About the Legend
Sri Chennithala Chellappan Pillai, renowned Kathakali Vesham artiste was born on 1st June 1924 at Othara House in Chennithala Thripperumthura Village of Mavelikara Taluk which is in Alappuzha district of Kerala as the son of Shri Krishna panicker and parvathi Amma. After his primary education, he undergone his initial training on Kathakali under his Grand Father Guru Chennithala Kochu Pillai Pannicker who was a veteran Kathakali artiste and poet. At the age of 15 he started his kathakali career as performing Krishna vesham in the Rugmini Swayamvaram Kathakali at Thripperumthura Mahadevar Temple. Further he undergone Kathakali training at the gurukulam of famous kathakali giant Guru Chengannur Raman Pillai. Gurukula type training helped him to attain companionship of prof. Mankombu Sivasankara pillai, Madavoor Vasudevan Nair and Harippad Ramakrishna Pillai and oyoor kochu Govind Pillai who also came up as veteran Kathakali artistes. Chennithala, the exponent of Thekkan Chitta Kathakali had won many merit certificates and awards. MKK Nayar Award, Thirunakkara KshethramKerala Kala Mandalam, International Kathakali centre, New Delhi, Keraleeya kala kshethram, Kollam Kathakali Club, Alappuzha Kathakali Club, kalamandalam Krishnan Nair Smaraka Gurukulam Drisyavedi, Malayalee Samajam Chennai are few among these awardes. He had performed kathakali at France, England, Checkoslavakia,Germany etc. Government of India had bestowed with Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademy Award during 1991. He had many deciples out of which Sri Natyasala Gireeshan and Mozhoor Rajendra Gopinath have acclaimed as good Kathakali artistes. He had performed this art in more than ten thousand stages during his 57 years kathakali career. His wife Thankamma is a house wife and presently staying at his house at Sreerengam, Chennithala.He have two sons- Ambujakshan Nair and Sreenivasan and three daughters- Sreekumari, Geetha and Sreelatha. He expired on 31st October 1998 following a cardiac arrest.
Shri Chennithala Chellappan Pillai – A Tribute
Shri Chennithala Chellappan Pillai was one of the celebrated Kathakali Artistes of 20th century. He was well known for his uniqueness and ingenuity of improvisational roles in Kathakali.
Shri Chennithala Chellappan Pillai was born in the village of Chennithala near Mavelikara in Alleppey District of Kerala in the year 1924. His initial training of Kathakali was under his grand father Shri Chennithala Kochu Pilla Panicker. At the age of 15 Shri Chellappan Pillai had performed his debut role as Shri Krishna in Rugminiswayamvaram at Chennithala Thripperumthurai Mahadevar Temple.
Later Shri Chellappan Pillai got his training under the renowed Guru Shri Chengannur Raman Pillai. Even though Shri Chellappan Pillai had not gained sufficiant Kalari training in Kathakali, he became one of the very popular exponent of this art-form. Highly and justly respected for his hard work on the stage Shri Chellappan Pillai was applauded particularly for his roles of Kachan, Rugmangadan, Harichandran, Karnan, Arjunan, Shrikrishnan, Shriraman and Pushkaran. After the era of Shri Kurichi Kunjan Paniker, Shri Chellappan Pillai became famous in the role of Hamsam in Nalacharitham, like Shri Oyoor Govinda Pillai. Shri Chennithala Chellappan Pillai was known for his performance in Pacha, Kathi as well as Kari veshams. His performance in all these variety of veshams acclaimed widely in Kerala and other parts of the country. During London and Germany Tour, with FACT Kathakali Group, Shri Chellappan Pillai performed Duryodhanan in ‘Mahabharatham’ Kathakali.
His roles as Kachan in Devayani Charitham, Rugmangadan in Rugmangada Charitham, and Mandrikan in Nizhalkuthu are also among his best characterisations. The standard set by him in playing characters in al most Pacha veshams and minikku veshams like Naradan, Sukran,Manthrikan and kari veshams Kattalan in Nalacharitham 2 are now considered by many connoisseurs as the yardstick for evaluating the portrayal of these characters.
For his brilliance in Kathakai, ,Shri Chellappan Pillai was honoured by various institutions including Kerala Kalamandalam. He was honoured with the prestigious Sangeeth Natak Akademi Award in 1991 at Jaipur for his contribution to Kathakali. The Kerala Kalamandalam Award was presented to him in 1996. Above all he was honoured with so many awards from many Kathakali Clubs and Organisations in and around Kerala. He has received many awards but most of all he cherishes the love and respect shown to him by other Kathakali artists and by his admirers.
On many occasions, Trivandrum Dooradarsan have recorded and telecast Shri Chellappan Pillai’s excellent performances as Kachan, Bhimasenan, Hamsam, Naradan etc.
S/Shri Mozhoor Rajendra Gopinath, Gowreesapattam Gireesan and Natyasala Ramesh were trained Kathakali under Shri Chellappan Pillai.
S/Shri Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, Kalamandalam Krishnan Kutty Poduval, Mankombu Sivasankara Pillai, Thakazhi Kuttan Pillai are some of the starwalts of Kathakali, who helped Shri Chellappan Pillai to become a popular artiste. Still the Kathakali lovers of Kerla talk about Shri Chellappan Pillai’s roles in Nalacharitham 1st Day’s Hamsam, Manthrikan in Nizhalkuthu, Kachan in Devayani Charitham etc., which were his master-pice veshams.
Shri Chellappan Pillai breathed his last in 31st October 1998 due to Cardiac Arrest.
In memory of Shri Chennithala Chellappan Pillai, a Cultural Society is formed by the name ‘CHENNITHALA CHELLAPAN PILLAI SMARAKA KALA SAMSKARIKA SAMITHI’. This Society is conducting his memmorial functions called ‘GURUVANDANAM’, on 31st October of every year by honouring one senior artiste from the Kathakli field in his native, Chennithala, Kerala.
