Evoor Damodaran Nair

Evoor Damodaran Nair () (26 July 1921 - 18 October 2003) was a Thullal, active in his field for 70 years. He was skilled in all three varieites of Thullal; Ottan, Sheethankan, and Parayan; as well as in singing, dancing, and acting. He is known for showing that a traditional temple art could be staged anywhere. Nair received several honors like Thullal Patriarch, Thullal Preceptor, and Thullal Emperor from several people.
Early Life
Evoor Damodaran Nair was the 4th and youngest child of Arivannoor Raman pillai and Kallathu Parvathy Amma. He was born on 26 July 1921 in a small village called Evoor in Alappuzha district, Kerala state. He had his schooling at Ramapuram Government Higher Secondary School.
In 1933, his elder brother Vasudevan Nair started learning Thullal under Evoor Kollakal Sankaran nair Asan, but discontinued due to health problems and started learning mridangam and singing. When the thullal guru Sankaran nair Asan came to Vasudevan Nair's house, he became fascinated with the younger brother Damodaran nair and made him his disciple to teach Thullal. This was a turning point in Evoor's life, at the age of 13.
The teaching was in the form of ancient gurukul education. The classes were only in the morning and evening. Damodaran Nair continued his Thullal learning for ten years. During these years, he learned all the three types of Thullal viz. Ottan, Parayan and Sheethankan and also learned more than 30 Thullal stories. Being aware of the fact that singing is an essential part of thullal, he also learned several ragas in classical music.
Career
Damodaran Nair started his Thullal career in an era when thullal was becoming a dull art among people. Thullal artists hardly received any remunerations at that time. His great enthusiasm, and appreciation and respect from people, empowered him to stay in the field. All India Radio had been broadcasting his performances since 1968 and continued after his death. His Ottanthullal program was broadcast nationally by AIR . It was Evoor's Ottanthullal that was first of its kind to be telecast by delhi Doordarshan. 'Bharatavijayam' (story related to family planning), 'Delhidarshanam', 'Bharata charitham'(Indira Gandhi's life story), 'Vithandanchareeyam'(political & social criticism), 'Sreenarayanaguru Charitham' etc. are few of his notable performances. Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi has recorded and filmed the three types of thullal performances of Evoor. People also approached him to learn Thullal. Confined to the limits of Kerala, though for long, Thullal has found great audiences in states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and to top it all, Delhi, because of the genius of Evoor Damodaran Nair. Evoor Damodaran Nair also received the honour 'Thullal Chakravarthy', at perumbavoor temple in Travancore. Perhaps the crowning moment in Evoor's illustrious life came, when he received the 1993 Kerala Kalamandalam Award for Thullal.
He established that no subject is alien to Thullal. The story of Indira Gandhi's life became a fit theme and Sri. Evoor skillfully depicted the story through his medium Ottanthullal at New Delhi on 19 and 20 November 1993 under the auspices of the Indira Gandhi National Trust. The president of India the Prime minister and Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and other dignitaries who watched the performance praised the art and the artist. Excerpts were telecast on the national hook-up of Doordarshan.
Awards Received
1) Kerala Kalamandalam Award (1993)
2) Mahakavy Kunchan Nambiar Award (1996)
3) Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Academy award(1998)
4) Kerala Folklore Academy Award(1999)
5) Thakazhi Award(1999)(Evoor Damodaran Nair is the first person to receive Thakazhi award)
Also, He has been honoured by different cultural associations like World Dramatic Study Center, Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham, KPAC, IPTA etc.
Evoor Damodaran Nair Smaraka(Memorial) Trust
In memory of the artist, after his death, his family members formed a trust in 2004, for the reputation and improvement of Thullal and Thullal artists. The primary aim of the trust is to recognize Thullal artists who have made a mark. The trust published an Evoor Damodaran Nair souvenir in 2006 and its chief editor was Dr. V.S Sharma.
Evoor Damodaran Nair Award
Evoor Damodaran Nair Award is presented to noted Thullal artists every year by Evoor Damodaran Nair Smaraka trust. The first award was presented on 17 October 2004 during the inauguration ceremony of Evoor Damodaran Nair Smaraka Trust and continuing thereafter every year. The award consists of a cash component of INR 10,001, a memento and a certificate. The trust conducts remembrance function every year (normally on 18 October) and presents 'Evoor Damodaran Nair Award' to the eligible Thullal artist. Senior artist (above 45 years as on 18 October of respective year) and junior artist(below 45 years) are awarded in alternative years.
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