RANIPET: Nearly 150 years later, the streets of Chenna Samuthiram village in Kalavai, from time to time, are still pulsating with the legacy and the words of celebrated “therukoothu” (street play) writer Kalavai Kumarasamy Thambirar.
Renowned for their lyrical and thematic quality, Kumarasamy’s timeless works, later published as books, have continued to influence a whole crop of koothu artistes, many of whom include a homage to the writer in their invocations, even today.
The descendants of Kumarasamy have urged the state government to establish a manimandapam (memorial hall) for the writer as a befitting recognition of his immense contributions to the traditional art form.
“His works such as Krishnan Thoothu and Iranya Vilasam continue to inspire koothu artistes across the North Arcot district,” said S Manickavelu (65), a fifth-generation descendant of the writer.
Kumarasamy’s ancestral home, where the writer had once crafted his manuscripts, now holds the stories of his artistic journey.
“He dedicated his whole life to therukoothu. He was also a skilled mridangam player, a talent that shaped our family’s artistic lineage,” said Manickavelu, whose livelihood depends upon selling flowers, also plays the percussion instrument for street play performances.
The family has preserved the palm-leaf manuscripts of Kumarasamy’s songs, written over a century ago.
“His songs celebrate the essence of Kalavai village. Even today, many koothu artistes start their performances by worshipping Kumarasamy Thambirar,” said Manickavelu, urging the state to establish a memorial to honour and preserve Kumarasamy’s works. Also, the family requested the government to confer an award in his name on koothu artistes.
A senior koothu artiste for over four decades, Siruvanjipattu C Seetaraman (61) said, “Kumarasamy’s songs, especially Krishnan Thoothu and Iranya Vilasam, stand out for their lyrical and thematic qualities.” Echoing the sentiment, Thiruvengadam S M (84), another veteran koothu playwright, remarked, “Therukoothu still depends heavily on old scripts, and Kumarasamy’s works remain unmatched in quality.”
Therukoothu researchers, particularly Dr M Elumalai and Dr R Srinivasan, have studied Kumarasamy’s works extensively.
“His songs are unparalleled in their literary depth, but unfortunately, little is known about his life. While his legacy lives on through his art, a proper acknowledgement is long overdue,” they said.
For over a decade, the Kumarasamy family has honoured the late writer with an annual guru pooja, featuring local koothu performances. Despite financial challenges, their dedication persists, supported by organisations like the Agni Chiragugal World Aid Trust.
The Trust believes Kumarasamy’s contributions deserve state recognition, a call echoed by Minister M P Saminathan, who encourages the family to formally petition for official acknowledgement.
(To extend assistance to the writer’s family, contact 8124787247)