Sonic Hierarchy and the Deva/Asura Divide in Kerala Percussion In the dimly lit interior of a Koothambalam, the sacred theatre attached to a Kerala temple, two percussion instruments preside over…
Saumik is a theatre student working on Indian Sanskrit theatre. He completed his BA and MA in English Literature, where his interest in performance and aesthetics began to take shape. Coming from a family historically associated with temple and performing arts traditions, he was introduced early to embodied artistic practices. He learned Bharatanatyam and percussion, before gradually developing a sustained engagement with theatre forms of Kerala, particularly Koodiyattam and Kathakali, which he continues to study and practice. Alongside his academic and artistic pursuits, he has also been a competitive swimmer. He has published articles in various magazines and is the author of the book “The Inner Courtyard: Ritual, Memory, and Dance in a Temple Family”
