First woman student performs mizhavu arangettam at Kerala Kalamandalam
Apurva Arthur has become the first woman to perform a mizhavu arangettam at the Kerala Kalamandalam, a prestigious institution for traditional arts. Her debut marks a historic shift in a field traditionally dominated by men due to the instrument's physical demands.
Why it matters
This event highlights evolving gender roles in traditional performing arts and the preservation of cultural heritage in India.
It is a cloudy morning on August 15 at Kerala Kalamandalam in Cheruthuruthi, near Thrissur. Families and well-wishers gather outside the koothambalam, a quiet buzz of anticipation filling the air. It is one of the annual arangettam (stage debut) days at the 96-year-old institution, with mizhavu and Koodiyattam scheduled for the morning session. On this day, theatre practitioner Apurva Arthur makes history, becoming the first woman to have her mizhavu arangettam at Kalamandalam. A second-year post-graduate student in the mizhavu department, she is among the few women who have taken to learning the instrument.
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