How Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram is promoting Kavyakeli

Over 130 students from across Kerala and other states are learning Kavyakeli through online classes

Lakshmi Das recites eight lines from Kumaran Asan’s poem, ‘Chandalabhikshuki’ , starting with ‘Innale cheythorabadham...’ and posts it as a voice note on a WhatsApp group comprising her students. Within the next four days, they post their renditions in the same group. Lakshmi gives feedback to each of them.

That is how Thiruvananthapuram-based Lakshmi has been taking Kavyakeli classes for 30-plus students for a month now. She is among the four experts who are taking lessons in Kavyakeli for more than 130 students under an initiative launched by Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan, a cultural centre in Thiruvanathapuram under Government of Kerala. The initiative was launched on April 15.

Although Kavyakeli is similar to Aksharaslokam as both entail recitation of Malayalam poems, there are some major differences. In Aksharaslokam, a quatrain with only Sanskrit meters ( vrutham) are recited, while in Kavyakeli eight lines from a poem with Dravidian meters are chanted (see box). At an Aksharaslokam session, a participant has to recite a sloka with the first letter of the third line of the previous sloka. In the case of Kavyakeli, it is the first letter of the fifth line of the previous verse.

Kavyakeli classes are attended by those aged 10 and above. “It is interesting to learn new poems, that too in different tunes,” says Meenakshi U, 12, from Tripunithura near Kochi.

Smrithi PK, an IT professional, says that she has been practising Aksharaslokam from childhood and eventually got interested in Kavyakeli as well. “I love Malayalam poetry like never before. My pronunciation has improved. Also, I can appreciate rhythm and beauty of verses better now,” says Smrithi.

Each trainer has at least 30 students in their respective WhatsApp groups. “We hope to teach them at least 52 eight-line verses over the next six months. However, the learning is a never-ending process. I took to Kavyakeli when I was in class six and continue to pick up new verses from time to time,” says Lakshmi, assistant professor in Malayalam at NSS College, Nirmanakara, Thiruvananthapuram, and the coordinator of the programme. The other trainers are Krishnan Kuroor, former proof reader/librarian with a Malayalam daily, Chithra Jayanthan, teacher, Paruthoor HSS, Pallippuram, Pattambi, and Sunil Kadakkal, teacher, Government HSS, Kottarakkara, Kollam.

“In our group, I post the stanzas on a Friday and students have to send in their rendering by Tuesday. We also include details such as the name of the poet and meaning of the verses in the voicenote,” says Lakshmi.