‘Tholpavakoothu,’ or shadow puppetry, one of the ancient, ritualistic art forms of Kerala, is struggling for survival owing to lack of patronage. Cast in a symbiotic play of the pitch darkness of the night, shadows and light, the art form unfolds the events of the ‘Kamba Ramayana’ at the specially made ‘koothumadams’ of temples.
“It is disheartening to note that the night-long performance of the ‘koothu’ at temples has hardly any takers. However, the art form is a link to our rich cultural heritage. Though there are many applied forms of puppetry, which promote multi-culturalism and literacy, the Tholpavakoothu must be preserved as a ritualistic art form,” said Chandradasan, artistic director of Lokadharmi Theatre.
Though the art form has witnessed days of glory and is performed by the Pulavar families in around 108 temples in Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram districts, there are now only three troupes which carry the tradition forward.
“With the pittance that is being received from the temple authorities for a night’s performance, the art form may not survive for long.
“The number of temples where the art form is being performed has also declined,” said Dr V Jayarajan, founder and chairman of Folk Land, International Centre for Folklore and Culture at Trikaripur, Kasargod.
The logo of the International Film Festival of Kerala, an image from Tholpavakoothu, was crafted with the aid of the Tholpavakoothu Sangam based in Koonathara in Shornur.
“Though the main plot is from the Kamba Ramayanam, a thorough mastery of the scriptures ranging from the Puranas, Vedas, Arthasastra and epics is required and they are incorporated into the compositions,” said Vishwanatha Pulavar, son of the late maestro Krishnankutty Pulavar, of the Tholpavakoothu Sangham.
In a bid to reinvent themselves, the troupe has also incorporated plays based on the Mahabharata and the Gospel of Christ.
Though the Kendra Sahitya Akademi is giving a pittance to Vishwanatha’s family, the incentive is inadequate to ensure that the art form takes up a prominent place in the cultural tapestry of the state.
With adequate patronage from the government and the temple authorities, a link to the state’s unique aesthetic tradition can be revived.