Palakkad: Vellinezhi village, on the outskirts of Palakkad, is an abode to several art forms, where the flowing breeze itself is enriched by the sway of its cultural inheritance and legends. A young group of media enthusiasts has joined their hands to unravel the lore of Vellinezhi to the world.
Vishnu Achutha Menon, a young media scholar, and his team is on a pursuit to explore the known and unknown legends and the roots of dominant art forms in Vellinizhi and present to the world ‘Vellinezhi Kalagramam’ a 60 minute documentary incorporating more than 30 interviews with living legends, on their expertise on various art forms and glimpses of the art.
Vellinezhi village, on the banks of Kunti river, is an home to 46 art forms including Kathakali, Kuttiyattam, Ottamthullal, Krishnanattam and Pulluvan Pattu. In a bid to preserve and promote its cultural heritage, the village was declared as ‘Cultural Village’ by the state government in 2012.
“Vellinezhi has always been an interest for people who adore arts and folklore, but it is the first attempt ever made to compile the sage of Vellinezhi’s cultural heritage and its scenic beauty”, said Vishnu Achutha Menon, Director, ’Vellinezhi Kalagramam’.
Apart from its rich cultural background, Vellinezhi is also known for its rich paddy fields and its architecture, where ‘Olapamana’, a 300-year-old ‘ettukettu’ home stands erect, with the sleeping tales of feudalism prevailed in Kerala long back and home for Kathakali studies in the 20th century is a major attraction to the tourist who visits the village.
‘Thaadiyarngu’, renown festival were more than 80 Kathakali artist performs particular scenes, instead of the whole story is a grand fest and people from different part of the world reaches Vellinezhi to witness the act.
“The most interesting thing which I am encountering right now is the more I go deep in quest of tales, the more it unknots and seems unmanageable to exclude even a single tale,” told, Sasi Sekhar, scriptwriter of the film.
The crew of Vellnezhi Kalagramam will start reeling the film by February and would be presenting the documentary to Kerala Tourism and Development Board in order to promote the art forms and its legacy to the world.
R Krishnanunni