Ammannur Rajaneesh Chakyar is a contemporary performing artist of Koodiyattam, the 2000-year-old only surviving ancient Sanskrit theatre specimen. He is the grand nephew of Padma Bhushan Guru Ammannur Madhava Chakyar, one of the greatest exponents of Koodiyattam. He is presently working as an actor at the Ammannur Chachu Chakyar Smaraka Gurukulam, in Irinjalakuda, Kerala.

Training of Ammannur Rajaneesh Chakyar
Born on January 30, 1981, to father Pothiyil Chandrababu Chakyar and mother Ammannur Radha Illodamma, Ammannur Rajaneesh Chakyar was initiated into Koodiyattam at the age of 7, at the Ammannur Chachu Chakyar Smaraka Gurukulam, under a scholarship from the Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi. His Gurus were Ammannur Parameswaran (Kuttan) Chakyar, Ammannur Madhava Chakyar and Ammannur Parameswara Chakyar. He has also learnt Sanskrit under the Late Dr. Painkulam Parameswara Chakyar. He is also a graduate in Science.

Performances of Ammannur Rajaneesh Chakyar
Ammannur Rajaneesh Chakyar had his "arangetram" (debut in Koothambalam) at the Koodalmanickyam Temple in Irinjalakuda, in the year 1991. He was the First Prize winner in Koodiyattam competition in the State Youth Festival conducted by the Government of Kerala, in 1994 and 1996.

Rajaneesh Chakyar performs most of the important roles in the significant Koodiyattam plays such as "Naganandam", "Balivadham", "Hanumaddutamkam", "Thoranayudham", "Samudrataranam", "Parnasalamkam", "Soorpanakhamkam", "Jatayuvadham", "Asokavanikamkam" and "Kalyanasaugandhikam", all directed by Guru Ammannur Madhava Chakyar. When "Abhijnanasakuntalam" was produced for the first time in Koodiyattam, Suta, the charioteer and the Fisherman were his prominent character roles. He also made a good effort on new productions such as "Vikramorvasiyam", "Mayasirass" and "Prathamadviteeyamkam" by Ammannur Parameswaran (Kuttan) Chakyar. He is also the performer of Chakyar Koothu and Anguliyamkam Koothu.

Ammannur Rajaneesh Chakyar performs annually at the Koothambalams of the Koodalmanickyam temple in Irinjalakuda, Vadakkumnathan temple in Thrissur and Guruvayur temple in Guruvayur, and other major temples in Kerala. He has performed widely in different national and international festivals with Guru Ammannur Madhava Chakyar, within and outside the country. He has also travelled for solo performances. He was a participant of the "Abhinaya Kalari" (acting laboratory) organised by Natanakairali and Sanskriti Pravah, New Delhi, and was a member of the theatre workshop conducted by the World Theatre in Sweden in 2005.

Related Articles:
Forms of Indian Theatre
Kerala
Folk Theatre of Kerala
Sanskrit Theatre
Classical Indian Dance Drama
Koothu
Indian Classical Dance
Koodiyattam, Folk Theatre of Kerala
Sanskrit Language
Sangeet Natak Akademi