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{{Short description|Indian musician (1927–2023)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{confused|Nambi Narayanan}}
{{Infobox person
| name = P. K. Narayanan Nambiar
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1927|05|26}}
| birth_place = Killikurissimangalam, [[Palakkad district]], [[British Raj]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2023|11|15|1927|05|26}}
| death_place = [[Palakkad]], [[Kerala]], India
| restingplace =
| restingplacecoordinates =
| othername = Panivaada Thilakan Narayan Nambiar
| occupation = Musician, artist, author
| yearsactive =
| spouse =
| domesticpartner =
| children = Dr. P.K. Jayanthi Unnikrishnan Nambiar Harish Nambiar Vasanthi Narayanan
| parents = [[Mani Madhava Chakiar]]
| website =
| awards = [[Padmashri]] [[Kerala Kalamandalam]] Fellowship [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi]] Award Nritha Natya Puraskaram
}}

'''Paanivadathilakan P. K. Narayanan Nambiar''' (26 May 1927 – 15 November 2023) was an Indian musician, known for his virtuosity in [[Mizhavu]], a traditional percussion instrument and his scholarship in the art of [[Koodiyattom]]. He is considered to be one of the masters of Koodiyattom. In 2008, he was awarded [[Padmashri]] by Government of India for his services to the art.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web | url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | title=Padma Awards | publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India | date=2015 | access-date=21 July 2015 | archive-date=15 October 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Biography==
P. K. Narayanan Nambiar was born during the [[British Raj]] in Killikurissimangalam, in Palakkad, Kerala famous [[koodiyattom]] maestro [[Mani Madhava Chakiar]] and Kochampilli Kunjimalu Nangiaramma, a known Nangiarkoothu artist on 26 May 1927.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=PK Narayanan Nambiar passed away: കൂടിയാട്ടം ആചാര്യൻ പി കെ നാരായണൻ നമ്പ്യാർ അന്തരിച്ചു |url=https://malayalam.indiatoday.in/keralam/story/kodiyattam-acharya-pk-narayanan-nambiar-passed-away-711804-2023-11-16 |access-date=2023-11-16 |website=India Today Malayalam |language=ml}}</ref> He did his early schooling in [[gurukula]] system in Killikkurissimangalam under the tutelage of his father. Later, he started learning koodiyattom from his father and gurus like Kochampilli Raman Nambiar and Meledath Govindan Nambiar<ref name="mykerala">{{cite web|url=http://www.mykerala.net/mizhavu/NarayananNambiar.html|author=Prem Manasvi|publisher=mykerala.net|title=Mizhavu Guru P.K. Narayanan Nambiar|access-date=29 January 2017}}</ref> and mastered the art of playing ''mizhavu''.

Nambiar's debut was at the Kottakkal Kovilakam Siva temple in [[Malappuram]] in 1948, at the age of 21. He started his career as a Kutiyattam actor in 1954 at Lakkidi Kunjan Memorial Library where he played [[Arjuna]] in ''Subradhananjayam'', which was the first time the art of Koodiyattom was performed outside the four walls of a temple. Nambiar, was the first person outside the caste of ''Chakiar'' to perform as an actor in Koodiyattom. In 1966, he joined [[Kerala Kalamandalam]], as the [[Guru]] of mizhavu. Known mizhavu performers such as Easwaran Unni, V.K.K. Hariharan and Edanadu Unnikrishnan Nambiar were his students in Kalamandalm.<ref name="thehindu">{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/dance/masterly-movements-and-strokes/article2050728.ece|publisher=thehindu.com|title=Masterly movements and strokes - The Hindu|newspaper=The Hindu |date=26 May 2011 |access-date=29 January 2017}}</ref>

Nambiar was married to Santha Nangiaramma, a performer in her younger days. He has two sons and two daughters, all of them are known artists. His daughter, Vasanthi Narayanan is an exponent of both Koodiyattom and Nangiarkoothu and performs as a member of the gurukulam while the second daughter, Dr. C.K. Jayanthi is a Sanskrit scholar with specialisation in koodiyattom serving at the Sanskrit University. Both the sons, Unnikrishnan Nambiar and Harish Nambiar are well-known [[mizhavu]], [[koothu]] and [[pathakam]] artists. In fact Harish is the only non-Chakyar to perform the intricate ''Mantrankam''.<ref name="thehindu"/>

Nambiar died on 15 November 2023, at the age of 96.<ref name=":0"/>

==Legacy==
[[File:Mizhavu.jpg|thumb|Mizhavu]]
Narayanan Nambiar is credited with evolving a scheme for imparting systematic training on the mizhavu during his time at kalamandalam where he served until his retirement in 1988. He developed a unique form of [[jugalbandi]] involving mizhavu and [[edakka]], another percussion instrument called ''Mizhavu Thayambaka''. He is also admired for his efforts and contributions in reviving [[Nangiar Koothu]], the female aspect of Koodiyattam, which is a female solo performance.<ref name="keralatourism">{{cite web|url=https://www.keralatourism.org/leadinglights/guru-panivada-tilaka-p-k-narayanan-nambiar/2|publisher=keralatourism.org|title=Guru Panivada Tilaka P. K. Narayanan Nambiar - a Mizhavu maestro | Kerala Tourism|access-date=29 January 2017|archive-date=3 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503165916/https://www.keralatourism.org/leadinglights/guru-panivada-tilaka-p-k-narayanan-nambiar/2|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Nambiar authored several ''Attaprakarams'' (Stage Manuals) for Koodiiyattom such as the staging of ''Kaliyaankam'', the performance manual of which was composed over 400 years ago. He also initiated a new dance form in the play called ''Hallisakam''. He was also noted for his contribution in the form of the reworked version of ''Matha Vilasom Prahasanam'', a 400-year-old Koodiyattom play which was re-constructed and choreographed to give a new style of presentation.

Nambiar later ran a school of arts, ''Padmashri Madhava Chakyar Gurukulam'' which is considered a seat of learning for Koodiyattom by [[Lalit Kala Akademi]].<ref name="kutiyattam">{{cite web|url=http://www.kutiyattam.com/index-3.html|publisher=kutiyattam.com|title=index-3|access-date=29 January 2017|archive-date=28 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028064655/http://kutiyattam.com/index-3.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Awards==
* [[Padmashri]] by Government of India
* Fellowship by [[Kalamandalam]]
* [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]] (1993)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.keralaculture.org/koothu-koodiyattam-krishnanattam-a-ksna/469|title=Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award: Koothu - Kooditattam - Krishnanattam|publisher=Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala|access-date=26 February 2023}}</ref>
* ''Nritha Natya Puraskaram'' by Kerala State Government<ref name="newindianexpress">{{cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/article83636.ece?service=print|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503170020/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/article83636.ece?service=print|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 May 2014|publisher=newindianexpress.com|title=Nritha-Natya Puraskaram for Narayanan Nambiar- The New Indian Express|access-date=29 January 2017}}</ref>
* [[Sangeet Natak Akademi Award|Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]<ref name="SNA Awardees' List">{{cite web | url=http://sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/awardeeslist.htm | title=SNA Awardees' List | publisher=Sangeet Natak Akademi | date=2016 | access-date=5 February 2016 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530204253/http://sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/awardeeslist.htm | archive-date=30 May 2015 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==Works==
* ''Mantrankam koothu'' – based on the third act of [[Bhasa]]'s ''Prathinja Yougandharayana''
* ''Sreekrishnancharitam Nangiarkoothu'' – based on ''Subhadradhananjayam''
* ''Taalam'' in Koodiyattom – considered to be the only authentic work of its kind.<ref name="mykerala"/>

Narayanan Nambiar has also contributed to the literature of Koodiyattom by way of articles including over 30 seminar papers and has also traced out 25 unknown manuscripts in Sanskrit.<ref name="thehindu"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://gspaul.com/article111.html Life sketch]
* {{YouTube|BS_2RX0JUPU|Kairali TV documentary}}
* [https://www.amazon.com/Mizhavu-Thayambaka-Divine-Sonata-Video/dp/8188698113 Mizhavu Thayambaka]
* [http://www.kutiyattam.com/index-3.html Gurukulam web site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028064655/http://kutiyattam.com/index-3.html |date=28 October 2016 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140503165743/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2005/03/25/stories/2005032502310300.htm in The Hindu daily]
* {{discogs artist|P.K. Narayanan Nambiar}}

{{Padma Award winners of Kerala}}
{{Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Winners of Kerala}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Art}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nambiar, P. K. Narayanan}}
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:2023 deaths]]
[[Category:Malayali people]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts]]
[[Category:Indian percussionists]]
[[Category:Musicians from Palakkad]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian musicians]]
[[Category:Koodiyattam dancers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award]]

P. K. Narayanan Nambiar - Revision history

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