CHENNAI: About four to five hours ahead of a Poikaal Kuthirai dance performance, Thanjai Raju aka TG Raju, along with his Gramiya Kalai Kuzhu, begin applying makeup on their face. Raju, the third generation dancer of poikaal, pastes a false girdha (side burns), ties the kattai (dummy legs) and gets into the colour glass embellished Poikaal Kudhirai and begins dancing to beats of the naiyandi melam, thavil and nadaswaram. Ahead of his dance performance (including Karagattam), as part of Urur Olcott Kuppam Vizha, we caught up with the 60-year-old artiste.
“I am very proud to say that I am the third generation poikaal dancer!” smiles the Kalai Sudar Mani recipient. Raju’s grandfather Mallari Rao and later his father, TM Ganesan, a Kalaimamani recipient, spearheaded the art form in the South — with their base in Thanjavur. “The dance form originated in Thanjavur but it has ancient roots and was brought here by the Marathas. We are their descendants!” he beams.
What was a one-day fiesta in the court of the Maratha rulers in Thanjavur during Dussera, slowly found its strong hold here and the artistes began migrating to the South. “Back then, Dussera was celebrated for about 10 days. So, one day was exclusively for this performance. Initially, it was just Kudhirai Attam but, after coming to the South, it was improvised with dummy legs and became poikaal,” he explains.
The horse used for the dance is made of paper mache and is then pasted with several coloured glass pieces.
“It’s a herculean task to make the horse and then transport it. We do it all by ourselves,” he says.
But, the reward for staging the show is barely enough to sustain a living. The artiste doesn’t complain, but he simply says that the art has seen better days during the time of his grandfather and father. “Over the years, poikaal got a new image. The artistes used to dress as kings and queens for the performance. It was loved by all! It was recognised,” he recalls.
From Chennai, Sikkim, and Andaman to multiple locations across the country, he has performed everywhere. “We are a 20-member troupe and it has never been about the money for us. We are happy with what we get paid. Our main aim is to take this art to every nook and corner of the country,” shares Raju who is a regular performer at Dakshina Chitra. “I have continuous programmes there and I also teach the art in Tamil Nadu Jawahar Siruvar Mandram. I am trying to create awareness.”
What’s heartwarming for the artiste is that his son has also taken the art seriously. “This is our kula thozhil. We are passing it down to the next generations and don’t want it to become a lost art. We are the only Maratha descendants in south, and possibly across the country who still diligently perform this art,” he adds.
Raju Gramiya Kalai Kuzhu will perform on January 21 from 6:15pm onwards at Raga Sudha hall, Mylapore. For details, call: 2499 2672