KALAMANDALAM GOVINDA VARIER ASHAN

21st December 2024

50 years ago.

The place I studied Kathakali makeup called Chutti 50 years ago.

Kalamandalam Govinda Varier Ashan

21 years ago today, 21st December, my dear ashan, the legend Kathakali chutti [makeup] artist -Kalamandalam Govinda Varier Ashan, died at 2.45pm. He gave me my life and everything I know is because of him.

When I was a student he couldn`t speak English and I couldn`t speak Malayalam so he had to teach me the intricate Kathakali three-dimensional makeup, called chutti, through sounds. So brilliant was his teaching that 50 years later I am still doing chutti for Kathakali.

Every year on his aniversary I go to my old Kalari [classroom] at the Kerala Kalamandalam, Cheruthuruthy, Kerala, India, place some flowers, light some inscense and give thanks for everything he taught me.

The best 

Ashan`s chuttis were superb, he totally understood proportion, shape and visual harmony. He appreciated that the chutti worked with the actors face, emotions, the headdress and the costume creating a classical geometric shape.

It is the greatest honour to be his devoted student and every time I do I chutti I dedicate it to him.

My Arungatum - first performance.

The picture below is of my Arungatum, first chutti, in Old Kalamandalam in 1974 with my ashan watching.

Behind these simple wooded doors.

Behind these simple wooden doors, at the Kerala Kalamandala. Cheruthuruthy, Kerala, India, I studied Chutti with the greatest Chutti expert of all time. 

I owe everything I have to my ashan.

Everything I have I owe to him. 

I will always stay at his feet.