Krishnattam (Krishnanattam) (Krishna's Play)

With a body adorned by wonderful, dazzling golden ornaments, clad in yellow garments, bearing the complexion of blue cloud, holding a mace, conch, disc and lotus in His hands, may that Lord Vishnu Himself, adding splendour to Guruvayur temple and dispelling the miseries of human beings all over the world, bestow honour up on my poem. (Translation by C.R. Swaminathan and Sudha Gopalakrishnan)

A comprehensive article on Krishnanattam (in three parts):

• Overview
• Performance
• History and origins

Introduction to Krishnattam or Krishnanattam (Krishna's Play)

An Introduction to Krishnattam in Malayalam

Krishnattam Summary: Play by Play, Scene by Scene

Krishnattam as a votive offering at Guruvayur Temple

Guruvayur Devaswom Web Site

Resources on Krishnattam

Photo Gallery

• Preliminary Rituals

  Preliminaries

• Plays
  

  Avataram

  Kaliyamardanam

  Rasakrida

  Kamsavadham

  Swayamvaram

  Banayuddham

  Vividavadham

  Swargarohanam

• Behind the Stage
  In the Green Room

• Episodes

  Episodes from Krishnattam

• Picture Book 2005

Vidyarambham Function
October 12, 2005

Members of Krishnattam Troupe, Guruvayur Devaswom

• Retired Members
• Current Members (2004)

Articles and Books

• An appreciation of Krishnattam Performance Theatre and the World - Performance and the Politics of Culture
  Rustom Bharucha
  First published by Manohar Publications, India (1990). Reprinted by Routledge, London (1993).
  Chapter ten: Preparing for Krishna
  This article was first published in the Journal of Arts and Ideas, New Delhi, No. 16, 1988.
  krishnanu venti orungal Malayalam translation of Preparing for Krishna

• Books
  1. Krishnanattam (Krishnagiti) with commentary in Malayalam by
     P.C. Vasudevan Elayath
     Published by Guruvayur Devaswom, Kerala, India.
  2. Krishnanattam
     Manavedakavi, Malayalam verse translation by M. Kunhan Varrier, with an introduction by P. V. Krishna Varrier. Published by Mangalodayam, Thrissur, Kerala (1940), pages 246.
  3. Krishnanattam
     A.C.G. Raja, Trichur, (1988).
  4. Krishnanattam - Krishnagiti
     With prose translation by P.C.V. Raja . Published by Manaveda's fourth birth centenary Celebration Committee, Guruvayur, (1988), pages 288.
  5. Krishnattam
     Martha Bush Ashton-Sikora and Robert P. Sikora
     Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi (1993)
     ISBN 81-204-0769-5
  6. Krishnagiti of Manaveda edited and translated by C. R. Swaminathan and Sudha Gopalakrishnan. Published by Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts, New Delhi and Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd., Delhi (1997). ISBN 81-208-1478-9. More about this book.

• Articles on Krishnattam on-line
  • On Krishnanattam by P.K.S. Raja

  • An Episode from the History of Krishnanattam Performance by P.K.S. Raja

  • Krishnattattile Pattu by L.S. Rajagopalan
    English translation Song in Krishnattam
    Krishnattattile Padangal - Ragavum Talavum

  • Krishnanattam - Then and Now by K. Velayudhan Nair

  • The Art of Devotion by Kavalam Narayana Panikkar

  A complied list of articles on Krishnattam

• Krishnattam related articles on-line
  • Living Heritage of Mask by Dr. Gautam Chatterjee

  • Krishna in Indian Art by Utpal K. Banerjee

  • Many Encounters with Ghantakarna An article on the many avatars of Ghantakarna who makes his appearance in the sixth play of Krishnattam, Banayuddham.

  • Kanthakarnan Theyyam - an eye-witness account

  • Composers Of Kerala by Dr. S. Venkitasubramonia Iyer.

  • A note on Manaveda, author of Krishnattam

Text of Thotayam of Krishnattam with English translation.

Krishnagiti Mahatmyam by Shri P.C. Ettanunni Raja (in sanskrit)

Krishnattam in the news

Krishnagiti celebration at Guruvayur

Krishnattam Judges

For resources on Mahabharata visit Mahabharata Resources Page on WWW

This site maintained by A. Harindranath.
With contributions from
A. Krishnadas
A. Purushothaman
A. Sriram
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