Paper short abstract:

Kūṭiyāṭṭam theatre is the only surviving form of the Sanskrit classical theatre. During the long history the Kūṭiyāṭṭam has established its very unique position as a part of ritual acitivities in Hindu temples in Kerala (South India).

Paper long abstract:

Kūṭiyāṭṭam is a sole surviving form of Sanskrit classical theatre. Kūṭiyāṭṭam theatre tradition concerns not only staging Sanskrit dramas, but also solo performing sub-forms called Naṅṅyār Kūttu and Cākyār Kūttu. In the course of history the Kūṭiyāṭṭam (all its stage components) has established its unique position as a temple ritual (on an annual basis) in various Hindu temples in Kerala (South India). The Kūṭiyāṭṭam theatre has developed its very own way of the stage presentation meeting all requirements of the ritual activities in the sacred performance place within the temples. A kūttampalam (a temple theatre) is one of five main temple buildings (pañca prāsāda). However, a purely aesthetic appeal of the stage art is not neglected at all. It may be said that both, aesthetic and ritual elements, are perfectly combined in the Kūṭiyāṭṭam theatre and the very essentials of the tradition. Up to the mid twentieth century stage activities of the Kūṭiyāṭṭam theatre tradition were confined to the temple premises. The moment of leaving the temples brought changes to the world of the Kūṭiyāṭṭam theatre that partly started operating outside the temple walls. In my paper I shall focus on the temple Kūṭiyāṭṭam performing activity that luckily still remains inside the temple walls.