Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon

Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon (1880–1948)
Great Kathakali reformer.
Born	Cheththalloor, Kerala,  India
Years active	1896-1947
Spouse(s)	Ammukkutty Amma
Website	www.kalapadmanabhatrust.co.in

Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon (1880-1948) was a pivotal figure in the history of Kathakali, having played a crucial role in remoulding and refining its grammar in the famed Kalluvazhi tradition of the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India. He was trained in the art form at a culture-patronising Namboodiri mansion in Vellinezhi near his home, even as his genius ensured that Menon later redrew the aesthetics of Kathakali and its future profile altogether.

Young Ravunni, a native of Chethallur in present-day Palakkad district, was groomed in Kathakali by the renowned Kalluvazhi Kuyilthodi Ittirarissa Menon at Olappamanna Mana with Kariyattil Koppan Nair and Malankattil Sankunni Nair as his co-students. Ittiraricha Menon's demise led to Ravunni Menon becoming the chief tutor at Olappamanna, since when he started handling lead roles (Aadyavasana vesham) on Kathakali stages. He was initially associated with the Manjeri Kaliyogam (Kathakali institution-cum-troupe).

Menon, who was till then said to be focused solely on the body movement aspect of Kathakali, acquired a major asset in his profession when he imbibed the essence of emotive acting (rasabhinaya) under Kunjunni Thampuran. It gave birth to a new chapter in the Kalluvazhi style, noted for its economy of space while moving the body, well-defined hand gestures, their clinical synchronisation with the musical beats and percussion accompaniment. This quantum improvement later helped him earn quite a few epoch-defining Kathakali disciples when he joined Kerala Kalamandalam in 1933 and worked there for a decade. Prominent among the pupils are Thekkinkattil Ramunni Nair, Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair, Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair and Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair (who was also his son). He was also teacher to reputed artistes like Mampuzha Madhava Panikkar, Kavungal Sankarankutty Panikkar, Kariyattil Kumaran, Kunhunni Nair, Guru Gopinath, Madhavan, Guru Kelu Nair, Sivaraman, Sivasankaran, Krishnan, Kattissery Raman, Balakrishnan and Krishnankutty Varrier.