Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody (15 August 1943 – 1 December 2022) was an Indian

Kathakali ''Kathakali'' (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: Kathakaḷi ) is a traditional form of Indian Classical Dance, and one of the most complex forms of Theatre of India, Indian theatre. It is a play of verses. These vers ...

actor known for his classical dance-drama of

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

. A frontline disciple of

Padma Shri The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...

Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, he exceled in virtuous , anti-hero Kathi and the semi-realistic minukku roles alike.

Nala Nala () is a legendary king of ancient Nishadha kingdom and the central protagonist of the '' Nalopakhyana'', a sub-narrative within the Indian epic '' Mahabharata'', found in its third book, '' Vana Parva'' (Book of the Forest). He is renown ...

n, Bahukan,

Arjuna Arjuna (, , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, �ɾd͡ʒun̪ə is one of the central characters of the ancient Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is the third of the five Pandava brothers, and is widely regarded as the most important and renowned among them. ...

Bhima Bhima (, ), also known as Bhimasena (, ), is a hero and one of the most prominent characters in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. As the second of the five Pandava brothers, Bhima was born to Kunti—the wife of King Pandu—fathered by Vayu, the ...

n, Dharmaputrar, Rugmangadan, Narakaasuran, Ravanan, Parashuraman and

Brahmana The Brahmanas (; Sanskrit: , International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''Brāhmaṇam'') are Vedas, Vedic śruti works attached to the Samhitas (hymns and mantras) of the Rigveda, Rig, Samaveda, Sama, Yajurveda, Yajur, and Athar ...

n were his masterpieces. Vasu Pisharody performed Kathakali all over India and visited foreign countries about 20 times.

Life and career

Vasu Pisharody was born at Kongad in the

Palakkad Palakkad (), Renaming of cities in India, also known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery, is a city and a municipality in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of P ...

district, on 15 August 1943. His primary education is up to 7th. After schooling, he had his primary Kathakali lessons under Balakrishnan Nair at Kerala Kalalayam in

Ottapalam Ottapalam (also spelled Ottappalam) is a town, taluk, and municipality in the Palakkad District of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Ottapalam taluk and is located approximately 34 km (21 mi) from the Palakkad (district ...

. He learned

after his 7th in Kerala Kalalayam, for one year. He subsequently joined PSV Natyasangham in

Kottakkal Kottakkal (literally-''Land of the Fort'') is a major municipality, municipal town in Malappuram district in Kerala, having 32 Ward (country subdivision), wards. It is one of the four municipalities in Tirur Taluk, besides Tirur, Valanchery, and ...

, was a student there for three years, and later in

Kerala Kalamandalam Kerala Kalamandalam, a deemed-to-be-University of Art and Culture by the Government of India, is a major centre for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the country's southern states, with special emphasis on tho ...

, where he undertook further studies for seven years—both under Padmasree Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair. Vasu Pisharody also had his higher studies under

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan (IAST: ''Padma Bhūṣaṇa'', lit. 'Lotus Decoration') is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 Januar ...

Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair (25 May 1925 – 11 March 2013) was a performer of Kathakali, who practiced the Kerala art form for more than seven decades. Biography His guru was Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon, his only teacher in his entire ...

and Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair. Kalamandalam-Vasu-Pisharody-Bahukan

After an initial brief stint at Kerala Kalamandalam, he continued his education for two years there with the Scholarship of Central Govt. He finished his studies in 1969, After that Vasu Pisharody worked at a kalari (Kathakali classroom) run by the

Guruvayur Guruvayur ) is a municipal temple town in Thrissur district, of Kerala State in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city, located from Thrissur towards the north-west. It houses the Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple. It is located at ...

Kathakali Club in a Temporary post till 1979. He rejoined Kalamandalam in 1979 and worked there for two decades before retiring as its vice-principal of Kathakali Vesham in 1999. Pisharody died from heart disease at his house in Kongad, on 1 December 2022, at the age of 79.

Awards

Vasu Pisharody is a winner of the Central

Sangeet Natak Akademi Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in English language, English) is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India. It is an autonomous body of the Ministry of Culture (India) ...

award. * Veerashrinkhala from Kongad. * Awards from several Kathakali clubs. * Kerala Kalamandalam Award in 1998. *

Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship The Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship is an honour presented by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, an autonomous organisation for the encouragement, preservation, and documentation of the performing arts of Kerala, set up by the Depar ...

in 2020 *

Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award is an award given by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, an autonomous organisation for the encouragement, preservation, and documentation of the performing arts of Kerala, set up by the Department of Cultu ...

in 2003 * Fellowship from Central Human Resources Development Ministry. * Kerala Kalamandalam Fellowship. * Shri Pattikkamthodi Puraskar - Kerala Kalamandalam. * Shri Pattikkamthodi Puraskar - Gandhi Seva Sadan. * Olappamanna Devi Puraskar. * Kalamandalam Krishnan Kutty Podhuval Puraskar. * Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair Kalyanikkuty Amma Puraskar. * Puraskar from "Sarggam" Kongad.

Later years

An ailment forced him to take a break from Kathakali in 2005, but his health improved again. He made a comeback to the stage by the end of March 2009 at the Thirumandhamkunnu temple in his village of Kongad.

References

1943 births 2022 deaths 20th-century Indian dancers Kathakali exponents People from Palakkad district Male actors from Kerala Malayali people Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Dancers from Kerala Indian male dancers Recipients of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Fellowship Recipients of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award {{India-culture-stub