View allAll Photos Tagged make
Time to fold, Aaron. She's got you beat.
You're running with the big dogs now. So, just drop them cards.
Just a little hint from a poker-playing bulldog.
Don't make me come over there.
haircolour & cut by Mark Weston for www.trichophil.de
ideal hair for classic a-line bobs. but for this bob variation I chose a slightly curved line to give it a different shape. a soft flow.
Tyne & Wear Fire & Rescue Service "Make pumps 7" incident on Newcastle Road, involving allotment's well alight.
Fire Attendance:
Q01, Q02 - Farringdon
N01, N02 - Sunderland Central
K01, K02 - South Shields
M01 - Marley Park
A07 - West Denton
There was no command support pump allocated to this fire.
Ways to make soup.
1) Add some Water.
2) Then you pat stuff in it.
3) Then you put it on th stove and under neath turn the fire on.
4) And stur it After.
Bon appétit!
First Lady Yumi Hogan Visits Make Studio to support fine young Artists. by Joe Andrucyk at Make Studio 3326 Keswick Road, Baltimore Maryland,21211
To make the regional portion of Emergency Management BC’s $1.2-million earthquake exercise – taking place in Port Alberni from June 7-10, 2016 – as real as possible, the Province is relying on the time and donations of many businesses and volunteers to help deliver Exercise Coastal Response, BC’s first ever, full-scale earthquake and tsunami response exercise throughout the entire provincial landscape.
Volunteers will be onsite as actors attending to play:
Medical patients – Working with first responders and 90 Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (HUSAR) team members, these volunteers are treated to a medical makeover with movie-quality makeup artists and given a patient-care script to follow during the course of treatment.
Emergency social service (ESS) clients – These volunteers work with ESS teams located at reception and housing centres and represent those in need of shelter, food, water emotional support, family reunification and information on the crisis.
These volunteer-actors include 160 staff and students from School District 70, while Vancouver’s SFX Studios will provide medical make-up for the actors. SFX Studios creates the make-up for Life in the ER and other television programs: sfxstudio.com/home.html
Learn more about Exercise Coastal Response: news.gov.bc.ca/stories/exercise-coastal-response-2016
"make cold enough to become solid, chill to the bone" 70x89cm
Self-portrait. Painting on canvas. embroidery, silver and gold details.
I have thought of death as far as I can remember. I try to make friends with death. I think life is full of beauty, I will miss it.
For sale
facebook www.facebook.com/LIM.LoanaIbarraMazari?ref=hl
twitter twitter.com/LoanaIbarra
contact ibarra_loana@hotmail.com
ATTENTION: There is very strong adult themes such as rape (I am trying to make people more aware family and child rape ), guts, language, and everything else under the rainbow. So here, don't say I didn't warn you. Also this is in its editing stage so point out any grammar mistakes.***
It is normal to think your life is insanity; even if it is not. It is normal to feel alone, but there is always somebody with you. It is not normal to break away from everything else when you get sucked into a portal-monster-thingy, and then travel thousand years into the future in a weird land. I learned that my home, Eve City, was destroyed a thousand years ago by a thing called Envy. Basically, I got sucked into this thing and now I am a thousand years into the future. Oh great. Now I have to learn about these new people and their new beliefs. I just want to go home.
Well, I’ve been stuck in this little town named Basil for two entire boring days. I got to know everybody here expect that derfecter girl, I thought her name was Yuko or Yuki or something like that, who was always inside the temple. She was all of the people’s hopes. They say if we hear her prayer song thing when outside the temple she could continue her journey to become a dumbldorian and then dumbldorians can defeat the evil monster Envy. “Tyler, come on you sleepy head get up!”
“Fine,” I responded to Wilden’s request. Wilden was a player on the local basketball team in Basil, and his team always won. But, I figured out that his younger brother just died a couple months ago because he was attacked by Envy because he was one of the warriors who protected South America with all his might. Yet, I did not know what the warriors were called.
“You aren’t up yet!” I hated that he kept annoying me to get up when it was only 6:30 in the morning, and I usually woke up at 1:00 in the afternoon. So, I always told that to Wilden before this, but he would never listen to me.
“I’m getting up, gosh!” Then I just forced myself to jump out of my comfy bed and my feet touched the ice cold ground. It felt kind of good, but now I was freezing my butt off.
“Get ready because...well because you need to because it is daytime.” He really didn’t need to tell me that because I already knew that. Well I was already because I didn’t have time to pack anything before I got stucked into Envy. “And, here is a new outfit because you were wearing that outfit for a really long time.” Wilden gave me a new outfit, and it was hideous, and he was also wearing it because it was his team uniform for basketball. Yellow jacket shirt thing and black skin tight shorts with a wacky design on it.
“Okay, can I be alone to change?”
“Alright,” he said while he left the room. Right then I just wanted to go back home to Eve City, back home. Back home I was a semi-famous actor in a t.v show named UnDead, and my character’s name was Mack. Now I knew that would be pointless in my new life. So, I changed after I was thinking a while about my old home and Mack McDonald.
“I need to get back soon or who knows what will happen...” After that, I opened the door to go outside. Who knew what awaited outside the door of density. But, it made my life change forever. It made me think about things more.
“Yuni, it’s her prayer hear it! HEAR IT!” A little girl pulled on my shorts signaling me to come with her to see the derfecter. The thoughts in my head said that this girl would be just a geek that would be dead in the first episode of UnDead. The girl was looking at me with such innocence.
“Alright, alright, I hear it.” She started to pull me over to the Town Square. I wondered where were her parents at this time. Of course I knew her because her name was Suki and she was the youngest of five children. Which that was weird because I was also the youngest of five children. But, my eldest sister, Jenna, disappeared ten years ago, and nobody knows what happened to her. I hated her. Then my father disappeared, Jack, five years later. I hated him also. Now I was missing, but the city was destroyed and the rest of my family probably was dead. Crybaby, that what them two always called me. They were right.
“Come on, Tyler!” Suki started pulling on my shorts again, so I decided to go with her. She was smiling. She was so happy that it made me happy inside. But, I still wasn’t that excited because I still thought this girl would be a stupid geek that was also an attention whore who wanted a boyfriend that had a weird bowl hair cut. Turns out I was wrong. Never judge something until you know what it is or you would be sorry; I learned that lesson the hard way, the very, very hard way that was well very hard.
We finally made it to Town Square where the derfecter was supposed to be. I didn’t see anything but a bunch of townsfolk standing there watching something that I couldn’t see. “I am proud to finally reach the name of dumbldorian. I will follow my mother’s path to defeat Envy and make this world peaceful once again!” I still couldn’t see Yuni’s face because of the big crowd of people.
“Oh, my god! This is so awesome, Tyler! I can’t believe this is actually happening. happening right now. We’re listening to Yuni give a freaking speech!” Suki yelled. This girl seemed to overreact to hearing Yuni--she did hear her talk everyday besides the last two days.
“I know, kid, I k-”
“The world will experience peace once again, and everybody will be happy. Envy will be defeated once again!” The crowd proudly clapped, and I still couldn’t see her face. I still thought she was just another attention whore, still.
“Now thou shall bring’st fourth a dumbldorian magician. An apprentice of Gandalia himself. A Renaissance Woman. Thee art thy best in all of the town. All of the land. All of the universe and life as we knowest ith. Thy is..... the one and only magista unicron...Yuni!!!! Now she shall perform thy traditional spell dance of Yunidfgkgc, thy first person to defeat Envy.” Now I thought was she, and was about to do one of those weird ballet dances only geeks did when they were forced to by their geeky parents. But, I was once again wrong. I always seemed to be wrong about everything then, but I was also naive back then.
“Alright Sir Hootsalot,” she responded. I still couldn’t see her face or clothes or anything. “Oh Madame Andrea you came!”
“Of course, I am one of your protectors. I was also your dad and mom’s protector. You know that I will never leave your side or the side of anybody else in your family. Elder Kirami is also here but you know he is way too shy to show his face here. I believe Commander Luka is in the crowd with her husband Captain Wilden.” Gosh, this Andera girl sure loved to talk. Then I heard footsteps, and a women I didn’t know exited Town Square, Andera. Her hair was red and short and her face was covered by her black cloth.
“Cool! Andera came! She is so cool but she will NEVER show her face to anybody!” Suki tried to run to Andrea, but I stopped her. Now I just wanted to know how Yuni looked like, but, once again, I couldn’t see her. So, I forced my way to the front with Suki. Then that was when I saw her face for the first time. Her hair was a color of a raven and so were her eyes and lips, unicron have naturally black lips, and her skin was like snow. The outfit she was wearing was a navy blue dress with glitter splattered all over it.
“Wow,” I whispered to myself.
“Ain’t she pretty, Tyler, I always thought was pretty.” The girl’s lips and eyes were big because she was a combination of a person and a unicorn, and all unicorns have big lips and eyes for some reason unknown. But, then she started dancing.
“Oh my god.” Everybody was in wow when Yuni started to float, and when magical balls started to surround her creating every color of the rainbow. She then created water out of thin air, so she put it in the ocean which was nearby. This dance took hours, but every moment I was in awe. It wasn’t because of the things Yuni was doing, but it was because of her beauty.
“I love it when I see this.” Suki told me that when I was staring at Yuni’s performance. “I knew you would like it too. It is just pretty looking at Yuni do this.”
“Yes, it is.”
“This is why I love it when people become powerful because I get to see them do this.” Yuni was still dancing in the beautiful afternoon sky, and it was 1:00. When things were normal this was when I would wake up to start my day because filming always started at 6:00 for UnDead. It was near the season finale I remember, and it was getting epic, which was a bummer because I would never figure out how it ended.
Hours later:
The show stopped, but I didn’t want it to stop. But, it was starting to get dark out, and that was when people were scared and hid in their homes. When Yuni got off the stage me and Suki ran to talk to her. “YUNI, THAT WAS AMAZING!”
“Well, thank you Suki,” she answered with a voice of a perfect angel. I loved her voice, her everything.
“You’re welcome! I am so sorry Rikku couldn’t come because she would enjoyed it. But, she joined the Ali Vran with dad and Andru.”
“I’m sure she-” A plane then landed in the middle of Town Square because all the other people were at their homes watching for Envy. Three people stepped out of the aircraft, one of them running towards us. The other two were just walking.
“OH MY GOD! Suki you grew up so much! I can’t believe you are seven because you are getting so big! Do you miss me?” The girl picked up Suki and tossed her in the air after hugging her.
“Yes I do, Rikku!” This girl had a cheery feeling around her. Her blonde hair was exactly like Suki’s, and well they looked exactly alike because they both also had tan skin and green eyes.
“Oh brother and pops are coming. They are tired after a long day of treasure hunting...OH MY THERE IS FINALLY SOMEBODY ELSE WITH BLONDE HAIR! Who is he?” She was clearly talking to me. Well, I knew this town enough to know that Suki’s family and I were the only people with blonde hair in the town Basil. It was annoying that everybody either had red, black, or brown hair in this town; I felt alone with my super blonde hair.
“Oh, hey Suki how’s my girl?” Suki came running up to a man who also had blonde hair, and the man next to him looked exactly like her. Tan, blonde, green. Seems like that all that family has those things in their appearance.
“Oh hey cuz, and hey sis,” the other man greeted. So, Yuni is Rikku, Suki, and Andru cousin...okay, they looked nothing alike. I didn’t know the other two siblings because they were always at home because they were sick or injured or something. They went to close to Envy when they were doing their pickup jobs at the park in Sentra Faira and were lucky they didn’t die painfully.
“Guys this here is Tyler Fern. He is from Eve City-”
“Wait, Suki Eve City was destroyed by Envy thousand years ago,” Yuni interrupted.
“Yeah, Yuni. Um, he is from a thousand years ago. Yeah,” Suki answered.
After that:
Because Andru, Rikku, Yuni, and Pops heard that I was from a thousand years ago they took me to Commander Lucka’s place to talk about it because it was weird. I finally arrived at Luka’s after watching Yuni all the time. We walked there, and I didn’t know how much time it took; if I had to guess it probably took thirty minutes. “Well, here is her place guys.”
“Knock on the door, Yuni,” Pops commanded. So, Yuni did, and Wilden answered it. I knew they had a little three year old named Violet, and I saw her playing with a teddy bear and a moxie girl.
“You are welcomed. Come in please.” We came into the house, well mansion thing. It was super huge and gothic. I guessed Lucka liked dark stuff because Wilden said she did a little while back. “What do you want?”
“We want Luka and Tyler to talk in private about...you know what probably.”
“About him being from a destroyed city called Eve. Let me get her.” He walked up the stairs to get his wife, and I waited with the others. Of course, I passed the time by looking at Yuni, nobody seemed to notice. Okay, I had a big crush on her. Somebody call the love police.
“Here I am. Tyler come over to my workroom.” Luka had black hair like Yuni and river blue eyes. Her baby looked a lot like her, but the child had Wilden’s facial features.
We, Luka and I, entered Luka’s workroom:
It was like one of those places that you go to get your hands read or cards picked or whatever else, told your future. “Sit down, Tyler. Anywhere, but the big purple seat.” I sat down in a blue seat, and it hurt my back it was very uncomfortable.
“What are we doing?” I asked Luka.
“Talk about your life. Talk about your family. Talk about anything you remember about Eve City. Talk about it now.” So, I told her about my childhood about my family and job and Eve City. “Now what about this place?”
“Um-”
“Don’t worry I won’t be offended about anything that you say, freaking anyTHING.” I didn’t trust this girl enough to tell her what I really thought. I didn’t trust her enough to tell about my feelings for Yuni.
“It’s fine, but I sure miss my home.” Gosh, I could've told her my real feelings; I could’ve I hated my place to my guts. The only reasons I still want to be in this place is Yuni; she was HOT with her revealing dress on.
“You’re lying, I can tell. You like Yuni, and you hate this place to your guts and want to get the h*ll out of here. Also you don’t trust me enough to tell me this type of information.” How did she know that, I wondered. “I can read minds you know, Tyler. I should’ve told you that.”
“That’s kind of creepy.”
“I can focus on one mind, and gather all the info I need, and then leave at will. Why do you think i’m so good at this? I could even read multiple at the same time.” Oh great, that's just freaky. No matter what she could read my mind and know all my dirtiest secrets I tell nobody. Looks like I got to learn how to trust her, I told myself. I needed to learn to have a better life in this new place.
“Well, can I go now?”
“You can go now or learn the truth that even I don’t know,” Luka answered. So, I went out the door thinking that this was a complete waste of time. Then Luka came out also. “I have to tell you something!”
“What?”
“You can come one of her protectors, you know? It would make you both happy if you joined her team,” she whispered so nobody else would hear. I didn’t think I was up for the job, but I accepted anyways by nodding my head. “Plus, something inside me tells me that you are in great danger that you cannot escape no matter what you do.”
“It is probably nothing, Luka.” But, she looked really serious when she said that I was in danger, and I should have listened to her more often because that would have solved many problems.
“You’re wrong, Tyler, you are in serious danger. That’s why Wilden and I are coming with you and Luka after the finals in basketball. Maybe you can come see the game?” Luka started to walk away to where the others were at. I knew she knew something I did not.
“But, Luka, who would take c-”
“Emmett, our friend, will take care of Violet. Now go home, Tyler. The finals for Wilden are tomorrow and he needs his sleep. You and your friends also need to go, and I will inform Yuni that you are coming with her.” She then continued her walk to where the others were at, the living room. I decided I can go because Luka was taking care of business for me, and I was tired because I wasn’t used to this type of stuff happening to me. Because, for the whole day I was standing up while I usually did nothing but act back in Eve City.
“Okay.” But, I had my doubts about leaving because I wanted to know what the complete truth was; I knew that it was too late to go back now. There was no turning back.
I went outside:
The sky was eaten by darkness and stars. I guessed that it was about 12:30 A.M. It was a new day, and no wonder Luka wanted me to go. The stars reminded me about Yuni’s eternal beauty, she was even more stunning than the stars themselves. “Tyler, wait up!” When I turned around I saw Yuni running towards me. I then wondered if Yuni could read my mind, probably not. But, it would be weird if she could.
“Okay,” I responded. That word seemed to be my response for every question that night. She caught up to me.
“I hate the dark, it reminds me of the Shade.” Even though she was complaining I still liked the moment. For Pete’s sake, I just learned something new about her. “But, I hate Envy even more. I will stop at nothing to stop that monster once and for all.” She stared into my eyes. Something then destroyed that moment.
“YUNIE, WAIT UP! DON’T WANDER ALONE IN THE FREAKING DARK NIGHT!” Rikku came sprinting down the path. She just had to ruin that moment, didn’t she? Her blonde hair was bouncing around like a ball being played by four year olds. “Look I found a sphere; a sphere that looks unique!” She took out a red shining circular object from out of her ball. “I wonder what’s in it and why it is so hot.”
“Me too. Play it, Rikku.” Yuni walked over to where Rikku was standing, and so did I. When Rikku squeezed the sphere it started to show a movie-like footage. I was standing there in awe because it was beautiful, but I still did not understand how a crystal ball thing can play a movie when it was just a normal sphere.
It was showing a man with a girl that looked a lot like Yuni less the uber-hotness. Everything was a reddish color, so you couldn’t tell what their hair, skin, or eye color was. They were warning the viewer about a thing they called Tusan, Nathan’s slave. Then they explained that when Envy is defeated it gets reborn by feeding off a host of a random person that was nearby Envy when it gets defeated, and the person hosted will technically turn into Envy without their free will. Just because Tusan, Nathan, was playing with the strings with a monstrous thing.
“What the! Mom...dad! Why didn’t you tell me this earlier,” Yuni yelled at the top of her lungs. After that, she began crying. Tears were flowing down her cheeks like they were rivers. She reminded me how I used to be ten years ago, but I was still like that now. Just nothing bad happened to me lately. “Tusan...I have to start my journey now to avenge my parents!”
“You promised Wliden you would go to the final, Yunnie. Plus, Andera and Kirami aren’t here. We will all meet at the finals, and then we can go on the journey altogether as one excited group.” Rikku put her hand on Yuni’s shoulder and wiped the tear off of Yuni’s face. Yuni stopped crying, looking at her cousin. It surprised me that they were COUSINS, Rikku wasn’t even a unicron.
“I just can’t believe my parents would hide something that big from me, their own daughter. We used to tell everything to each other.” Another tear went down Yuni’s amazing face. She once again started to cry. Crybaby, that word hunted my head. Forever and ever and ever. At least I was not the only crybaby in that cruel world.
“We have to go home, guys, it’s getting late,” I commanded. Yuni grabbed my hand.
“My home is the temple.”
“No, Yuni you can stay with me. You know where I live right, Tyler, right? Come on we have to go!” Rikku ran leaving us behind in the darkness. If she ran off in our journey, I wondered, would she do it for a good reason? I put that thought out of head, and then started walking.
“So you are from the infamous Eve City?”
“Yes.” I was a little annoyed about why she asked me that freaking annoying question. Didn’t Wilden tell her he found me on the bench unconscious, laying there all wet and sandy. He brought me back to his village to see if I was alright, and he discovered that I was from thousand years ago somehow. Like, I didn’t tell him, yet then I remembered Luka could read my mind. The girl with a man’s name could read my mind.
“How was it there? I heard they had tall buildings everywhere with lights all over the place with a stadium that shined like the sun along with a huge movie studio.” She let go of my hand. “And, they did this!” Her hands went up in the air, yelled like a fan girl, and she smiled. “I wished we did that.”
“Yes.” Now I was answering everything with yes. The basketball stadium there was the brightest thing I ever seen in my entire life. All the seats were filled when the people there were rooting for the team that they liked. It was loud. I lived near to it, and sometimes I couldn’t go to sleep at night because how loud and light the stadium was. I will always remember those sleepless nights filled with stupid people.
“It is very different now, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“You say yes to everything don’t ya?” she questioned me. Yes, that was my word of the night.
“No, I don’t say yes to everything.” All Yuni did was giggle. Well, I don’t know why she giggled, but I loved her giggle. It was one of those innocent types of giggles that were super high. All unicrons had that type of innocent laugh. I knew this because I read a book on unicrons. I didn’t know everything, gosh, I was a normal seventeen year old boy.
“I thought so, come on we have to go to Rikki’s house or she is going to freak out. You never want to see her freak out, EVER. Rikku gets freaking insane when she does.” Then we started to walk once again. Yuni was still more beautiful then all of the bright stars in the sky. But, something seemed wrong with her; it was probably because her parents hid that big secret from her and she was depressed about that.
After getting home:
My bed was calling for me because it was almost 1:oo in the mourning. Only five hours of sleep, crap. So, I went to bed because I didn’t have any pajamas to sleep in. The bed felt compty. “Time to go to bed.” I closed my eyes.
Five hours later:
I woke up, and somehow I was on a boat that was on the water. “Where am I!?” I screamed when I opened my eyes.
“A boat...oh no. Stay there!” I saw that Luka was the one with me, and though a small window I saw Envy, I could point out that giant circle thing with a face from anywhere. That freaking cloud monster thing was coming our way. We had to go. For some reason I got out of bed, I didn’t listen to Luka. I needed to check if Yuni was okay because I knew she was here. And, I saw her, standing on the deck.
“Help me, guys! We have to keep this boat floating or we all will die. Come on!” Recognizing that it was Yuni, I ran out of my room. Yuni was right there with her wooden staff. She had a red shirt with glitter on it and jeans.
“Yuni!”
“Tyler, help me here. Do you have anything to fight with?” Wilden then ran up to me with a sword. He put it the weapon in my hands, and ran off. Yuni nodded her head while I noticed her black hair was in a side ponytail.
“How can I help you?” It felt weird that I had a sword in my hands. The only sword I ever held before that moment was a fake sword for my television show UnDead. The blade was sharp, it was heavy, I could kill something with it. Then I looked up; Envy was still there, laughing at us ants with silence. Wait, that made no sense.
“We have to get away from Envy or he will kill us all. Plus, I don’t have the powers to kill it yet.” She started to rise up her staff. After that, she rose it above her head and she summoned a dragon. It was red like her shirt and beautiful like her. “But, just in case, we have to get ready to fight this thing. Come on, Fira, we have to do this!”
“Alright!” Luka came. The look on her face told me that she was angry, probably because I ignored her simple demand. Envy was getting closer and closer to the boat. Any second he would of been on top of us, overpowering the puny humans on board.
“Hold on,” Wilden demanded. The boat violently turned around in circles. The fast circling motion was like a ride in an amusement park people threw up on. Rikku was hoping tightly on a rope looking a little green.
“We are going to make this, we are going to make this.” I kept telling myself that over and over again. I thought it was the end for me. But, I looked over to Yuni. Even then she was simply stunning, even though she was about to throw up with all the spinning happening.
“Yeah,” Yuni answered. Her hands were holding onto the side of the boat. The wind made her ponytail go out of her hair and now it was down. I liked it better when her hair was down. Yuni slowly inched to me and held my hand. If I died I would die happy now. Our heads were together, but I didn’t know if she liked me or not.
“Yes.” I wanted to kiss her. I knew she wouldn’t like that because we just meet yesterday afternoon and she probably liked things to go nice and slow, not fast. The urge, it was so overpowering. Luckily, I fought the overwhelming urge to kiss her lips. The wind was fierce because Envy was close, and now we were stuck in a circular motion of the joy ride. We would be that way until we were too far away from Envy to make its random wind powers ineffective to us. The monster was coming closer and closer to us; it was time to play that legendary Jaws movies music. My final moments were about to come, the shark of the skies was about to take its bite of doom.
“We will live through this.” As she said that, Yuni closed her eyes in sheer terror. My eyes were still on her. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder. Yuni was the definition of beauty in the inside and outside. It was kind of wicked that I found somebody stunning when they were scared to death, but I did this moment. Even when she was frightened Yuni looked hot as the sun on the day of the end of the world.
“I know.”
“Guys, Envy is going the other way,” Rikku pointed out. The wind had stop blowing; we were all alright. “Is Yunnie okay Tyler?”
“Yes.”
“You say yes to everything, don’t ya?” Okay, now Rikku had also noticed that I said yes often. Somehow, they saying that made me think about my dad and my eldest sister. Crybaby, you ain’t nothing but a big crybaby. That was all they called me just because I used to get very emotional about everything they did to me when I was younger. But, then Yuni let go of my hand and went to her cousin Rikku. My perfect moment was over.
“No, I don’t, Rikku.” I said no to my dad and Jenna when they called me a crybaby. No, no, no. No i’m not one I am just having one of those things in my early life! Those memories will haunt me forever, but yet I would praise them for they were the only thing I had left of Eve City.
“Good.” She hugged Yuni and patted her on the back once again. Rikku was protective over Yuni, a little bit too protective.
“Yes.” Wait, there I went again with saying yes all the time.
“Are you sure yes isn’t the only thing you say?” Rikku and Yuni questioned at the same time.
“Yes.” Then I realized I shouldn't have just said that. It just proved their point about me saying yes about everything. I slapped myself in the head. Why did I just do that? Those girls were smart, way smarter than me. All they did was laugh when I answered their question.
“Guys, stop doing that back there we still have to see if Envy is anywhere near us,” Wilden commanded. Luka appeared again to stare us down with her soul piercing eyes. We needed to be more serious about our situation. She pointed to a broken rope and then looked at me. I knew she wanted me to do something with that rope.
“Replace that rope with this one, Tyler.” She placed a rope in my hand. Wilden and Luka sure liked giving stuff to me, but I did not like it whatsoever. It was getting annoying.
“Yes.” Why did I always say yes those days, those good old days? I wished I said okay or something like that. But, no I had to always freaking said yes or no back then.
“Well, don’t just stand there get to it because Envy can come back and that rope can be our d*mn demise. That would be REALLY bad and that b*tch, Dee, who is next in line, would have to take the freaking d*mn journey besides of Yuni, the only girl practicing that wasn’t a complete a*shole.” I always wondered where the rest of Wilden’s team was, but I guess they took different boats because they had families of their own to protect. And, dang, Luka loved to cuse a lot. Yeah, I was just going to stay on her good side.
new that whatever the reason was it was not good.
“Envy payed Mika and Kenzie a visit.” Then tears were falling from her eyes again. I wasn’t annoyed about her always crying because I used to all the time until dad and Jenna vanished from thin air at random times. Somehow that made me not cry anymore and I became a strong boy. But, I still hated them both with all my guts.
“What about Envy?” There was always something bad happening when people said that name. Gosh, I hated that name.
“He destroyed another town, Tolo Town. I had dear friends there and well they are probably all dead. Dead, they are all DEAD.” She couldn’t stop crying, so I knew she cared about her old friends.
“How do you know this?”
“Luka said she saw Tolo being destroyed and I have to make all the dead go to the Netherrealm, Shade’s liar, or Tauros, Shade’s hideout, or MARKA will take them.” Yuni rested her elbow onto the edge of the boat, and stared at the endless blue sea. I knew she really cared about other people’s safety, and she wanted nobody else to die or she would be in even more pain then she was in right at that moment.
“What does MARKA, whoever they are, do to them?” The thing they did to the dead shocked me. No wonder she wanted to go there immediately.
“They turn them into monsters or to the really powerful ones things they call dark priests.” She got something from out of her jean pocket. It was a round blue thing. It showed a picture of a normal person.
“Why are you showing me this?”
“To show you what they do to the innocent souls that should not belong to them.” She pressed a small button on her round thing. The picture showed a great beast that skin was scales and with teeth so sharp it would cut anything. It’s eyes were still human, but it was scary. Who would do this to a person? Wait, MARKA would. “We shouldn’t see them on our journey, but after that its fair game. Their leader, Nathan I believe his name is, will stop at nothing to kill all of us, the defeated of Envy.” Okay, I did not want to see these people, but if I did I would give them a piece of their own medicine or atleast try to beat them.
“Okay, we should go.”
“Wilden is going there. But, for some weird reason, now he wants us all to call him W.” That was weird especially for a guy who was all about being serious. It was totally nuts. Yuni started to walk away once again. Away from reality.
“Wait, what do the Dark Priest look like?” I asked. She turned suddenly around, and telling by the look on her face it was bad.
“Nobody knows. JK, they actually look like humans just covered with d*mn black Shade. At least, that is what people think they look like.”
When we arrived at Tolo Town:
The whole place was like a war zone. Houses were blown over and were in millions of pieces. Blood was everywhere you stepped and looked. The docks were mostly under water. Knowing kids and babies were there, I wanted to cry but I forced myself not to. I was no longer a crybaby; I was no longer a crybaby. “Rest in peace Kenzie and Mika,” Yuni cried. Everybody bowed their heads down but me.
“This is messed up.” All of the others looked at me funny after I made that remark. It wasn’t like I was saying I think they deserved it. They just were sad and all of them were mourning, oh, it wasn’t sad. These thoughts in my head were so d*mn confusing!
“Poor Kenzie, Mika, and Michelina; Suki would be so devastated when I tell her that they died because of Envy.” Rikku seemed most depressed out of all of them. There were a billion teardrops on my face, and I thought it was impossible to make Rikku cry, the puffball of the group. I guessed wrong again. I should have just stopped judging people before I knew them.
“I’m sorry for your lost, and i’m sure Kenzie, Mika, and Michelina were very good people with souls that belonged to the Good.” There were no survivors, Luka checked everywhere with her powers. Envy killed every single breathing soul in that village. Everybody was probably having a good day until Envy attacked. Then everybody screamed for help, but it was too late when help finally arrived. But, now we could do them a favor and make sure MARKA doesn’t turn any of them into monsters.
“I just need a little bit more time before I can send them to the other places, guys.” Yuni dropped to the ground. She didn’t care about the fact that she landed in a pile of blood; she just needed to have time to cope with her lost. Once again, Rikku comforted her grieving cousin. And, I did too. It seemed like it was the right thing to do.
“You can take as long as you like,” Rikku said while hugging her. I just patted her on the shoulder.
“Can I be alone?”
“Well, we only have four hours until the game starts, and we have to meet Andrea and Kirami there also before it starts,” Wilden answered. So, Yuni picked up her staff from wherever she kept it.
“I’m ready then, W.”
“You can have more time if you like, Yuni,” he responded. I really thought she needed more time to cope too, and so did Rikku. Yuni got up and then ran over to the ocean and went into it. The waves made her sandals and the bottom of her jeans wet. But, I was still admiring her hotness. Okay, I was really into her it freaking hurt.
“I can do it now. This game means a lot to you, and I won’t make you miss it because I was mourning old friends which I hadn’t seen for years.” Yuni raised up her staff above her head, crying.
“Wait, Yunnie! I want to get something here.” Rikku went running off to one of the destroyed houses. Then she appeared again with a pearl bracelet she found. The pearl were the color of clouds.
“Kenzie’s necklace! You can wear it I have enough bracelet,” Yuni shouted to Rikku.
“I will never take it off, ever.” The girl put the bracelet around her wrist. It looked really good on her, but it would have looked better on Yuni, of course. The pearls glistened in the sunlight. It could be the sparkle in the Shade.
“Can I start now?” Her staff was still above her stunning head. There were tears on her face because of her friends’ deaths.
“Yes,” I answered.
“Do you ever say anything but yes?” Luka questioned. Oh great, I thought, now she thinks I say yes too much. Just great.
“I actually do.” I finally learned how to not say yes. I was no longer a yes man, but now I was a clueless man. Even Einstein was once clueless, and then he became the wizkid of all time.
“I would like to start now. It would be bad of MARKA gets even more monsters. But, sometimes people live forever if unsent. If they don’t get captured by MARKA, and everything without a soul is useless to them.” I didn’t know why she was going on about MARKA and immortality.
“It is going to start, Tyler.” Luka put her hand on my shoulder. “Don’t be afraid by what you see.” Then, of all things, Yuni danced. The waves were dancing around her and souls of people came towards her.
“Kenzie! NO!” Rikku tried to grab a girl with short brown hair, tan skin, and green eyes but Luka let go of me to stop her. “No, no, NO! You too Mika.” She stared at a girl around Suki’s age who had brown hair, pale skin, and green eyes. The poor woman started to sob like how I used to when dad and Jenna yelled at me. The souls turned into shooting stars when they reached Yuni and go off in the distance. That was hard to watch.
“I told you to be prepared, but I see you’re crying.” Luka wiped away the tear that I cried off of my pale face. And, looked into my eyes. “Do not hide who you’re really are, Tyler.” She went onto the boat after she comforted me with Wilden. So, I decided to go to the boat since this was just creepy. People die, and Yuni dances. That is a little bit creepy. Yuni was going out of the water, and Rikku was on her knees. Rikku’s hand was still reached out.
“This is a reasonable time.” I was still looking at Yuni. This time she was the one comforting Rikku. “Completely reasonable.”
“It is going to be alright,” Yuni said to Rikku.
“No, it isn’t. All of us will die one time or another even if we’re immortal. Immortals can still die inside. Envy really out did himself this time.” She got up, and grabbed Yuni’s hand.
“I can give you more time if you like, Rikku.” Yuni got up, and stayed there, waiting for an answer.
“Yunni, I must go on.” Rikku grabbed onto her necklace, looking at it. It must of
been one of her friend’s favorite bracelet or something. “We need to go. MARKA is probably coming right this moment.” I wondered why MARKA knew where every dark soul was. But, I guess we still had to go.
“We can stay a little longer,” Yuni pleaded.
“No, for all we know MARKA can murder us in cold blood and turn us into one of them.” Rikku then got up, and ran over to the boat. I continued to walk towards the boat until I noticed Yuni wasn’t coming.
“Why aren’t you coming?” I questioned. She just stayed there glaring at something.
“MARKA monsters are here!” When I turned around I saw a foe right behind me, breathing down my neck. It wanted to end another life. So, I started to run, but Yuni wouldn’t come. She stood on her ground with her staff ready.
“Yuni, we have to go now!”
“Tyler, we have to fight now. There would be one less foe to worry about. The soul will go to its rightful place at last!” She summoned one of her dragon; both of them were ready to fight. Then another foe flew in front of me. “I will fight this one and you will fight that one over there. Come on, we’re trapped if we don’t fight these stupid things!”
“Alright.” Then there was a bright blinding light. Right before I could even hit that thing it fell onto the ground, and seconds later Yuni’s hit the ground before she could fight. “What the heck?”
“I never leave friends behind. They are coming; we have to go now!” I then saw that it was Rikku. Rikku defeated and killed the beasts in the matter of seconds. That was so awesome, she knew how to kick butt. “I ain’t waiting all day.” People came onto the island; it was the MARKA workers. So, we hurried onto the boat before any of the MARKA workers could see us. We ran as fast as the wind because we were scared; all of us were scared out of our mind. Then we reached the boat, rejoiced.
"Christmas makes me happy no matter what time of year it comes around."
~ Bryan White
memories...
................
1. "Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas.",
2. "I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.",
3. "I think Christmas is about kindness.",
4. "I love Christmas because of all warmth of the season.",
5. "Christmas is the day that holds all time together.",
6. "The true spirit of Christmas is people being helped by people.",
7. "At Christmas, play and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year.",
8. "Christmas, my child, is love in action.",
9. "Christmas isn't a season. It's a feeling."
................
MMII Challenge #1 starter image: www.flickr.com/photos/calliope/1476516911/
MMII Challenge #4 starter image: www.flickr.com/photos/shadowgate/7822313614/
see this and other entries here: www.flickr.com/groups/makeitinteresting/discuss/721576318...
and here: www.flickr.com/groups/makeitinteresting/discuss/721576318...
Kathakali (Malayalam: കഥകളി, kathakaḷi; Sanskrit: कथाकळिः, kathākaḷiḥ) is a stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion. It originated in the country's present day state of Kerala during the 17th century and has developed over the years with improved looks, refined gestures and added themes besides more ornate singing and precise drumming.
HISTORY
Popular belief is that kathakali is emerged from "Krishnanattam", the dance drama on the life and activities of Lord Krishna created by Sri Manavedan Raja, the Zamorin of Calicut (1585-1658 AD). Once Kottarakkara Thampuran, the Raja of Kottarakkara who was attracted by Krishnanattam requested the Zamorin for the loan of a troupe of performers. Due to the political rivalry between the two, Zamorin did not allow this. So Kottarakkara Thampuran created another art form called Ramanattam which was later transformed into Aattakatha. Krishnanaattam was written in Sanskrit, and Ramanattam was in Malayalam. By the end of 17th century, Attakatha was presented to the world with the title 'Kathakali'.
Kathakali also shares a lot of similarities with Krishnanattam, Koodiyattam (a classical Sanskrit drama existing in Kerala) and Ashtapadiyattam (an adaptation of 12th-century musical called Gitagovindam). It also incorporates several other elements from traditional and ritualistic art forms like Mudiyettu, Thiyyattu, Theyyam and Padayani besides a minor share of folk arts like Porattunatakam. All along, the martial art of Kalarippayattu has influenced the body language of Kathakali. The use of Malayalam, the local language (albeit as a mix of Sanskrit and Malayalam, called 'Manipravaalam'), has also helped the literature of Kathakali sound more transparent for the average audience.
As a part of modernising, propagating, promoting and popularizing Kathakali, the International Centre for Kathakali at New Delhi has taken up a continuing project since 1980 of producing new plays based on not only traditional and mythological stories, but also historical stories, European classics and Shakespeare's plays. Recently they produced Kathakali plays based on Shakespeare's Othello and Greek-Roman mythology of Psyche and Cupid.
Even though the lyrics/literature would qualify as another independent element called Sahithyam, it is considered as a component of Geetha or music, as it plays only a supplementary role to Nritham, Nrithyam and Natyam.
KATHAKALI PLAYS
Traditionally there are 101 classical Kathakali stories, though the commonly staged among them these days total less than one-third that number. Almost all of them were initially composed to last a whole night. Nowadays, there is increasing popularity for concise, or oftener select, versions of stories so as the performance lasts not more than three to four hours from evening. Thus, many stories find stage presentation in parts rather than totality. And the selection is based on criteria like choreographical beauty, thematic relevance/popularity or their melodramatic elements. Kathakali is a classical art form, but it can be appreciated also by novices—all contributed by the elegant looks of its character, their abstract movement and its synchronisation with the musical notes and rhythmic beats. And, in any case, the folk elements too continue to exist. For better appreciation, perhaps, it is still good to have an idea of the story being enacted.
The most popular stories enacted are Nalacharitham (a story from the Mahabharata), Duryodhana Vadham (focusing on the Mahabharata war after profiling the build-up to it), Kalyanasougandhikam, (the story of Bhima going to get flowers for his wife Panchali), Keechakavadham (another story of Bhima and Panchali, but this time during their stint in disguise), Kiratham (Arjuna and Lord Shiva's fight, from the Mahabharata), Karnashapatham (another story from the Mahabharata), Nizhalkuthu and Bhadrakalivijayam authored by Pannisseri Nanu Pillai. Also staged frequently include stories like Kuchelavrittam, Santanagopalam, Balivijayam, Dakshayagam, Rugminiswayamvaram, Kalakeyavadham, Kirmeeravadham, Bakavadham, Poothanamoksham, Subhadraharanam, Balivadham, Rugmangadacharitam, Ravanolbhavam, Narakasuravadham, Uttaraswayamvaram, Harishchandracharitam, Kacha-Devayani and Kamsavadham.
Recently, as part of attempts to further popularise the art, stories from other cultures and mythologies, such as those of Mary Magdalene from the Bible, Homer's Iliad, and William Shakespeare's King Lear and Julius Caesar besides Goethe's Faust too have been adapted into Kathakali scripts and on to its stage. Synopsis of 37 kathakali stories are available in kathakalinews.com.
MUSIC
The language of the songs used for Kathakali is Manipravalam. Though most of the songs are set in ragas based on the microtone-heavy Carnatic music, there is a distinct style of plain-note rendition, which is known as the Sopanam style. This typically Kerala style of rendition takes its roots from the temple songs which used to be sung (continues even now at several temples) at the time when Kathakali was born.
As with the acting style, Kathakali music also has singers from the northern and southern schools. The northern style has largely been groomed by Kerala Kalamandalam in the 20th century. Kalamandalam Neelakantan Nambisan, an overarching Kathakali musician of those times, was a product of the institute. His prominent disciples include Kalamandalam Unnikrishna Kurup, Kalamandalam Gangadharan, Kalamandalam P.G. Radhakrishnan, Rama Varrier, Madambi Subramanian Namboodiri, Tirur Nambissan, Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri, Kalamandalam Hyderali, Kalamandalam Haridas, Subramanian, Kalanilayam Unnikrishnan and Kalamandalam Bhavadasan. The other prominent musicians of the north feature Kottakkal Vasu Nedungadi, Kottakkal Parameswaran Namboodiri, Kottakkal P.D. Narayanan Namboodiri, Kottakkal Narayanan, Kalamandalam Anantha NarayananKalamandalam Sreekumar Palanad Divakaran, Kalanilayam Rajendran, Kolathappilli Narayanan Namboodiri, Kalamandalam Narayanan Embranthiri, Kottakkal Madhu, Kalamandalam Babu Namboodiri, Kalamandalam Harish and Kalamandalam Vinod. In the south, some of whom are equally popular in the north these days, include Pathiyur Sankarankutty. Southerner musicians of the older generation include Cherthala Thankappa Panikker, Thakazhi Kuttan Pillai, Cherthala Kuttappa Kurup, Thanneermukkam Viswambharan and Mudakkal Gopinathan.
PERFORMANCE
Traditionally, a Kathakali performance is usually conducted at night and ends in early morning. Nowadays it isn't difficult to see performances as short as three hours or fewer. Kathakali is usually performed in front of the huge Kalivilakku (kali meaning dance; vilakku meaning lamp) with its thick wick sunk till the neck in coconut oil. Traditionally, this lamp used to provide sole light when the plays used to be performed inside temples, palaces or abodes houses of nobles and aristocrats. Enactment of a play by actors takes place to the accompaniment of music (geetha) and instruments (vadya). The percussion instruments used are chenda, maddalam (both of which underwent revolutionary changes in their aesthetics with the contributions of Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval and Kalamandalam Appukutty Poduval) and, at times, edakka. In addition, the singers (the lead singer is called “ponnani” and his follower is called “singidi”) use chengila (gong made of bell metal, which can be struck with a wooden stick) and ilathalam (a pair of cymbals). The lead singer in some sense uses the Chengala to conduct the Vadyam and Geetha components, just as a conductor uses his wand in western classical music. A distinguishing characteristic of this art form is that the actors never speak but use hand gestures, expressions and rhythmic dancing instead of dialogue (but for a couple of rare characters).
ACTING
A Kathakali actor uses immense concentration, skill and physical stamina, gained from regimented training based on Kalaripayattu, the ancient martial art of Kerala, to prepare for his demanding role. The training can often last for 8–10 years, and is intensive. In Kathakali, the story is enacted purely by the movements of the hands (called mudras or hand gestures) and by facial expressions (rasas) and bodily movements. The expressions are derived from Natyashastra (the tome that deals with the science of expressions) and are classified into nine as in most Indian classical art forms. Dancers also undergo special practice sessions to learn control of their eye movements.
There are 24 basic mudras—the permutation and combination of which would add up a chunk of the hand gestures in vogue today. Each can again can be classified into 'Samaana-mudras'(one mudra symbolising two entities) or misra-mudras (both the hands are used to show these mudras). The mudras are a form of sign language used to tell the story.
The main facial expressions of a Kathakali artist are the 'navarasams' (Navarasas in anglicised form) (literal translation: Nine Tastes, but more loosely translated as nine feelings or expressions) which are Sringaram (amour), Hasyam (ridicule, humour), Bhayanakam (fear), Karunam (pathos), Roudram (anger, wrath), Veeram (valour), Beebhatsam (disgust), Adbhutam (wonder, amazement), Shantam (tranquility, peace). The link at the end of the page gives more details on Navarasas.
One of the most interesting aspects of Kathakali is its elaborate make-up code. Most often, the make-up can be classified into five basic sets namely Pachcha, Kathi, Kari, Thaadi, and Minukku. The differences between these sets lie in the predominant colours that are applied on the face. Pachcha (meaning green) has green as the dominant colour and is used to portray noble male characters who are said to have a mixture of "Satvik" (pious) and "Rajasik" (dark; Rajas = darkness) nature. Rajasik characters having an evil streak ("tamasic"= evil) -- all the same they are anti-heroes in the play (such as the demon king Ravana) -- and portrayed with streaks of red in a green-painted face. Excessively evil characters such as demons (totally tamasic) have a predominantly red make-up and a red beard. They are called Red Beard (Red Beard). Tamasic characters such as uncivilised hunters and woodsmen are represented with a predominantly black make-up base and a black beard and are called black beard (meaning black beard). Women and ascetics have lustrous, yellowish faces and this semi-realistic category forms the fifth class. In addition, there are modifications of the five basic sets described above such as Vella Thadi (white beard) used to depict Hanuman (the Monkey-God) and Pazhuppu, which is majorly used for Lord Shiva and Balabhadra.
NOTABLE TRAINING CENTRES & MASTERS
Kathakali artistes need assiduous grooming for almost a decade's time, and most masters are products of accomplished institutions that give a minimum training course of half-a-dozen years. The leading Kathakali schools (some of them started during the pre-Independent era India) are Kerala Kalamandalam (located in Cheruthuruthy near Shoranur), PSV Natya Sangham (located in Kottakal near Kozhikode), Sadanam Kathakali and Classical Arts Academy (or Gandhi Seva Sadan located in Perur near Ottappalam in Palakkad), Unnayi Varier Smaraka Kalanilayam (located in Irinjalakuda south of Thrissur), Margi in Thiruvananthapuram, Muthappan Kaliyogam at Parassinikkadavu in Kannur district and RLV School at Tripunithura off Kochi and Kalabharathi at Pakalkkuri near Kottarakkara in Kollam district, Sandarshan Kathakali Kendram in Ambalapuzha and Vellinazhi Nanu Nair Smaraka Kalakendra in Kuruvattor. Outside Kerala, Kathakali is being taught at the International Centre for Kathakali in New Delhi, Santiniketan at Visva-Bharati University in West Bengal, Kalakshetra in Chennai and Darpana Academy in Ahmedabad among others. PadmaSree Guru Chengannur Raman Pillai mostly known as 'Guru Chengannur'was running a traditional Gurukula Style approach to propagate Kathakali.
‘Guru Chengannur” is ever renowned as the Sovereign Guru of Kathakali. His precision in using symbols, gestures and steps were highest in the field of Kathakali. Guru Chegannur's kaththi vesham, especially the portrayal of Duryodhana enthralled the audience every time he performed. A master of the art, he found immense happiness and satisfaction in the success and recognition of his disciples.
Senior Kathakali exponents of today include Padma Bhushan Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, Padma Shri Kalamandalam Gopi, Madavoor Vasudevan Nair, Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair, Kottakkal Krishnankutty Nair, Mankompu Sivasankara Pillai, Sadanam Krishnankutty, Nelliyode Vasudevan Namboodiri, Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody, FACT Padmanabhan, Kottakkal Chandrasekharan, Margi Vijayakumar, Kottakkal Nandakumaran Nair, Vazhenkada Vijayan, Inchakkattu Ramachandran Pillai, Kalamandalam Kuttan, Mayyanad Kesavan Namboodiri, Mathur Govindan Kutty, Narippatta Narayanan Namboodiri, Chavara Parukutty, Thonnakkal Peethambaran, Sadanam Balakrishnan, Kalanilayam Gopalakrishnan, Chirakkara Madhavankutty, Sadanam K. Harikumaran, Thalavadi Aravindan, Kalanilayam Balakrishnan, Pariyanampatta Divakaran, Kottakkal Kesavan, Kalanilayam Gopi and Kudamaloor Muralikrishnan. The late titan actor-dancers of Kathakali's modern age (say, since the 1930s) include Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon, Chenganoor Raman Pillai, Chandu Panicker, Thakazhi Guru Kunchu Kurup, Padma Shri Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, Padma Shri Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, Kavalappara Narayanan Nair, Kurichi Kunhan Panikkar, Thekkinkattil Ramunni Nair, Padma Shri Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair, Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair, Mankulam Vishnu Namboodiri, Oyur Kochu Govinda Pillai, Vellinezhi Nanu Nair, Padma Shri Kavungal Chathunni Panikkar, Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair, Kottakkal Sivaraman, Kannan Pattali, Pallippuram Gopalan Nair, Haripad Ramakrishna Pillai, Champakkulam Pachu Pillai, Chennithala Chellappan Pillai, Guru Mampuzha Madhava Panicker, and Vaikkom Karunakaran.
Kathakali is still hugely a male domain but, since the 1970s, females too have made entry into the art form on a recognisable scale. The central Kerala temple town of Tripunithura has, in fact, a ladies troupe (with members belonging to several part of the state) that performs Kathakali, by and large in Travancore.
KATHAKALI STYLES
Known as Sampradäyaṃ(Malayalam: സമ്പ്രദായം); these are leading Kathakali styles that differ from each other in subtleties like choreographic profile, position of hand gestures and stress on dance than drama and vice versa. Some of the major original kathakali styles included:
Vettathu Sampradayam
Kalladikkodan Sampradyam
Kaplingadu Sampradayam
Of late, these have narrowed down to the northern (Kalluvazhi) and southern (Thekkan) styles. It was largely developed by the legendary Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon (1881-1949) that is implemented in Kerala Kalamandalam (though it has also a department that teaches the southern style), Sadanam, RLV and Kottakkal. Margi has its training largely based on the Thekkan style, known for its stress on drama and part-realistic techniques. Kalanilayam, effectively, churns out students with a mix of both styles.
OTHER FORMS OD DANCE & OFFSHOOTS
Kerala Natanam is a kind of dance form, partly based on Kathakali techniques and aesthetics, developed and stylised by the late dancer Guru Gopinath in the mid-20th century. Kathakali also finds portrayal in Malayalam feature films like Vanaprastham, Parinayam, Marattam, and Rangam. Besides documentary films have also been shot on Kathakali artistes like Chenganoor Raman Pillai, Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair, Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, Kalamandalam Gopi and Kottakkal Sivaraman.
As for fictional literature, Kathakali finds mention in several Malayalam short stories like Karmen (by N.S. Madhavan) and novels like Keshabharam (by P.V. Sreevalsan). Even the Indo-Anglian work like Arundhati Roy's Booker prize-winning The God of Small Things has a chapter on Kathakali, while, of late, Anita Nair's novel, Mistress, is entirely wrapped in the ethos of Kathakali.
Similar musical theater is popular in Kasaragod and the coastal and Malenadu regions of Karnataka, viz. Yakshagana. Though Yakshagana resembles Kathakali in terms of its costume and makeup to an extent, Yakshagana is markedly different from Kathakali as it involves dialogues and method acting also the narration is in Kannada, wherein philosophical debates are also possible within framework of the character. As per records the art form of Yakshagana was already rooted and well established at the time of Sri Manavedan Raja. There is possibilities of its significant influence in formation of Kathakkali as the troupe of performers of "Krishnanattam" designed the basic costume of the art form already established in other parts of south India including Males playing the female roles (until more recently).
Kottayam thamburan's way of presenting kathakali was later known as Kalladikkoden sambradayam. Chathu Paniker,the introducer of Kallikkoden Sambrathayam, stayed in Kottayam for five years with Kottayam Thamburan's residence and practiced Kalladikkoden Sambrathayam. Then he returned to his home place. After a short period Chathu Paniker reached Pulapatta as instructed by Kuthiravattath nair. That was around the year ME 865. Many deciples from Kadathanadu, Kurumbra nadu, Vettathu nadu, Palakkadu and Perumpadappu studied kathakali(Kalladikkoden Sambrathayam ) By that time Chathu Paniker was an old man. Some years later he died from Pulapatta.
NOTED KATHAKALI VILLAGES & BELTS
There are certain pockets in Kerala that have given birth to many Kathakali artistes over the years. If they can be called Kathakali villages (or some of them, these days, towns), here are some of them: Vellinezhi, Kuruvattoor, Karalmanna, Cherpulassery, Kothachira, peringode, sreekrishnapuram Kongad and Ottapalam in Palakkad district, Vazhenkada in Malappuram district, Thichur or Tichoor, Guruvayur, Thiruvilwamala and Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district, Tripunithura, Edappally, Thekkan Chittoor in Ernakulam district and Kuttanad, Harippad belt in Alappuzha district besides places in and around Thiruvanathapuram in south Travancore and Payyannur in north Malabar.
AWARDS FOR KATHAKALI ARTISTS
Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardees - Kathakali (1956–2005)
Nambeesan Smaraka Awards—For artistic performances related kathakali{1992-2008}
KATHAKALI ATTAMS (ELAKI ATTAMS)
Attams or more specifically "elaki attams" are sequences of acting within a story acted out with the help of mudras without support from vocal music. The actor has the freedom to change the script to suit his own individual preferences. The actor will be supported ably by Chenda, Maddalam, and Elathalam (compulsory), Chengila (not very compulsory).
The following are only some examples. 'Kailasa Udharanam' and 'Tapas Attam' are very important attams and these are described at the end. Two of the many references are Kathakali Prakaram, pages 95 to 142 by Pannisheri Nanu Pillai and Kathakaliyile Manodharmangal by Chavara Appukuttan Pillai.
VANA VARNANA: BHIMA IN KALYANA SAUGANDHIKA
Modern man looks at the forest, indeed the birthplace of primates, with a certain wonder and a certain respect. Kathakali characters are no exception.
When Pandavas were living in the forest, one day, a flower, not seen before, wafted by the wind, comes and falls at the feet of Panchali. Exhilarated by its beauty and smell, Panchali asks Bhima to bring her more such flowers. To her pleasure Bhima is ready to go at once. But Panchali asks him what he shall do for food and drink on the way. Bhima thinks and says "Food and Drink! Oh, this side glance (look) of yours. This look of longing. This look of anticipation. The very thought fills me up. I don't need any food and drink at all. Let me go." He takes his mace and off he goes. Ulsaham (enthusiasm) is his Sdhayi Bhavam (permanent feature).
"Let me go at once in search of this flower," says Bhima. "The scented wind is blowing from the southern side. Let me go that way." After walking some distance he sees a huge mountain called Gandhamadana and three ways. He decides to take the middle one which goes over the mountain. After going further "The forest is getting thicker. Big trees, big branches in all directions. The forest looks like a huge dark vessel into which even light can not penetrate. This is my (Bhima's) way. Nothing can hinder me." So saying he pulls down many trees. Sometimes he shatters the trees with his mace. Suddenly he sees an elephant. "Oh! Elephant." He describes it. Its trunk. Sharp ears.
The itching sensation in the body. It takes some mud and throws on the body. Oh good. Then it sucks water and throws on the body. Somewhat better. Slowly it starts dosing even though alert at times. A very huge python is approaching steadily. Suddenly it catches hold of the elephant's hind leg. The elephant wakes up and tries to disengage the python. The python pulls to one side. The elephant kicks and drags to the other side. This goes on for some time. Bhima looks to the other side where a hungry lion is looking for food. It comes running and strikes the elephants head and eats part of the brain and goes off. The python completes the rest. "Oh my god, how ruthless!" says Bhima and proceeds on his way.
UDYANA VARNANA: NALA IN NALACHARITHAM SECOND DAY
Descriptions of gardens are found in most dance forms of India and abroad. These are also common in Kathakali.
Newly married Nala and Damayanthi are walking in the garden. When Nala was lovingly looking at Damayanthi a flower falls on her. Nala is overjoyed and thinks that this is a kindness nature has shown on his wife. Nala says "On seeing the arrival of their queen, the trees and climbers are showing happiness by dropping flowers on you." He tells her, "See that tree. When I used to be alone the tree used to hug the climber and seemingly laugh at my condition." Then he looks at the tree and says, "Dear Tree, look at me now. See how fortunate I am with my beautiful wife."
Both wander about. A bumblebee flies towards Damayanthi. Immediately Nala protects her face with a kerchief. He looks at the bee and then at Damayanthi. He says, "On seeing your face the bee thought it was a flower and came to drink the nectar." Nala and Damayanthi listen to the sounds coming out of the garden. Damayanti says, "It appears that the whole garden is thrilled. The flowers are blooming and smiling. Cuckoos are singing and the bees are dancing. Gentle winds are blowing and rubbing against our bodies. How beautiful the whole garden looks." Then Nala says that the sun is going down and it is time for them to go back and takes her away.
SHABDA VARNANA: HANUMAN IN KALYANA SAUGANDHIKAM
While Bhima goes in search of the flower, here Hanuman is sitting doing Tapas with mind concentrated on Sri Rama.
When he hears the terrible noises made by Bhima in the forest he feels disturbed in doing his Tapas. He thinks "What is the reason for this?" Then the sounds become bigger. "What is this?" He thinks, "The sounds are getting bigger. Such a terrible noise. Is the sea coming up thinking that the time is ripe for the great deluge (Pralaya). Birds are flying helter-skelter. Trees look shocked. Even Kali Yuga is not here. Then what is it? Are mountains quarreling with each other? No, That can't be it. Indra had cut off the wings of mountains so that they don't quarrel. Is the sea changing its position? No it can't be. The sea has promised it will not change its position again. It can't break the promise." Hanuman starts looking for clues. "I see elephants and lions running in fear of somebody. Oh a huge man is coming this way. Oh, a hero is coming. He is pulling out trees and throwing it here and there. Okay. Let him come near, We will see."
THANDEDATTAM: RAVANA IN BALI VADHAM
After his theranottam Ravana is seen sitting on a stool. He says to himself "I am enjoying a lot of happiness. What is the reason for this?" Thinks. "Yes I know it. I did Tapas to Brahma and received all necessary boons. Afterwards I won all ten directions. I also defeated my elder brother Vaishravana. Then I lifted Kailas mountain when Siva and Parvathi were having a misunderstanding. Parvathi got frightened and embraced Siva in fear. Siva was so happy he gave a divine sword called Chandrahasa. Now the whole world is afraid of me. That is why I am enjoying so much happiness." He goes and sits on the stool. He looks far away. "Who is coming from a distance. he is coming fast. Oh, it is Akamba. Okay. Let me find out what news he has for me."
ASHRAMA VARNANA: ARJUNA IN KIRATHAM
Arjuna wants to do Tapas to Lord Siva and he is looking a suitable place in the Himalayan slopes. He comes to place where there is an ashram. Arjuna looks closely at the place. "Oh. What a beautiful place this is. A small river in which a very pure water is flowing. Some hermits are taking baths in the river. Some hermits are standing in the water and doing Tapsas. Some are facing the Sun. Some are standing in between five fires." Arjuna salutes the hermits from far. He says to himself "Look at this young one of a deer. It is looking for its mother. It seems to be hungry and thirsty. Nearby a female tiger is feeding its young ones. The little deer goes towards the tigress and pushes the young tiger cubs aside and starts drinking milk from the tigress. The tigress looks lovingly at the young deer and even licks its body as if it were its own child. How beautiful. How fulfilling."
Again he looks "Here on this side a mongoose and a serpent forgetting their enmity are hugging each other. This place is really strange and made divine by saints and hermits. Let me start my Tapas somewhere nearby."
A sloka called "Shikhini Shalabha" can be selected instead of the above if time permits.
AN ATTAM BASED ON A SLOKA
Sansrit slokas are sometimes shown in mudras and it has a pleasing and exhilarating effect. Different actors use slokas as per his own taste and liking. However, the slokas are taught to students during their training period. An example is given below.
Kusumo Kusumolpatti Shrooyathena Chathushyathe
Bale thava Mukhambuje Pashya Neelolpaladwayam
Meaning a flower blooming inside another flower is not known to history. But, my dear, in your lotus like face are seen two blue Neelolpala flowers (eyes).
A CONVERSATION BASED ON A SLOKA
Sanskrit slokas can also be used to express an intent. One such example is a sloka used by Arjuna addressed to Mathali the charioteer in Kalakeya Vadham. Sloka:
Pitha: Kushalee Mama hritha Bhujaam
Naatha Sachee Vallabha:
Maatha: kim nu Pralomacha Kushalinee
Soonurjayanthasthayo
Preethim va Kushchate Thadikshnavidhow
Cheta Samutkanuthe
Sutha: tvam Radhamashu Chodaya vayam
Dharmadivam Mathala
Meaning: The husband of Indrani and the lord of gods my father - Is he in good health? His son Jayantha - Is he strictly following the commands of his father? Oh, I am impatient to see all of them.
SWARGA VARNANA: ARJUNA IN KELAKEYA VADHAM
Arjuna goes to heaven on the invitation of his father, Indra. After taking permission from Indrani he goes out to see all the places in Swarga. First he sees a building, his father's palace. It is so huge with four entrances. It is made of materials superior to gold and jewels of the world. Then he goes ahead and sees Iravatha. Here he describes it as a huge elephant with four horns. He is afraid to touch it. Then he thinks that animals in Swarga can't be cruel like in the world and so thinking he goes and touches and salutes Iravatha. He describes the churning of the white sea by gods and demons with many details and how Iravatha also came out of the white sea due to this churning.
He walks on and sees his father's (Indra's) horse. It is described as being white and its mane is sizzling like the waves of the white sea from which it came. He touches and salutes the horse also. Then he goes to see the river of the sky (or milky way). He sees many birds by this river and how the birds fly and play is shown.
Then he sees the heavenly ladies. Some are collecting flowers, and one of them comes late and asks for some flowers for making garland. The others refuse. She goes to the Kalpa Vriksha and says "please give me some flowers." Immediately a shower of flowers occurs which she collects in her clothes and goes to make garlands chiding the others. "See... I also got flowers." After this he sees the music and dance of the heavenly ladies. First it starts with the adjustments of instruments Thamburu, Mridangam, Veena. Then the actual music starts along with the striking of cymbals. Then two or three types of dances are shown. Then comes juggling of balls. It is described by a sloka thus:
Ekopi Thraya Iva Bhathi Kandukoyam
Kanthayaa: Karathala Raktharaktha:
Abhrastho Nayanamareechi Neelaneelo
Popular belief is that kathakali is emerged from "Krishnanattam", the dance drama on the life and activities of Lord Krishna created by Sri Manavedan Raja, the Zamorin of Calicut (1585-1658 AD). Once Kottarakkara Thampuran, the Raja of Kottarakkara who was attracted by Krishnanattam requested the Zamorin for the loan of a troupe of performers. Due to the political rivalry between the two, Zamorin did not allow this. So Kottarakkara Thampuran created another art form called Ramanattam which was later transformed into Aattakatha. Krishnanaattam was written in Sanskrit, and Ramanattam was in Malayalam. By the end of 17th century, Attakatha was presented to the world with the title 'Kathakali'. Kathakali also shares a lot of similarities with Krishnanattam, Koodiyattam (a classical Sanskrit drama existing in Kerala) and Ashtapadiyattam (an adaptation of 12th-century musical called Gitagovindam). It also incorporates several other elements from traditional and ritualistic art forms like Mudiyettu, Thiyyattu, Theyyam and Padayani besides a minor share of folk arts like Porattunatakam. All along, the martial art of Kalarippayattu has influenced the body language of Kathakali. The use of Malayalam, the local language (albeit as a mix of Sanskrit and Malayalam, called ), has also helped the literature of Kathakali sound more transparent for the average audience. As a part of modernising, propagating, promoting and popularizing Kathakali, the International Centre for Kathakali at New Delhi has taken up a continuing project since 1980 of producing new plays based on not only traditional and mythological stories, but also historical stories, European classics and Shakespeare's plays. Recently they produced Kathakali plays based on Shakespeare's Othello and Greek-Roman mythology of Psyche and Cupid.
Even though the lyrics/literature would qualify as another independent element called Sahithyam, it is considered as a component of Geetha or music, as it plays only a supplementary role to
Bhumau Talcharana Naghamshu Gaurgaura:
Meaning One ball looks like three balls. When it is in the hands of the juggler, it takes the redness of the hands, when it goes up it takes the blueness of the eyes, when it strikes the ground it becomes white from the whiteness of the leg nails. Once a juggled ball falls down. Then she, the juggler, somehow manages to proceed and remarks "See.. how I can do it".
At one time a garment slips from a lady's body and she adjusts the cloth showing shameful shyness (Lajja). Then the ladies go in for a Kummi dance. As Arjuna was enjoying this dance, suddenly somebody calls him. Arjuna feels scared. "Oh God, where am I?" he says and beats a hasty retreat.
TAPAS ATTAM: RAVANA IN RAVANA ULBHAVAM
[Background: Mali, Sumali and Malyavan were three brothers ruling Sri Lanka. During a war between them and Indra, Indra requested help from Lord Vishnu and as a consequence Lord Vishnu killed Mali. Sumali and Malyavan escaped to Patala. Kaikasi was the daughter of Sumali. She wandered in the forest. She belong three boys through a great sage called Vishravassu. (Vishravassu had an earlier son called Vaishravana who became the richest among all people.) The eldest boy of Kaikasi was Ravana followed by Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana.]
SCENE 1
When Ravana was a young boy (Kutti Ravana vesham), one day he was sleeping on his mothers lap in a place called madhuvanam. At that time Kaikasi sees Vaishravana flying overhead in his vimana (mythical aeroplane). She thinks “Oh, that is Vaishravana, technically a brother of my son who is sleeping on my lap. He is rich and strong. My son is so poor and weak. While thinking thus a drop of tear from her eyes drops on Ravana’s face. Ravana suddenly wakes up and sees his mother crying. When he knew the reason he could not bear it. He says he is going to do tapas to Brahma to get boons so that he will be strong and rich.
SCENE 2
(The tapas itself is shown as a part of autobiographical narration of adult ravana)
Ravana (adult Ravana, not kutti Ravana) is sitting on a stool. He thinks “Why am I so happy? How did I become so rich and strong? Oh yes. It is because of the tapas I did. What made me do the tapas? When I was a young boy, one day I was sleeping on my mother’s lap in a place called Madhuvanam. A drop of tear from her eyes falls on my face. I asked her why she was crying. She said she saw Vaishravana flying overhead in his vimana (plane). She told me Vaishravan was a brother of mine now flying in a plane. He is rich and strong. I am so poor and weak. When I heard this comparison between me and my brother, I could not bear it. I am going to do tapas to Brahma to get boons so that I will be strong and rich.
I made five different types of fires (while doing tapas gods are approached through Agni the god of fire). Then I started my tapas. I asked my brothers to stand guard and also keep the fires burning. Then I fully concentrated on tapas. Time passed but Brahma did not appear. I looked. Why is Brahma not appearing? I doubled my concentration. Time passed. Brahma is not appearing. Still not appearing? I cut one of my heads and put it in the fire. Waited, Brahma did not come. One more head rolls. Still no Brahma comes. Heads roll and roll. No Brahma. Only one head is left. First I thought of stopping my tapas. But no! Never! That will be an insult to me and my family. It is better to die than stop. Also when I die Brahma will be judged as being partial. With great determination I swung the sword at my last neck, when, lo and behold, suddenly Brahma appeared and caught my hand. I looked at him with still un-subsided, but gradually subsiding anger. Brahma asked me what boons I wanted. I asked for a boon that I should win all the worlds and have all the wealth and fame and that I should not be killed except by man. I also asked him to give boons for my brothers.
In the next scene Ravana asks Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana what boons they got. Unfortunately Kumbhakarna’s tongue got twisted while asking for boon and he got ‘sleep’ instead of becoming the ‘king of gods’. Ravana laughed it off. As for Vibhishana, he being a bhaktha of Vishnu, asked for Vishnu’s blessings and got it. Ravana laughs it off and also decides to conquer all the worlds and starts preparing his grand army for the big conquest of the worlds.
[This method of presentation with a peculiar sequence has a tremendous dramatic affect. The main actor redoes a small part of what happened to kutti Ravana vesham, and this gives a view of the high contrast between the boy and the man Ravana. Similarly the presence of Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana in the subsequent scene offers a good smile on the face of the viewer at the end of the play.]
KAILASA UDDHARANAM: RAVANA IN BALI VIJAYAM
[Background and Previous scene: After receiving the boons, and widening his kingdom in all directions, Ravana lives in Sri Lanka with great pomp and splendor. One day he sees Saint Narada approaching his palace singing songs in praise of him ‘Jaya jaya Ravana, Lanka Pathe’. Happily he receives Narada and seats him next to him. After telling Narada about the victory of his son Indrajith on Indra, Ravana tells Narada “Now there is nobody on earth or other worlds who can fight with me”. To this Narada replies “ Very true indeed, but there is one huge monkey called Bali who says he can defeat you. He even said that you are just like a blade of grass to him. Well let him say what he wants. You are unbeatable.” Then Narada says ‘let us go there and see him’. Both decide to go. But Ravana takes his famous sword called “Chandrahasam”. Then Narada asks the history of this sword. Ravana’s Attam Starts.]
Ravana says “I received this sword from Lord Siva. It happened thus. Once when I was conquering new places and expanding my empire I happened to be going across the Kailasa mountain. The plane got stuck on the mountain unable to move forward. I got down from the plane and looked at the mountain. (Looks from one end to the other first horizontally and then vertically.) So huge it was. Then I decided to lift it with my bare hand and keep it aside and move forward. I started sticking my hands under it one by one. Then I tried to lift it. It doesn’t move. I put more force and more force. It moved just a bit. I pushed harder and harder, slowly it started moving then again and again and it moved easily. Then I lifted it up with my hands and started juggling it (exaggeration evident).
“At that particular time Lord Siva was quarreling with his wife Parvathi. Why did they fight? The story is as follows. Parvathi had gone for enjoying swimming and bathing in some beautiful pond. At that time Siva opened his jata (disheveled long hair) and called Ganga for some entertainment after asking Ganapathi and Subramania to go for some errands. Somehow becoming suspicious, right at that time, Parvathi came back in a hurry with wet clothes and saw Siva with Ganga. Siva was wondering what to do and it was at that time that Ravana started lifting the Kailasa. When Kailasa started shaking Parvathi got scared and ran to Siva and hugged him. So the quarrel ended and Siva was happy. “As a reward Siva called me and gave me this famous Chandrahasa sword.”
Then Narada and Ravana leave to meet Bali. Ravana wanted to take the sword along with him, but Narada suggested that the sword is not required for teaching a lesson to Bali who is after all an unarmed monkey.
WIKIPEDIA