KADHAKALI KALYANASAUGANDHIKAM

Sri Vallat Rajagopalan was born to Sri Vallat Madhavan Nair and Smt Vallore Lakshmi Kutty Amma in Vattekad, a small hamlet in Palakkad District of Kerala in December 1933.
In 1950, he was fortunate to start the first step of Kathakali under Sri Kavungal Sankaran Kutty Panikker, a Kathakali Maestro. In 1953 under the patronage of His Highness Raja Madhava Ravi Verma of Vengunadu Palace, Kollengode started his Kathakali classes alongside formal education, and Teacher's Training Course. In 1955 he was appointed as Teacher in Raja's High school, Kollengode.
Under Sri Kavungal Sankaran Kutty Panikker, he performed various characters like, Krishna and Kuchelan in Kuchelavrutham, Krishna in Duryodhana Vadhan, Doothan and Valalan in Utharaswayamvaram, his best being Hanuman in Kalyanasaugandhikam.
In 1955 His Highness Raja Madhava Ravi Verma passed away and all his favourites were removed from the Palace, thus putting an end to Sri Rajagopalan's Kathakali. He along with his Guru moved to his small house in Vattekad. A month later he moved to a rented house. Due to various commitments Sri Rajagopalan was not able to pursue Kathakali.
It was only in 1971, after a long gap of 16 years that he again danced, this time as Kuchelan and in 1979 he played Hanuman. On his 84th birthday in December 2017 he played Kuchelan. That day, when the curtain came down on the stage he announced that if he is lucky to celebrate his 90th birthday he will definitely play Hanuman in Kalyanasaugandhikam, as a tribute to Madhava Raja and his Guru Sri Kavungal Sankaran Kutty Panikker.
Things took an ugly turn when Sri Vallat Rajagopalan met with an accident on 29th December 2022 and suffered a brain haemorrhage and had to undergo surgery.
Poor health and age did not hold him back. Unmindful of these adverse conditions in July 2023 he approached Kalamandalam Sri Venkat Raman who is running a Kathakali Institute in Kallekkulangara near Palakkad to freshen up his Steps and Mudras. Seeing his enthusiasm Sri Venkat Raman took on the challenge. Soon the practice sessions began slowly but with dedication. Smt Dhanya Kiran joined the deo to play the role of Bhima.
The evening of 19th December 2023 witnessed an amazing and unbelievable performance of Sri Vallat Rajagopalan playing the lead role of Hanuman in Kalyanasaugandhikam, while Dhanya played Bhima. The spellbound spectators at Atreya Auditorium gave a standing ovation to the nonagenarian.
On the 19th of May 2024, he played Krishna in Duryodhana Vadham at Chembai Music College Auditorium, Palakkad during the 21st Anniversary of Kallekkulangara Kathakali Gramam.
Sri Vallat Rajagopalan married Smt Kochudevaki D/O Sri Malankote Murugan Nair and Smt Cherukat Meenakshi Kutty Amma on 18th April 1959. They have two sons, Colonel Cherukat Babu Bhaskar, Retired from the Army, and Sri Vinod Cherukat,a software Engineer. Smt Kochudevaki passed away in 2011.
Sri Rajagopalan is staying at his own house at Vattekad. He has two brothers and one sister.
വട്ടേക്കാട് വള്ളാട്ട് വീട്ടിൽ ശ്രീ രാജഗോപാലൻ മാഷ്ടെ അഭിലാഷം ആയിരുന്നു, തനിക്ക് നവതി ആഘോഷിക്കാൻ ഉള്ള സൗഭാഗ്യം ഉണ്ടെങ്കിൽ കല്യാണസൗഗന്ധികം കഥകളിയിൽ ഹനുമാൻ്റെ വേഷം അണിയണം എന്ന്.
ഡിസംബർ 19 ന്ന് വട്ടേക്കാട് Atreya Auditorium ത്തിൽ വച്ച് നിറഞ്ഞ സദസ്സിനെയും, പിന്നെ ചുവടുകളും മുദ്രകളും ഓർമ്മ പുതുക്കി കൊടുത്ത ആശാൻ, കലാമണ്ഡലം ശ്രീ വെങ്കിട്ടരാമനെ സാക്ഷിയാക്കി, തൻ്റെ എല്ലാം ആയിരുന്ന കൊല്ലങ്കോട് വെങ്കുനാട് കോവിലകത്തെ മാധവ രാജാവിനും, ആദ്യ ആശാൻ ശ്രീ കാവുങ്കൽ ശങ്കരൻ കുട്ടി പണിക്കർ ആശാൻ്റെ ഓർമ്മക്കായി, രണ്ട് മണിക്കൂറോളം നീണ്ട പ്രദർശനം കാഴ്ച വച്ചു.
കലാമണ്ഡലം ശ്രീ വെങ്കിടരാമൻ്റെ നേതൃത്വത്തിൽ നടത്തിവരുന്ന കല്ലേക്കുളങ്കര കഥകളി ഗ്രാമത്തിൻ്റ 21ആം വാർഷികോത്സവ ത്തിനോട് അനുബന്ധിച്ച്
മേയ് 19, 20 തീയതികളിൽ പാലക്കാട്‌ ചെമ്പൈ സംഗീത കോളേജ് അങ്കണത്തിൽ നടത്തിയ സമ്പൂർണ ദുര്യോധനവധം കഥകളി അരങ്ങിൽ 90 വയസ്സിൻ്റെ നിറവിൽ രാജഗോപാലൻ മാഷ് കൃഷ്ണ വേഷം ധരിച്ച് കാണികളെ കോരി തരിപ്പിച്ച് ഒരു അൽഭുത വിസ്മയം തീർത്തു..

[@ravinarayanan1887]

Blessed to have witnessed this amazing performance in person by a nonagenarian , a great inspiration for all of us to follow our heart to achieve our dreams ; age is just a number. Kotti pranams to Achan. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@Sreelakshmivideos]

🙏

[@user-wb4xd3lg5b]

ശ്രീരാമരാമ

[@Raghupo]

Superb

[@Bhadra681]

👌🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@PrasannaChandran-ri4xj]

9:09

[@KunninmelKshethram]

Onnu Nirthedo Vayalu 3:02