koothu

The tradition & historical record

Koothu, or Therukoothu, is an ancient Tamil art form, where artists enacted scenes from epics and folklore with dance and music. It is a form of storytelling art that originated in the early Tamilakam, and served as an entertainment and a medium to educate the people about religion and history. Various forms exist such as Terukuttu and Kattaikkuttu. ¹

Koothu is an ancient Tamil art form, which is a form of drama, where artists enacted scenes from epics and folklore with dance and music. It involves play performance along with narration and singing. Sangam literature such as Silappatikaram provide detailed description of the art form. The stories are drawn from Hindu epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata, mythology and folklore. Apart from entertainment, koothu also serves as a medium of education to the rural people about religion and history. ¹

Koothu broadly consists of the art forms of Terukuttu and Kattaikkuttu. Terukkuttu refers to mobile performances in a procession, while Kattaikkuttu denotes narrative performance, often performed overnight, on a fixed performance space. Koothu generally means a performance and is used as a part of the names denoting other specific art forms. These include Nattu Koothu, Kuravai Koothu, and Valli Koothu, which depict scenes from the state and culture of different peoples in Tamil country. Samaya Koothu showcases religious topics, while Porkaala Koothu, Pei Koothu, and Thunangai Koothu are focused on the martial arts and war of the country. Other forms include Chakyar Koothu and Ottan koothu, a tribal ritual dance form. Bommalattam, a type of string puppetry, is also referred to as thol pavai koothu (dance of leather dolls). ¹