Varanasi Vishnu Namboothiri

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Varanasi Vishnu Namboothiri
വാരാണസി വിഷ്ണു നമ്പൂതിരി
Born(1937-01-20)20 January 1937
Mavelikkara, British India
Died28 January 2020(2020-01-28) (aged 83)
Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta district, India
NationalityIndian
CitizenshipIndia
Alma materKerala Kalamandalam
Occupationinstrumentalist
Spouse(s)Saraswati Antharjanam
Children2
Parent(s)Narayanan Namboodiri, Draupati Antharjanam
AwardsSangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kerala Kalamandalam Vadya Award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Gurupooja award
Musical career
GenresKathakali music
InstrumentsMaddalam
Years active1952-2002

Varanasi Vishnu Namboothiri is a Maddalam exponent from Kerala, India, best known for playing Maddalam for Kathakali performances. He received several noted awards including Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Gurupooja Award and Kerala Kalamandalam Award.

Biography[]

Vishnu Namboothiri was born on January 20, 1937, in Mavelikkara in present-day Alappuzha district to Varanasi Illam Narayanan Namboothiri and Draupadi Antarjan.[1] He is the brother of famous Kathakali chenda artist .[1] They were known as the Varanasi Brothers.[1]

He started practicing Maddalam during his high school years.[2] Karuvatta Kumarapanikkar and Vennimala Ramavaryar introduced Vishnu Namboothiri to play Maddalam.[3] He received his expert Maddalam training from Kerala Kalamandalam under Kalamandalam Appukutty Pothuval and Kalamandalam Nambisankutty and from Unnai Warrier Memorial Kalanilayam under Chalakudy Narayanan Nambisan.[3]

Vishnu Namboothiri is well known for playing Maddalam for Kathakali and has performed with renowned Kathakali artists such as Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, , , , Guru Gopinath, Champakulam Pachu Pillai and .[3] He made his debut in 1952 at the Mavelikkara Mannur Math Palace Shiva Temple.[2] He stopped his performances in 2002 with the death of his brother.[1] But later, in 2012, at the time of Lavanasura Vadham Kathakali in Mavelikkara Kandiyoor temple, he again played Maddalam at the insistence of the audience.[1]

He is a former board member of Kerala Kalamandalam and Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi.[1] He was Mel Santhi (head priest) of Mavelikkara Mannur Math Palace Lord Shiva temple.[1]

Personal life and death[]

He and his wife Payyannur Koroth Velliyott Illam Saraswati Antharjanam have 2 children.[1] He died at a private hospital in Thiruvalla on 2020 January 28.[1] The funeral was held in the courtyard of his house with official honors from Kerala government.[1]

Awards and honors[]

  • Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2015)[1]
  • Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Gurupooja Award (2007)[4]
  • Kerala Kalamandalam Vadya Award (2009)[5]
  • Kalamandalam Hyderali Memorial Award[6]
  • Travancore Devaswom Board's Kalaratnam[1]
  • Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham has been awarded him the title Asthana Vidwan (Head Scholar)[1]
  • Chennithala Chellappan Pillai Memorial Award[2]
  • Kalamandalam Padmashree Krishnan Nair Memorial Award[2]
  • Kalamandalam Appukutty Pothuval Memorial Award[2]
  • Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Pothuval Memorial Kalasagar Award[2]
  • Kannur Neelakanthar Memorial Kathakali Award[2]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "വാരണ‍ാസി വിഷ്ണു നമ്പൂതിരി അന്തരിച്ചു". ManoramaOnline (in Malayalam).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g ഡെസ്ക്, വെബ് (28 January 2020). "വാദ്യകുലപതി വാരണാസി വിഷ്ണു നമ്പൂതിരി നിര്യാതനായി | Madhyamam". www.madhyamam.com (in Malayalam).
  3. ^ a b c Staff Reporter (28 January 2020). "Maddalam maestro Varanasi Vishnu Namboothiri is dead". The Hindu.
  4. ^ "Gurupooja, Awards, Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Akademi, Culture Department". www.keralaculture.org.
  5. ^ "Kalamandalam fellowship for Narayanan Nambeeshan". The New Indian Express.
  6. ^ "Bags Kalamandalam Hyderali award". The New Indian Express.
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