Kunchan Nambiar was an early Malayalam poet, performer, satirist and the inventor of the Kerala art form of Ottamthullal.

Kunjan Nambiar was born in Kerala on May 5 1705, in Palakkad, Kerala.

Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan and Cherusseri Namboothiri and Nambiar are known as the ancient triumvirate.

Nambiar learnt Kalaripayattu and Sanskrit before moving to the court of Marthanda Varma in 1748.

He had established himself as a poet by the time he reached the royal court.

He introduced Ottamthullal to the masses in the 18th century.

The motivation behind creating Ottamthullal is that Nambiar was made fun of by the Chakyar for sleeping while playing Mizhavu during a Chakyar Koothu performance.

He created Ottamthullal to parody prevalent regional prejudices and sociopolitical conditions.

Ottamthullal is a dance and poetic performance.

It is usually accompanied by a Mridangam or an Idakka.

The performances take popular folktales from the past and satirise it with a lot of comedy.

He parodied everyone in attendance and didn’t spare even the rich (Which was a big deal back then).

The Chakyar complained to the King about Nambiar’s performances and Ottamthullal was banned in some of the temple complexes.

The performer is draped in colourful clothes and green makeup. 

Some of the performances similar to Ottamthullal are Parayanthullal and Seethankan Thullal.

Nambiar had written 64 works for the art form.

One of the most popular works of Ottamthullal is Kalyana Sougandhikam.

The main feature of the art was that it was conducted in Malayalam which most of the commoners could understand.

Back then, most of the performances included stylised or Sanskritised Malayalam which was not accessible to the common folks.

What we can understand is that art was used to spread a social message even back then.

Nambiar died of rabies in 1770.

May 5 is celebrated as Kunchan Day in Kerala.

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Sources:

Curating Kunchan Nambiar for the masses

Kunjan Nambiar Wikipedia

Story of the birth of Kunjan Nambiar

Ottan Thullal Wikipedia

That Inexplicable Tenth Rasa From An Actor-Dancer Who Collapsed And Died On Stage

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