Dec 6, 1999

Margi Madhu, 31
Dancer

THE BEACON
Kootiyattam exponent Margi Madhu Chakyar is busy being a beacon for an endangered species. Son of celebrated guru Moozhikkulam Kochukuttan Chakyar, Madhu is like a torch-bearer for this ancient art form -- an older version of Kathakali -- that is a mix of dance, music, mime and theatre.

Madhu, and his elder brother Margi Narayanan, are working to popularise the theatre form. This requires him to wear two hats. As a brilliant performer -- many say among the best in this century -- he is bringing back audiences to a dance that would have died because people preferred the more colourful Kathakali. And as a lecturer of Kootiyattam in the Sree Sankara Sanskrit University, he's inspiring a new generation of performers. "I'm content grooming a few enthusiasts," he says. Rebirth always has a small beginning.

-M.G. Radhakrishnan

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