University grants commission accorded sanction to conduct a workshop on ‘Natyasastra and Kerala Classical Sanskrit Theatre’, as part of XII^th plan from 29.10.2014 to 31.10.2014. The approval was sort with the details of the programme and the particulars of the papers for presentation, lecture demonstrations and performances. Each day an art form was performed which is preceded by a paper presentation and a lecture demonstration on the same art form which helped appreciate the performance very well.

Dr.C.P. Unnikrishnan, HOD life science (Rtd), Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Ernakulam, handled the inaugural session. The evolution of Natya Veda, the authority of the Natyasastra as a dramatic treatise envisaging all the art forms of India was explained. Intellectual development of an individual with a systematic study of fine arts, several aspects of the Natyasastra like psychological, physiological, mythical, aesthetical etc. was also discussed. Dr.M.V.Narayanan HOD Dept. of English, University of Calicut presented a Paper on Kutiyattam-The Sanskrit Thetre. He discussed the classical aspects of Kutiyattam, which strictly obeys the rules and regulations of the Natyasastra, which is the traditional theatre artform of India. Dr. K.G.Paulose, Former Vice chancellor, Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University, delivered a speech on ‘Natyasatra and Performing art forms of Kerala’. The salient features of the art forms like Kutiyattam, Kathakali, Krishnanattam, Nangyarkoottu etc. which follow the rules and regulations of the Natyasantra. Sri. Murali Puranattukara condudted a lecture demonstration on Kutiyattam. Gotipua, precursor to Odissi dance performed by children under the age of twelve was staged by the artists of Konarak Natyamandapa, Orissa. The complicated angaharas formed by the children made the audience spell-bound.

The workshop threw light on the Natyasatrain general and Kerala Classical art forms like Kutoiyattam, Krishananattam and Kathakali in particular. The workshop attracted everybody’s attention with high level of participation. The three invited talks and the twelve contributory papers covered almost all the topics related to classical thetre made the workshop active and versatile.