Panayamparambil Kittunni
Panayamparambil KITTUNNI was born on 18th July 1898(Monday) /1073 Karkkidakam 4th (Punartam nakshatram) at Chirakkal Taluk, Puzhati Amsam,Talap Desam, Cannanore. Sri. Manakkadan Kunhambu Gurikkal and Smt.Panayamparambil Kalyani were his Parents.
https://www.geni.com/people/Kittunni/6000000038097931891#
Malabar Cannanore Circus- 1918
The names of the artists played in those years are not known. But a few of them were known. The most remember able artist was Nani,with black complection and long curly hair whom belong to chonadam, Thalassery. The Very famous circus artist Nani’s performance was wonderful. The item named Wire-dance itself was wonderful those days. Nevertheless, Nani’s performance was unimaginable. While playing wire-dance her malakkam on the wire (Kambi) was most wonderful. Malutty another known artist played items called valaschal and ruller.
I am describing a short imaginable incident to share with you. Now we are sitting in the tent of Malabar Cannanore Circus and watching circus. A bell rang to inform us to start a new item in the circus. A horse entered in the tent from the performers’ door situated backside. A black man holding a whip also entered in the tent. The horse began to run in rounds in the tent continuously. The man wears black coat, white banyan (inside the coat), a neck- tie, and black pants. We heard a sound made from the whip of the man. Suddenly the horse stops running. Again, the man raises his whip and produces a whip-sound. The horse raised its front legs and stood by the back legs. Then the horse moved backward slowly. The man made one more whip-sound and the horse lower its legs and began to run again. I proudly introduce this performer; the man in the black coat, holding a whip was Panayamparambil Kittunni.
Kittunni acquired an Elephant, which was having so many stories. I heard from the elders many incidents. Now I am sharing two of the incidents among them. The elephant that was named Karthiyayini was a pet animal of Kittunni. Karthiyayini played some items in circus, and she starred in the old Tamil movie "Chandralekha". Another incident I heard from the elders is this. Once Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru was visiting Cannanore, the organizers wanted an elephant to garland Nehru( It was believe to be happened in connection with 4th Pravisya Sammelasnam at Payyannur was conducted on May 25-27 in the year 1928.) after much deliberation it was decided to get the service of the elephant Karthiyayini. It was arranged to garland Jawaharlal Nehru, when the band conducted the music. At the appropriate time, the band had the music. Instead of garlanding Panditgee, the elephant started to show circus items and started to go in circles much to the amusement of the onlookers and chagrin of the organizers. For a movement the elephant thought it was in the circus tent. Karthiyayini died in 1940 from Palghat.
In addition to the Elephant named Karthiyayini, Malabar Cannanore Circus had a lion, a lioness, horses, tigers, a Bear dogs, and Parrots. It is a very difficult work to train animals and birds. The horses are the laziest animal among others. Daily training is necessary for horses. A horse got 5 years training will forget its item, if it lose one day daily training. Giving training in birds (Parrot group) is also difficult. The lion will not quarrel each usually, in the ordinary circumstances. But if a lioness is with them, it will quarrel and fight for her. To give training in bears is a very difficult work as the bears are mentally weak. Tiger is most dangerous animal in the circus tent. It will quarrel with lion whenever it got a chance. It is very difficult for an animal trainer to obey his orders by the animals and do as per his instructions even though with a little resistance.
The Clowns play a big part in circus performances, often playing jokes on the audience. A traditional clown wears baggy pants; white face makeup carried a bamboo stick. He has to able to perform all the Circus-feats in the form of comedy performance. A very long and difficult training was needed for this purpose. The clowns perform some comedy dramas named, parcel. The parcel will be conducted when they need a short break to change circus equipment. The clown has to make suitable changes in his comedy from place to place, according to the taste of the audience.
The audience sat on the gallery, chairs, and watched circus with wonder and happy While playing difficult items some of them prayed god to avoid an accident. They watched these items keeping the breath inside without leaving it out. After the completion of the each item, they made happy sounds, clapped, and inform their happy with the performer.
Malabar Cannanore Circus performed in Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Andrapradesh, and some unknown Hindi speaking places. The states were not formed in those period so it became unknown.but the assistant managers could able to speak hindi languages. The conversation in the parcel conducted by clowns is the examp le: ‘madhu makki, Madu makki, Hamaravstha khaya laya’.
Panayamparambil KITTUNNI was born on 18th July 1898(Monday) /1073 Karkkidakam 4th (Punartam nakshatram) at Chirakkal Taluk, Puzhati Amsam,Talap Desam, Cannanore. Sri. Manakkadan Kunhambu Gurikkal and Smt.Panayamparambil Kalyani were his Parents.
Kittunni had his education at Cannanore. He studied up to IVth form. He stayed for a period of six month with a Muslim family at Chavakkad,Trichur and studied the martial arts named kattiparuthi and ‘malakkam from this family.
During this period he heard that a circus company named TARA BAI CIRCUS was running the show at Tirur. This circus was run by an Agra lady named Sando Tarabai. I don’t think there are too many people in the present circus Troup, who even heard the names of Tarabai Circus. The Tarabai Circus was well known having a lot of artists and animals,those period. Kittunni met Sando Tarabai and and requested to accommodate him. Tarabai asked Kittunni to show his circus talent. Kittunni showed his malakkam that he studied from the muslim family. His performanance got chance in Tarabai Circus. Kittunni worked few months in that Circus and then he returned to Cannanore。
During those years Panayamparambil kunhiraman, a relative was running a circus troop. He was conducting a circus school in his house. Kittunni joined this troupe and played some of his item. Most of the item performed in the circus was performed by tough human practice .The circus performed with the help of instruments were very little.
.Kunhikannan died in his fortune due to tuberculosis after a short period. There was no one to run his circus troop. Therefore, the manager and the other members of the troop tried to find out a man among themselves to run this circus. Kittunni, who was only 15 years of age, took over the troupe in 1913.
Kunhikannan’s circus was not having roof. However, sides of the circus was covered and that type of Circus was called later as sidewall Circus. Kunhikannan had not put a name for the circus. Kittunni named as, Malabar Cannanore Circus in the year 1918.
https://www.geni.com/people/Kittunni/6000000038097931891#
Malabar Cannanore Circus- 1918
Inaugural show of The Malabar Cannanore circus had conducted at Parakandy near Panayamparambil tharavad house of Panayamparambil Kittunni at Kannur. Now this place situated at Kannur Nagara sabha’s Municipal Health Inspectors office. The medium of publicity had not developed those years. So the audiences were also very less. Kittunni shifted his camp from place to place, inquiring new audiences, whenever the gate collection became very low. The gate collection improved slowly. Kittunni improved his circus.
There were no media for the enjoyment for the people in the entire Malabar area in those days. The common people do not have chances to know the news of the very close neighboring places. The news about the arrival a circus in a place itself was important in those days. Kittunni developed the Circus Company adding Central Poll and other necessary accessories in the age of 20. He named in MALABAR CANNANORE CIRCUS,in 1918, shortely M. C. Circus. Kittunni purched wild animals and this circus became popular.
The names of the artists played in those years are not known. But a few of them were known. The most remember able artist was Nani,with black complection and long curly hair whom belong to chonadam, Thalassery. The Very famous circus artist Nani’s performance was wonderful. The item named Wire-dance itself was wonderful those days. Nevertheless, Nani’s performance was unimaginable. While playing wire-dance her malakkam on the wire (Kambi) was most wonderful. Malutty another known artist played items called valaschal and ruller.
I am describing a short imaginable incident to share with you. Now we are sitting in the tent of Malabar Cannanore Circus and watching circus. A bell rang to inform us to start a new item in the circus. A horse entered in the tent from the performers’ door situated backside. A black man holding a whip also entered in the tent. The horse began to run in rounds in the tent continuously. The man wears black coat, white banyan (inside the coat), a neck- tie, and black pants. We heard a sound made from the whip of the man. Suddenly the horse stops running. Again, the man raises his whip and produces a whip-sound. The horse raised its front legs and stood by the back legs. Then the horse moved backward slowly. The man made one more whip-sound and the horse lower its legs and began to run again. I proudly introduce this performer; the man in the black coat, holding a whip was Panayamparambil Kittunni.
Kittunni acquired an Elephant, which was having so many stories. I heard from the elders many incidents. Now I am sharing two of the incidents among them. The elephant that was named Karthiyayini was a pet animal of Kittunni. Karthiyayini played some items in circus, and she starred in the old Tamil movie "Chandralekha". Another incident I heard from the elders is this. Once Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru was visiting Cannanore, the organizers wanted an elephant to garland Nehru( It was believe to be happened in connection with 4th Pravisya Sammelasnam at Payyannur was conducted on May 25-27 in the year 1928.) after much deliberation it was decided to get the service of the elephant Karthiyayini. It was arranged to garland Jawaharlal Nehru, when the band conducted the music. At the appropriate time, the band had the music. Instead of garlanding Panditgee, the elephant started to show circus items and started to go in circles much to the amusement of the onlookers and chagrin of the organizers. For a movement the elephant thought it was in the circus tent. Karthiyayini died in 1940 from Palghat.
In addition to the Elephant named Karthiyayini, Malabar Cannanore Circus had a lion, a lioness, horses, tigers, a Bear dogs, and Parrots. It is a very difficult work to train animals and birds. The horses are the laziest animal among others. Daily training is necessary for horses. A horse got 5 years training will forget its item, if it lose one day daily training. Giving training in birds (Parrot group) is also difficult. The lion will not quarrel each usually, in the ordinary circumstances. But if a lioness is with them, it will quarrel and fight for her. To give training in bears is a very difficult work as the bears are mentally weak. Tiger is most dangerous animal in the circus tent. It will quarrel with lion whenever it got a chance. It is very difficult for an animal trainer to obey his orders by the animals and do as per his instructions even though with a little resistance.
The Clowns play a big part in circus performances, often playing jokes on the audience. A traditional clown wears baggy pants; white face makeup carried a bamboo stick. He has to able to perform all the Circus-feats in the form of comedy performance. A very long and difficult training was needed for this purpose. The clowns perform some comedy dramas named, parcel. The parcel will be conducted when they need a short break to change circus equipment. The clown has to make suitable changes in his comedy from place to place, according to the taste of the audience.
The audience sat on the gallery, chairs, and watched circus with wonder and happy While playing difficult items some of them prayed god to avoid an accident. They watched these items keeping the breath inside without leaving it out. After the completion of the each item, they made happy sounds, clapped, and inform their happy with the performer.
Malabar Cannanore Circus performed in Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Andrapradesh, and some unknown Hindi speaking places. The states were not formed in those period so it became unknown.but the assistant managers could able to speak hindi languages. The conversation in the parcel conducted by clowns is the examp le: ‘madhu makki, Madu makki, Hamaravstha khaya laya’.
