Wmltusa: created details

2026-03-25T10:29:24Z

created details

New page

{{short description|Indian Koodiyattam exponent (born 1966)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Margi Madhu Chakyar
| birth_name = Madhu A.K<ref name="ssus"/>
| image = Margi Madhu.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1966|05|19}}
| birth_place = [[Moozhikkulam]], [[Eranakulam district]], Kerala
| death_date =
| death_place=
| known_for = [[Koodiyattam]] performer and teacher
| father = [[Moozhikkulam Kochukuttan Chakyar]]
| mother = Pothiyil Sulochana Illodamma
| spouse = Indu G. Nair
| children = Nepathya Sreehari Chakyar
| relatives =
| occupation = [[Koodiyattam]] performer and teacher
| awards = {{bullet list|[[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] (2022)|
[[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]] (2011)}}
}}
'''Madhu A.K''' popularly known as '''Margi Madhu''' or '''Margi Madhu Chakyar''' is an Indian [[Koodiyattam]] exponent and teacher from Kerala. He received several awards including the [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]] in 2011 and [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] for his contribution to Koodiyattam in 2022.

==Biography==
Madhu was born on 19 May 1966, to [[Moozhikkulam Kochukuttan Chakyar]] and Pothiyil Sulochana Illodamma at [[Moozhikkulam]], [[Eranakulam district]], Kerala.<ref name="SNA">{{cite web |title=Margi Madhu Chakyar |url=https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2024/mar/doc202437320201.pdf |publisher=[[Sangeet Natak Akademi]] |page=46}}</ref><ref name="Puzha">{{cite web |title=Margi Madhu |url=http://www.puzha.com/malayalam/bookstore/cgi-bin/author-detail.cgi |access-date=8 July 2025 |archive-date=16 August 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130816151615/http://www.puzha.com/malayalam/bookstore/cgi-bin/author-detail.cgi |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> Born into a family of [[Koodiyattam]] artists, his father and parental uncle [[Ammannur Madhava Chakyar]] are noted Kootiyattam exponents.<ref name="Indian Express">{{cite news |title=Koodiyattam exponent Margi Madhu on the survival of the 2,000-year-old Sanskrit theatre |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/express-sunday-eye/koodiyattam-exponent-margi-madhu-2000-year-old-sanskrit-theatre-9449167/ |work=The Indian Express |date=13 July 2024 |language=en}}</ref> He was educated at St. Mary's School, Moozhikulam and N.S.S. High School, Eranakulam.<ref name="Puzha"/>

Started studying Koodiyattam from his father he later trained under uncle Madhava Chakyar, P.K. Narayanan Nambiar and M. Madhavanunni.<ref name="Puzha"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Margi Madhu Chakyar Entertainment Photo Margi Madhu Cha... |url=https://timescontent.timesofindia.com/photo/entertainment/Margi-Madhu-Chakyar/551106 |access-date=2025-07-08 |website=Times Of India |language=English}}</ref> In 1981, he joined the performing arts institute 'Margi' in [[Thiruvananthapuram]]. He along with his brother Margi Narayana Chakyar, father's nephew Margi Rama Chakyar were the first Koodiyattam students in Margi.<ref name="Sahapedia">{{cite web |title=Kutiyattam: In Conversation with Margi Madhu |url=https://www.sahapedia.org/kutiyattam-conversation-margi-madhu |website=Sahapedia |language=en}}</ref>

===Personal life===
Madhu is married to Indu G. Nair from [[Edappally]], Eranakulam.<ref name="Puzha"/> She is also a Koodiyattam and [[Nangiar koothu]] artiste for more than 20 years.<ref>{{cite news |last1=T.K |first1=Achuthan |title='Koodiyattam is a full-time vocation' |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/theatre/margi-madhu-on-the-need-to-preserve-the-integrity-and-depth-of-koodiyattam/article28884482.ece |work=The Hindu |date=8 August 2019 |language=en-IN}}</ref> They have one son, Srihari.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tradition and the times |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/tradition-and-the-times/article3631141.ece |work=The Hindu |date=12 July 2012 |language=en-IN}}</ref>

==Career==
[[File:Margi madhu in koodiyattam as ravanan.JPG|thumb|Margi Madhu as [[Ravana]] in a Kootiyattam play at Nepathya]]
Madhu has performed in various venues across India and abroad, including the [[John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts]] in USA.<ref name="Narthaki">{{cite web |title=Interview - Margi Madhu: Nepathya is my dream project - Lalitha Venkat |url=https://narthaki.com/info/intervw/intrv109c.html |website=narthaki.com}}</ref> He has performed roles uch as [[Ravana]], [[Arjuna]], [[Sugriva|Sugreiva]] and Vidushak in Koodiyattam plays.<ref name="Times of India">{{cite news |title=Ravana is my favourite character: Margi Madhu |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Kochi/Ravana-is-my-favourite-character-Margi-Madhu/articleshow/49816689.cms |work=The Times of India |date=17 November 2015}}</ref>

Madhu has also written the acting manual for four Koodiyattam plays, ''Dooth Ghadodgajam'', ''Kanchukeeyam'', ''Karnabharam'' and ''Macbeth''.<ref name="Narthaki"/>

Madhu, who is also a Koodiyattam teacher, has trained many people as assistant professor in theatre at [[Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit]] and through the study center 'Nepathya', which he started in [[Moozhikkulam]] in 2003.<ref name="ssus">{{Cite web |title=Margi Madhu |url=https://app.ssus.ac.in:8083/profile/margimadhu@ssus.ac.in}}</ref><ref name="Narthaki"/>

==Awards and honours==
Madhu has received the Sanskriti National Award and the Junior Fellowship of the Human Resource Development Department, Government of India.<ref name="Puzha"/> In 2011, he received the [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]] for Koodiyattam.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Awards for Koodiyattam |url=http://www.keralasangeethanatakaakademi.com/images/fellowship/award_08.jpg |access-date=15 July 2025 |archive-date=16 August 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130816152559/http://www.keralasangeethanatakaakademi.com/images/fellowship/award_08.jpg |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> In 2022 he received [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]] for his contribution to Koodiyattam.<ref name="SNA"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Winners of Kerala}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Madhu, Margi}}
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Koodiyattam dancers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]
[[Category:Malayali people]]
[[Category:Dancers from Kerala]]
[[Category:Indian performance artists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dancers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian dancers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]]
[[Category:Indian dance teachers]]
[[Category:People from Ernakulam district]]

Margi Madhu - Revision history

Wmltusa: created details