| Moozhikkal Pankajakshi | |
| Birth Date: | 1936 3, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Urulikunnath, Pala, Kerala, India |
| Occupation: | Nokkuvidya pavakali performer |
| Known For: | Nokkuvidya pavakali |
| Spouse: | Shivarama Panicker |
| Awards: | Padma Shri |
Moozhikkal Pankajakshi is an expert in Nokkuvidya pavakali a form of puppetry. She was awarded India's fourth highest civilian award the Padma Shri in 2020.[1] [2] [3]
Pankajakshi Moozhikkal Sivaraman popularly known as Moozhikkal Pankajakshi Amma was born on March 14, 1936, at Urulikunnath, Pala, Kottayam district.[4] [5] She dropped out of school midway due to financial difficulties.[5] Pankajakshiamma started learning Nokkuvidya from her mother Paappiyamma.[5] She who learned Nokkuvidya at the age of eleven, later used to perform it with songs written by her husband after her marriage.[6] A Nokkuvidya Pavakali performer for over 60 years, due to old age, vision loss and memory loss, she stopped performing Nokkuvidya at the age of 72.[7] After that she taught the folk art form to her granddaughter Renjini.[7]
Pankajakshi Amma married Shivarama Panicker of Monippally near Uzhavoor, Kottayam district, at the age of 20.[4] [8] Couple has three children, Vijayan, Radhamani and Shiva.[4] She now lives in Monippally with her daughter Radhamani.[4]
She received several awards including Padmasri (2020), India's fourth highest civilian honour and fellowship from Kerala Folklore Academy (2012).[9] In 2008, as part of the Kerala Tourism Festival, she performed at Paris. Apart from this Pankajakshi Amma has performed Nokuvidya in many venues in Kerala and outside Kerala.[10]
Reshmi Radhakrishnan’s documentary film Nokkuvidya, The life of a lone string puppeteer, screened at the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala, is about Nokkuvidya and it's performer Pankajakshi.[7]