Theatre practitioner Apurva Arthur has broken gender barriers by becoming the first woman student at Kerala Kalamandalam to complete her Mizhavu arangettam, bridging contemporary theatre and ancient ritual tradition.
- Apurva Arthur is the first female student in the Mizhavu department of Kerala Kalamandalam to achieve her arangettam.
- The Mizhavu is a copper, pot-shaped percussion instrument essential to Koodiyattam and Koothu performances.
- Apurva's journey integrates her Dalit Christian heritage with a classical ritualistic art form.
On a cloudy morning of August 15 at Kerala Kalamandalam in Cheruthuruthi, near Thrissur, history was rewritten. Apurva Arthur, a second-year post-graduate student, became the first woman in the 96-year-old institution's history to perform her arangettam (stage debut) in the Mizhavu department. In a field traditionally dominated by men, her achievement marks a significant shift in the accessibility of classical percussion arts.
The Mizhavu is a formidable instrument—a large, copper, pot-shaped drum used to accompany Koodiyattam and Koothu forms like Nangiarkoothu and Chakiarkoothu. The instrument requires not only physical strength but an immense intellectual grasp of the attaprakaram (performance manual), as the percussionist sits behind the performer and must play without visual cues from the stage.
Why This Matters
BozokMedia analysis shows that Apurva's journey represents a convergence of contemporary artistic exploration and rigid classical tradition. The physical demands of the instrument—from the posture to stepping into the mizhavanna (wooden case)—have historically acted as a deterrent for women. By mastering these, Apurva has effectively dismantled a gendered architectural barrier in the performing arts.
"I didn’t take to the mizhavu, it found me... It was love at first sound." - Apurva Arthur
Apurva's path began in 2011 at Ranga Shankara in Bengaluru, leading her to Adishakti Theatre Arts in Auroville. However, her desire to understand the "classical language" and cultural roots of the instrument drove her to enroll at Kerala Kalamandalam. She views the Mizhavu not just as an instrument, but as a "dramaturg" that helps her connect the dots as an actor in contemporary theatre.
Adding a layer of profound social significance, Apurva, a Dalit Christian, reflects on her ancestral connection to the instrument. Coming from a family of traditional leather workers, she finds a poetic resonance in playing an instrument whose playing surface is made of leather, reclaiming a legacy through a high-art form.
Q1: What is the Mizhavu instrument?
A: It is a large copper pot-drum used specifically in the traditional Sanskrit theatre of Kerala known as Koodiyattam.
Q2: What is an Arangettam?
A: An Arangettam is the formal debut performance of a student after years of rigorous training in a classical art form.
