02/01/2024
'Duryodhana Vadham' was presented on Day 2 of Sopanam's 31st anniversary celebrations. Written by Vayaskara Arya Narayanan Moossatu, the play encapsules the latter half of the epic, Mahabharata.
Duryodhana: Kalamandalam C Gopalakrishnan
Dussasana: Kalamandalam Hari R. Nair
Draupadi: Kalamandalam Sivadas
Krishna: Kalamandalam Balasubramanian
Roudra Bheeman: Kalabharathi Harikumar
Shakuni / Mumukshu: Kalakshetra Renjish Nair
Yudhishthir: Kalakshetram Divya Nandagopan
Bhima: Kalakshetra Shilpa Warrier
Vocal: Kottakkal Narayanan, Kalamandalam Gireesan, Kalanilayam Sinu
Chenda: Kalamandalam Sreehari, Kalamandalam Shreerag Varma
Maddalam: Kalabharathi Jayasankar, Kalamandalam Deepak
Chutti: Kalamandalam Satheesan, Kalamandalam Harikrishnan
Aniyara: Pallipuram Kannan, Panmana Ashokan
Chamayam: Shree Vaishnavam Kathakali Yogam, Thiruvalla
The katha begins with the Kauravas' arrival at the enchanting palace of the Pandavas in Indraprastha, their humiliation and Duryodhana's envy and anger. This sequence of events leads to a cunning plot orchestrated by Shakuni, where the Pandavas are defrauded of their kingdom through a treacherous game of dice.
After enduring a 13-year exile, the Pandavas return, and in an attempt to seek peace, Krishna acts as an envoy, requesting the return of the Pandavas' rightful kingdom. However, the Kauravas stubbornly refuse to grant even a minuscule amount of land, ultimately leading to the inevitable and devastating Mahabharata war and the annihilation of the Kauravas.
Interestingly, although the play is titled 'Duryodhana Vadham', it ends with Bhima killing Dussasana and Krishna pacifying his roudra roopam. There is only a reference to Krishna advising Bhima to defeat Duryodhana by smashing his thighs.
