kerala Kalamandalam awards were awarded to her. Her life and achievements were documented in the film Chavara Parukutty: Kathakaliyile Sthree Parvam produced by P.R. Sreekumar. She breathed her last on 7 February 2019.