‘Gandhi Seva Sadan- Kathakali and Classic Arts Academy’ popularly known as “SADANAM KATHAKALI AKADEMY", was started in 1953 as a cultural wing of GANDHI SEVA SADAN. It is the third Kathakali training center of Kerala after Kerala Kalamandalam and P.S.V. Natyasangam.
(Founder - Sri. K Kumaran)

Location 

It is functioning in a panoramic, sprawling ten acre campus of its own in Perur Village of Ottapalam Taluk of Palakkad District, in Kerala, some 12 kilometers east of and 22 kilometers west of Ottapalam and Palakkad Railway Stations respectively. Nedumbassery(Cochin), Karipur(Calicut) and Coimbatore are the nearest Airports. It is about 200 metres from Pathiripala bus stop on the Shornur-Palakkad Bus route.

Management

The growth of Sadanam Kathakali Academy was so fast that it had to be separated from the parent  body during 1973 and was made an independent entity, as a registered society under societies Registration Act XXI of 1860, with its own Constitution, Bye laws and Governing body. Kathakali Sadanam  celebrated its Golden Jubilee on the 17^th and 18^th of January 2003.

Auditorium

It has a beautiful semi circular Auditorium with a seating capacity of about 800. The auditorium is specially designed to stage Kathakali Programmes.

A short note on Kathakali :

Kathakali is a form of dance drama. Elements of music, dance , painting, poetry and drama blend in a unique way to make this art form stand out amongst other classical dance forms. Kathakali has evolved from classical dance forms such as Koodiyattam and also imbibed elements of several folk art forms that existed in Kerala. The many aspects of traditional rituals and ceremonies that Kathakali picked up on its evolutionary course from various folk arts, has since then become its integral part. 

The classical elements of this art form comprise Natya (enactment-histronics), Nritha (Pure Dance), Nrithya(the element of dance with emphasis on expressions of emotions).

Geetha (song, vocal) and Vadya (accompanying instruments) supplement these elements to perfection to yield a complete theatrical art form.

Kathakali is better appreciated and understood  with an understanding of  Mudras - gestures of hands. The actors in a sense, translates background music into dance and drama. A story is frame-worked within an intricate array of lyrics and poems. 

Unique Features

The three unique and striking features that make Kathakali an unparalleled form of performing art are

Sophisticated language of Mudras  :  with 24 basic Mudras (hand and finger gestures ) Kathakali has a total sophisticated language.  When the drama is enacted on the stage, Kathakali characters communicate with each other through this sophisticated language, body movements and facial expressions. 600 to 700 gestures are there in common use. 

Complete control of the eye balls and the different muscles in the face, so that the different emotions could be expressed and exhibited in a superb manner.  (For instance the Kathakali artistes can rotate the eyeballs clockwise or anti-clockwise from corner to corner both ways etc.)

Flexibility and complete control of all part of the body. This is achieved by intensive physical training and oil massaging (Uzhichil) of the body.  It takes years for a Kathakali artist to master the above said features.

Kathakali costuming is intricate, elaborate and colourfull and it takes 2^1/2 to 3 hours for the make up.

Plays

The stories that are enacted in Kathakali are mostly adapted from the great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharatha. The stories most popularly staged are those written by accomplished poets. The lyrics, by themselves  form beautiful literature. They are tuned to suit the different emotions and situations of the play.