THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When he is not teaching, Swaminathan, a teacher at Kalady Government High School, switches on his love for the camera. The man was behind the two short films produced by students at the school. But this time it is one of his own works that have made an impression among documentary-lovers. ‘Kalampattu’, the documentary, is all about the traditional ritual which is linked to temples. The documentary takes one to the nuances of the art of ‘kalamezhuthu’ through one of its patrons, Ambalapuzha Parameswara Kurup. The thirty-minute-long documentary covers the 15-hour ritual in a way that has retained the beauty of the art form.The documentary took more than a year to be made. And once completed in April 2010, it has been making its way to various film festivals. It was part of the International Short Film Festival in Thiruvananthapuram, won the award for best script in the Educational Film Festival held at Tirur Thunchan Parambu, won accolades from Guruvayur Kerala Film Audience Council, Thrissur film festival and the like. "Purakkad in Alappuzha was where I was born. So, I have seen this ritual many a time and its beauty and magnificence have stayed on with me,’’ says Swaminathan. According to him, the documentary was shot at Ambalapuzha Sreekrishna temple, Puthumana Illam and Valiya Madom. The ritual, when conducted through the hands of Parameswara Kurup and team, is a sight to behold, he said. He has earlier taken two documentaries and has helped the students shoot their campus films in Kalady school. Swaminathan is presently engaged in the work of two documentaries.
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