Tholpavakoothu is the shadow puppetry of Kerala. In Malayalam, Thol means leather, pava means puppet and koothu, the play. This play was composed by Chinnathampi Vadhyar, an ancient scholar. The play is based on Kamba Ramayana, authored by the great Tamil scholar and poet Kambar who lived in the 12th century.
The story of Ramayana is composed for Tholpavakoothu in 21 parts, which are presented during 21 nights. About 180 puppets are needed for a full performance. The puppets are made from deer skin. The dear skin is first cleaned and dried at sunlight. After this an outline is drawn and the puppets are carefully chiselled out by using hammer . The visual beauty of a performance largely depends on the perfection in shape and expression in the face of a puppet.
lakshmana pulavar has translated the Bala Kandam,sundara kandam kiskinda kandam ayodya kandam vibesana kandam,yudha kandam of (Kamba Ramayanam) into malayalam . He has taken his show to Sweden, and Greece,germanyand all over india.
Tholpavakoothu
The story of Ramayana is composed for Tholpavakoothu in 21 parts, which are presented during 21 nights. About 180 puppets are needed for a full performance. The puppets are made from deer skin. The dear skin is first cleaned and dried at sunlight. After this an outline is drawn and the puppets are carefully chiselled out by using hammer . The visual beauty of a performance largely depends on the perfection in shape and expression in the face of a puppet.
lakshmana pulavar has translated the Bala Kandam,sundara kandam kiskinda kandam ayodya kandam vibesana kandam,yudha kandam of (Kamba Ramayanam) into English. He has taken his show to Sweden, and Greece,germany.
Artistes
Mr. K. Lakshmana pulavar (Master Puppeteer)
Mr. K. Lamaswamy Pulavar (singer, story teller)
Mr. K. Ramesh Pulavar (puppeteer)
Mr. A. Sadhananthta pulavar (story teller)
Mr. sundara pulavar (puppeteer)
Mr. K.L Sajeesh (puppeteer)
Mr. R.Krishna raj (puppeteer)
Mr. Sudevan (puppeteer)
Mr. Anil (Chenda)
Harisree kannan tholpavakoothu nadan kala kendram
Koonathara nagaram
P.O. Koonaathara, Shoranur
KERALA-679 523
email:dmesajeeshkl@gmail.com
+91–(0)466-222 7807
+91-9495397457
+91-9747672678
