Art and Culture

Palakkad district has a rich cultural tradition. Worthy contributions have been made by talented artists of this district for maintaining and enriching the classical dance forms of Kerala, such as Chakkiar Koothu, Thullal, Kathakali and Mohiniattom. It is said that Thunchathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, the father of Malayalam literature, spent his last days in Chittur. To commemorate this, there is the “Thunchathu Acharya Madam” at Chittur. Kunjan nambiar, the most popular poet of Malayalam and the founder of Thullal, purely a Kerala art form, had his birth in a small village called Killikurissimangalam (Lakkidi) in this district.

Mani Madhava Chakiar for ‘Koothu’ and Vazhenkada Kunju Nair for Kathakali are the two names to be remembered in this context. The “ Kalluvazhichitta”, the most popular school of ‘Kathakali’ had its origin in Palakkad district and its exponent was late Sri Vazhenkada Kunju Nair. The musical tradition of Palakkad district is unchallenged. The district has been blessed with the birth of the late Sri Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, the exponent of Carnatic music and Sri Palakkad Mani Iyer, the inimitable maestro of mridangam. Sri C. Sankaran Nair also belongs to Mankara, a place in this district.

Some of the old temples in the district have in them beautiful paintings and sculptures of great artistic value. Among the eminent personalities of the district are the late K.P.S. Menon, diplomat and author who won the Lenin Prize and late K.P.Kesava Menon, the great freedom fighter, celebrated author and journalist. Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai spent his life in exile at Vadakkanthara near Palakkad town.