Nātyakalpadrumam

Nātyakalpadrumam

Author	Māni Mādhava Chākyār
Original title	നാട്യകല്‍‌പദ്രുമം
Country	India
Language	Malayalam
Genre	Theatrical Study
Publisher	Kerala Kalamandalam, Vallathol Nagar (with financial assistance of Sangeet Natak Academi, New Delhi) National Book Stall, Kottayam- (distributors)
Publication date	1975, January
Media type	Print (Hardbound)
Pages	240pps

Nātyakalpadrumam (നാട്യകല്‍‌പദ്രുമം in Malayalam, नाट्यकल्पद्रुमम् in Devanagari) is a book written by (late) Nātyāchārya Vidūshakaratnam Padma Shri Guru Māni Mādhava Chākyār (who was the ultimate exponent of Koodiyattam and Abhinaya) about all aspects of ancient Sanskrit drama theatre tradition of Kerala- Kutiyattam. It was first published in Malayalam (1975) by Kerala Kalamandalam, with financial assistance of Sangeet Natak Academi, New Delhi. This monumental work serves as the reference to scholars and students. The entire book is written in the old Sanskrit text style closely following Nātyaśāstra. Both structure and content of the book illustrates the excellence of the author in both Sanskrit and Nātyaśāstra. It has received the prestigious Kerala Sahitya Academy Award for the year 1975. The book has been translated and published in Hindi by Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.

Natyakalpadruma- theatrical study written by Mani Madhava Chakiar the great Guru of Koodiyattam the traditional Sanskrit theatre, is divided into eight chapters. The cover photo shows the famous Pakarnnaatta-Abhinaya (male character enacting female character) of the maestro in Koodiyattam. Preface of the book is written by renowned scholar Shri Kunjunni Raja. The book contains Navarasa photos of the maestro along with many of his rare Koodiyattam photos.

The author begins his work with an introduction and a few benedictory and introductory versus written in Sanskrit language. Here he salutes Gods, Goddesses and his great Gurus like Panditaratnam Pannisseri Sankaran Nampoothiripad and His Highness Darsanakalanidhi Rama Varma Parikshith Thampuran. Then he summarises the beginning of Nātya and Nātyaveda as told by the great sage Bharata in his monumental work Nātyaśāstra and salutes the sage. Then in one stanza the author narrates his horoscope (Jataka) which depicts his scholarship in Jyotisha. Then again he prays for the blessings of sage Bharatha the propagator of Nātya on the earth.