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Education of Kutiyattam is mainly divided into three parts. They are practical, theory and Sanskrit language and other literature. Children had their 'traditional Vidyarambha' at the age of three, then they learn the alphabets and had their elementary education. At the age of seven they are initiated into the elementary lessons of Kutiyattam acting. Besides learning the lessons in the Sanskrit language, there is daily training in the basic lessons of Kutiyattam which begin at four O' clock in the morning. The basic training is to recite loudly the slokas in the appropriate ragas. While singing the slokas the trainee should remain in the basic 'Samapada' posture, holding the hands in musti state or fist with closed fingers, and moving them appropriately to the tune of the song. The slokas are selected from different plays. This singing lasts for about two hours as a sabda Sadhaka (voice training). During the day time training is given in the Nitya Kriyas which consists of the dance of the characters in the purappad or prelude part of the plays. In the evening students practice the movements of the eyes. Then they have to recite the slokas already learned from memory.` All these knowledge or sastras are documentented in the texts of Attaprakaram, Kramadipika, Hastalaksana dipika, and Natyasastra. The detailed study of these texts is the main part of education. The most

189 significant corpus of performance theory are contained in the Attaprakaram and Kramadipika of the particular plays prescribed which are uniform in Malayalam. The bodily acting in the Kutiyattam is based on the Kerala text of Hastalaksana dipika which is based on the Natyasastra of Bharatamuni. Apart from this the study of Sanskrit language is commenced right from the beginning. In due course the student becomes a good Sanskrit scholar by learning Kavyas, Natakas, Alamkaras etc as well as several 37 sastra branches like Tarka and Vyakarana. Sanskrit and its knowledge is very essential for the Kutiyattam actors. Students learn by heart the basic Sanskrit texts on grammar like Sidharoopa. By the application of Mudra or hand gestures in acting, the students are taught how to denote the Vibakthi, Vacana, Linga etc. of each word, recited. The study of Amarakosam is important in Kuttu and Kutiyattam because it gives the synonyms and different meanings of words. The actors elaborates the meaning of words and sentences in the Kutiyattam. For example if 'deva' is a word to be acted the actor should know the different meanings involved in the root like 'Krida', 'Vicikitsa', 'Sobha'. etc. A skilled Kutiyattam actor could express all these meaning relating them properly to the context of acting. Hence a deep knowledge of 'Kosa' is very important to Kutiyattam actors.

190 During the explanation of a particular word or sloka in a play cakyar usually quote similar slokas from other sources. For eg: in the description of the word 'Narayana' they quote a number of slokas from different Kavyas which may contain similar or charming ideas and references. Verses from Puranas and Campus are also studied for this purpose. 38 After the basic education in Sanskrit in their own family the Cakyars approach other Sanskrit scholars to gain mastery in the Sastras. For e.g. Mani Madhava Cakyar (1898-1990) learned Alamkara Nyaya and Jyotisa from Pazhedath Sankaran Namputiri and again learned Nyaya from Parikshith Tampuran of Kochi. 39 Today the Kerala Sanskrit theatre 'Kutiyattam' has been accepted as the world cultural heritage by UNESCO. This recognition has favoured its popularity. The new 'gurukulas' which functions in the different parts of Kerala under the patronage of traditional Cakyar families propagate this art by admitting students from all communities and performing outside the temples on public stages. About two hundred devoted artists are working. in this field with sufficient knowledge in Sanskrit. They naturally face the problem of how to join together the traditional and modern ways of teaching and learning. Moulding tradition as per the requirements of modern tastes and world view is a general problem faced by all traditional

191 knowledge systems in India. The 'gurukulam' of Kutiyattam are the great informal centres of Sanskrit education and they contribute substantily for informal Sanskrit education. As mentioned earlier, some of the centres simultaneously follow the traditional method of teaching confined to their own community and introduce the innovative modes of teaching without rejecting the tradition for the benefit of all. As a result the art form which was once on the verge of extinction has been revived with new energy.