Kedamangalam Sadanandan - Revolutionising the art form of Kathaprasangam

Kedamangalam Sadananda, passes away leaving behind him a rich legacy of artistic tradition.

He was a doyen of one of the most popular revolutionising folk art of Kerala-Kathaprasangam-the art form of story telling . One cannot help remembering the glorious era of this art form

and the immense influence it had on the mind of an ordinary Malayalis.Satyadevan,M P Manmadan, K K Vadyar, P C Abraham, Joseph Kaimamparamban and V Sambasivan have all been famous proponents of this art form. Kathaprasangam had been an integral part of ancient Indian socio-religious gatherings and the themes were borrowed from epics, the Puranas and Hindu religious mythology. But its popularity rose in the 19 th and 20th century and Renaissance and socio-religious reform movements in Kerala society used it as a medium of educating the people the need of social economical reforms in Kerala society. It served as an unofficial medium for educating the people and voicing against social inequalities Works with a social message and of writers such as Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet), Ibsen, Tolstoy

(Anna Karanina), Dostoyevsky, Victor Hugo and many reformist Malayali writers, such as Asan, Vallatol and Ulloor have been adapted to form the tales expounded through Kathaprasangam. Kedamangalam also belonged to this category.He began his career in 1944 at the age of twenty performing on of Chengampuzha Krishnan Pillai's popular poem ''Vazhyakula'',a poem which picturises the pathetic plight of a 'kudian' or a tenant and the cruel oppression of the the 'Janmi"Two novels, Chandalabhikshuki and Karuna were favorites which enumerates the sad plight of the untouchables.Kedamangalam infact immortalised Chenganpuzha's 'Ramanan' a love

poem which he presented at almost 3476 stages. These artists were able to popularise socialist

ideologies that was prevalent in Europe even among the uneducated masses of India.The whole

hearted support that was rendered by social reformers like Sree Narayana Guru speaks of

the immense popularity of this art form among the masses.Kathaprasangam had similarities with other forms of art like Patakam, Harikatha but each had its own distinctive form of expressions. While Patakam is Kerala’s version of Purana Pravachana i.e. rendition of the Sanskrit Puranas in Malayalam to reach out to the common man, Harikatha is a direct
influence of the Tanjore style of Kathakalakshepam. but both had a religious character and its

audience was exclusively Hindus. In Kathaprasangam, the performer or artist uses Malayalam literary texts and pieces, high in satire and criticism to entertain the audience

with the tales having a high emotional contentand also to drive home the lesson of social changes.

The simple language used and the musical reiteration has appealed the common man led to the

spectacular popularity of this art form.