shadow puppetry
k.viswanatha pulavar of koonthara near shornur a tholpavakoothu (shadow puppetry) artist has been invited by ministry of culture industry and information unit of the people republic of china in association with the international organization of folk arts china to perform at various venues in their nation and deliver lecture demonstrations at various universities.The theme of the tholapa va koothu will be kamba ramayana and other hindu mythological stories which are presented in the tamil language.There will also be a sprinkling of Malayalam and Sanskri words in the slokas.Viswanantha pulavur who is carrying him the puppets ,made of the skins of deer oxen and goats will also display the international folk crafts and cultural products to be held in guiyang city guizhou province in china.The people of Singapore Thailand and japan can easily identify with the characters of ramayana and mahabharatha They get immersed in the puppetry show and we get a good audience there says viswanantha pulavar who has travelled to various foreign countries to present the shadow puppetry though the art form is gradually waning It is still performed in temples of Palakkad malappuram and other districts Viswanantha pulavar who has registered the tholpava koothe sangam in koonthara which teaches students tholpava koothe.This art form was patronized by the kavalpara family who ruled the cochin state earlier
By: k.mohan