Sopanasangeetham, Njeralathu Raama Pothovaal, Njeralathu Raama Pothovaal Public Charitable Trust, Kerala Musical Instruments Idaykka, Edakka, Idakka, Temple Music, Kalyaani Amma, Ananda Shivaraaman, Njeralathu Harigovindan, Ashttapathi, Kerala Sangeetham, Koottu Kottippaadi Seva, Kerala Art Forms, Kerala Musicians, Kerala Kalamandalam, Kerala Music, Masters of Kerala Art Forms, Goddess Bhagavathi, Kunjan Nambiar, Kuttyi, Muzhavu, Chenda, Madhalam, Thimila, Kombu, Kuzhal, Elathalam, Thudi, Udukku, Nanduni,

An Appeal

It’s a very new activity oriented organization which registered under Government of Kerala as registration acts on 27th January 2009. This trust aims very exclusive and different cultural activities comparing to the existing cultural institutions by government and NGO’s.

Njeralah Rama Poduval was a master of ‘Sopanasangeetham’, who spread the art to the masses irrespective of caste or creed. The efforts of his family, to preserve and sustain the lifeworks of this great artist, who left this world on the 13th of August, 1996 is proving to be successful. A proposed KERALA KALAA GRUHAM is planned to be on the lines of the British Library wherein “Voice Banks” will be the main attraction and hence would be completely different from all other existing cultural centers.

It is estimated that Rs. 42 lacs would be the total expenditure for setting up this unique cultural center. This effort, which will be a boost for the entire village will bear fruit only with your individual and collective contributions. We request and expect a sizable donation from you for this noble cause.

A short note on what the above mentioned KERALA KALAA GRUHAM would provide is mentioned herein:

The Njeralath Rama Poduval Memorial Kerala KERALA KALAA GRUHAM is proposed to be constructed on the 16 cent land donated by the good neighbor of Njeralath, Idathupurath Kalyani Amma, aged 73. The land is situated at Angadippuram Panchayath, village Valamboor, and in the Palakkode area. The following are the proposed activities of the center:

1.		Smt. Kalyani Amma shall be allowed to live in the place till her death.
2.		Live exhibit museum of Kerala percussion instruments.
3.		With no criterion on caste or creed, the center would adopt five children and train them in ‘Idakka’ and Sopanasangeetham. The center will provide free accommodation and food for these children.
4.		A unit for manufacturing Kerala percussion instruments (there is no such unit anywhere)
5.		An auditorium which would also serve as a village reading room.
6.		A museum to store and preserve the instruments and the awards of Sh. Rama Poduval and also of various other similar artists.
7.		A collection of recordings of all singers of Sopanasangeetham of Kerala to be preserved.
8.		Facilitate the teacher of “Idakka” with family.
9.		A garden wherein only those trees from which instruments are made will be maintained. (There is no such garden in the world.)
10.		A yearly musical festival will be conducted.
11.		A voice bank consisting of all cultural songs of Kerala and the Arabi-Malayalam songs of the Malappuram area to be collected and preserved.
12.		Cultural activities to uplift the village to be conducted.
13.		Financial support for artists and families who are in dire need.
14.		The center aims at activities with no discrimination on caste or creed.

ACTIVITIES OF THE TRUST

Construction of “Njeralath Kalashramam” a hermitage for austere aspirations in art, of course, is an important activity.

The sole purpose behind building up a memorial for this great philanthropist and devoted artist was not just to commemorate him but to promote and propagate this art form and assist those who aspire to profess in it.

Amidst the hullabaloo of the fast paced invading art forms a place for the ethnic art forms and artistic practices of our region is to be ensured. The humility of its practitioners, their devotion to the art, their antipathy towards manipulated publicity, their natural abstinence form eulogy for bagging chances of public performances etc are to be preserved and promoted. To dissolve the limiting boundaries of art and to propagate art forms beyond the curbs of caste and creed is another aim of the “Kalashramam”

Activities such as construction of

1.		a place of worship where art in itself is God almighty, the sanctum sanctorum with the “Idaykka” used by Sri Ramappoduval installed as the presiding deity, a centre of internal composure where members of any religion, caste or creed can frequent

2.		a sub-geo teaching centre “Idaykka Kalari”

3.		“Poonthanam Pusthakappera” a house of books devoted for works by writers of yore like Poonthanam, Nandanar etc on subjects like musical traditions of Kerala, ritual art forms of Kerala etc.

4.		Vadyappera” a place for practicing ritual percussion and wind instruments of our region,

5.		an Open air Theatre

6.		and Guest Rooms

for the “Kalashramam” are fast progressing.

It’s expected, the construction of the “Kalashramam” will be complete by the 16th of February 2010.

Anyone who loves art can come, stay, learn, practice and excel in a host of ritual art forms, here.

2. Sopanasangeetham Documentation project, an effort to collect, classify and record the performances of the living sopanasangeetham artists of the day is another important activity of the trust.

Performances of 22 artists are recorded so far and work in this line is progressing at a desirable pace. The video recording work has started as early as 27th December 2008 at Varikkassery Mana in Ottappalam.

The help rendered by some well wishers is remembered here with gratitude which helped us avoid auctioning the Idaykka.

Perhaps it’s for the first time in the whole world itself, this kind of an exclusive documentation work is undertaken for an ethnic art form.

3. Construction and hosting of a website www.sopanasangeetham.com , yet another activity undertaken by the trust helps to dispense relevant information on the art to the world.

Performances of the artists so far recorded are made available with their address and photographs in the website, making them accessible from anywhere in the world.

This website was inaugurated on 25th March 2009 by Mr. Joushal Babu a staunch Muslim and a permanent artist of a temple in Pallurithi ,at the Press Club of Malappuram.

4. To produce a documentary film on the life and achievements of Sri Sadanam Vasudevan is another aim of the trust. Sri Sadanam Vasudevan was a well known “Chenda”- a percussion instrument used in temple rituals- artist. He was the Guru of Padmasree Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar. Even then he was denied the opportunity to perform as a temple artist at the Thirumandamkunnu Temple in his native village, on caste consideration. The experience of Sri Sadanam has to be preserved for the knowledge of the posterity. That’s why the trust has initiated efforts to produce a documentary on him. Efforts in this line have started on 7th April 2009. Mr. I R Prasad is the director.

5. Vadyavrikshavanam
(Grove of Plants used in Musical Instruments)

This is a unique attempt, perhaps the one and only one of its kind in the world. In this man made forest, trees, trunks of which are used as body of the instruments or as reeds of the wind instruments are grown scientifically. The cultivation of selected plants for musical instruments, by the banks of Thuthappuzha, in Karalmanna was inaugurated by eminent Maddalam player Cherppulasseri Sivan on 2nd July 2009.

Without government aid of any kind, without the help of the hypocritical social leaders, a centre of excellence is coming up. For the benefit of the whole art loving posterity, to help them revel in their own field of excellence.

The men behind this noble endeavour totally rely on people like you for the fulfillment of this long cherished dream- socially relevant, one of its kind, utilitarian dream.

We seek your help, hereby. Help us bequeath a beneficial tradition of artistic excellence for a deserving posterity through this centre.

If you intend to extend a financial help to this endeavour entitled “Njeralath Kalashramam” a hermitage for austere aspirations in art, please send it immediately to:

Managing Trustee
Njeralath Ramapoduval Public Charitable Trust
Kalyanippara
Valambur P O,
Malappuram Dt.
Pin: 679 325.

Srimati Idathupurath Kalyani Amma, who donated 16 cent land for the Njeralath Rama Poduval Memorial Kerala KERALA KALAA GRUHAM at “KALLYAANIPPAARA”, Angadippuram Panchayath, Valamboor village, Palakkode.