Mani Madhava Chakyar Quotes

...Mani Madhava Chakyar, the overarching titan of 20th-century Koodiyattam, whose histrionic powers and focused scholarship eventually gave his art world-wide audience (and a Unesco recognition)" - "The New Indian Express (2011)

“his Netraabhinaya is simply incomparable" - Kapila Vatsyayan (leading scholar of classical Indian dance), 1990

“Eyes, what an eloquent pair he has! He is able to express with them even the slightest difference in the mood” - L.S Rajagopalan (noted art critic), 1990

“Late Shri. Cakyar, was not just a skilled exponent and a capable teacher of Kutiyattam, his wisdom and depth of knowledge made him worthy of the title "Acharya" ” - Dr. Prem Lata Sharma (noted Hindi writer and scholar of Indian arts and literature), 1994

“When i say Abhinaya, oh, I can't do the abhinaya like what the great man did here yesterday” - Great Bharatanatyam dancer Balasaraswati next day after Chakyar's lecture-demonstration at Madras Music Academy in 1973.

"To Guru Mani Madhava Chakyar, Kutiyattam was more than art, it was life itself" - Mani Madhava Chakkyar: The Master at Work (film) - Kavalam N. Panickar, 1994

“the greatest eye-wizard of the world!” - Stella Kramrisch - Curator of Indian Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA, c1980

"(Guru Mani Madhava Chakiar) began playing the dual role of Parvati and Shiva...sat on a wooden chair...I have never ever seen a Parvati so exquisitely beautiful. I have never seen a Shiva so handsome and so cunning. I sat there and wept as if I were alone in the presence of God. I then realized what theatre was all about — the falsehood of that old man made me arrive at a state where inhibitions and convictions, all became so fluid and beautiful. And this vision has remained with me always" - Dr. Vijaya Mehta (Executive Director, National Center for Performing Arts- Bombay, acclaimed Indian theatre personality) about her experience of watching 72 year old Guru's Abhinaya of Parvativiraha

“..I felt angry when I learnt that a great artist like Mani Madhava Chakyar was awarded a mere Padma Shri. A man of his artistic genius and erudition deserved to be decorated with the highest state honour (Bharat Ratna)” - RKG (Editor, The Illustrated Weekly, Columnist for Times of India), 2000<ref>RKG, India : A Nation in Turmoil, Vedam Books, New Delhi (2000), , p. 256

“His historic talent was backed up by extraordinary erudition. Behind his wizardry with the eyes lay sustained practice undertaken with devotion and discipline” - L.S Rajagopalan (noted art critic), 1990

“His eyes were the unrivaled wonder of Abhinaya” - P.T. Narendra Menon (connoisseur of art), 1990

“Scholars of Paderevski Foundation who were fortunate enough to have witnessed the fragments of Swapnavāsavadattam as performed by your splendid actors, were unanimous in their praise of the high cultural and aesthetic level of the Koodiyattam. It was a most enjoyable experience and the Paderevski Founadtion is proud to have co-sponsored the appearances of the Theatre in Northern India” - Paderewski Foundation (New York) Certificate (New Delhi, 1964) - First International recognition for Kutiyattam and the maestro.

“Mani Madhava Chakyar when he portrayed Arjuna on the first evening and Ravana on the second, showed himself a master of the expression of the eye” - Dr. V Raghavan, renowned scholar of Sanskrit dramaturgy, classical Indian dance and music, connoisseur of art and former director of Samskritaranga- Chennai, 1962.

“With a few movements of the eye, he could manifest the mountains, the ocean, the rivers, the moonlit valleys, torrential rain, the gait of the swan and the elephant, a tornado, the opening of the lotus flowers and a lot else. To see him do it was to know that he was a non-pareil” - P.T. Narendra Menon (noted art critic and poet), 1990

“The depth of creativity of the author (Mani Madhava Chakyar) is evident from the introductory Shlokas (hymns in Sanskrit) itself ” - Dr. Prem Lata Sharma (noted Hindi writer and scholar of Indian arts and literature)