Thiruvananthapuram, Sunday, February 13, 2011: In a first of its kind attempt, a total of 150 Kathakali artistes came together for a performance lasting 45 minutes here on Saturday.

The performance was held in Thiruvananthapuram in the presence of AOL founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar or Guruji, as fondly addressed by his followers.

The entire performance was videographed by representatives from the Guinness World Records. Eminent Kathakali artiste Ettumanur Kannan and his team of dancers gave life to the subtle ‘asanas’ of the Art of Living (AOL) meditation through well-defined classic ‘mudras’ (gestures) in the presence of AOL founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

The objective of this performance was to invoke the classical dance-drama to interpret the powers of meditation to heal the mind.

Titled Natyavismayam, the artistes were in the costumes of all the five ‘veshas’ (make-up) of Kathakali — pachcha, kaththi, thaadi, kari and minukku. After the programme, the spiritual leader honoured eminent Kathakali artistes Padmashri Madavoor Vasudevan Nair, Kalamandalam Gangadharan, Kalamandalam Raman Nampoothiri and Kalamandalam Narayanan Nair.

(News Agency)