It was only recently that emerging Kathakali artiste Arya Parappur enthralled a huge gathering at Kallekulangara here by donning the role of Parasurama.

She performed the mythical character for about two hours though the role demanded rigorous body movements and foot work. With exceptional physical strength and stamina, she was making a mark in the long and chequered history of this traditional dance-drama theatre form, which always remained a male bastion, dominated by upper caste men. Arya was the first woman to do the role of Parasurama.

‘‘Gone are the days when women performers were discouraged from taking up challenging roles in Kathakali. Conventional teachers remained sceptical of women’s participation as this art form required long hours of practice. They also cited logistic and security issues as the performances are of night-long. However, many young women, including my disciples such as Arya are storming this male bastion with exceptional skill,’’ said Palakkad-based Kathakali guru Kalamandalam Venkatraman in an interaction with The Hindu .

For more than two decades, Venkatraman has been engaged in teaching Kathakalai and 80 per cent of his disciples are women. He has trained more than 300 women in the traditional art form and they include lawyers, doctors, writers and professionals. Now his school at Kallekulangara trains 25 girls in Kathakalai apart from five housewives.

‘‘There are initiatives across the State to encourage women to learn Kathakali. Traditionally men have performed all-woman roles in Kathakali.

Over the last century, some women did manage to make their presence felt in various Kathakali troupes, but a substantive breakthrough came in 1962 when the first all-women Kathakali troupe was formed in Thrissur, Nadananiketan. Though it faded into oblivion around 1968, it set the trend for more. While more women started embracing the dance form, another all-women troupe was formed in 1975 in Tripunithura. The Tripunithura Kathakali Kendram Ladies Troupe has since been very active, and today has a team of 40 women who have performed on stages across the country and around the world,’’ he said adding that he too had played a significant role in ending the male dominance in the field.

‘‘It is sad that my alma mater Kerala Kalamandalam is not admitting women students. Hope the institution will change its perception sooner than later,’’ said Venkatraman, who hails from Poothakkad near Adakkaputhur. He has even trained a dozen women of foreign nationality.

More women are learning Kathakali, once a bastion of male artistes, and performing across the country and abroad