“Anda Sobhaiyai paathaya…?” (Did you notice the glow?) The elderly gentleman asked his son. The son replied “Minukkura… Muthukkuri Kaettuttalo illayyo?” (She is sparkling. She just heard the pearl forecast, has she not?”)
The father and son were talking about the Panchaloha idol of Andal at the Thiruvidanthai temple in the southern suburb of Chennai. I was driving Sri Srinivasa Rangachary Swamy of Srivilliputhur and his son Balamukundan back to Chennai after his performance of Arayar Sevai at the Nityakalyanaswamy temple.
Of course Andal was delighted with the kuri. The forecast was that she will unite with her beloved Ranganatha. This had made her glow, felt the father and son duo. So what if it was only the bronze idol. She was a living entity for them. The kuri or forecast is an important aspect of South Indian literature, religion and performing arts.
The Kurathi as the soothsaying character provides a flexible dramatic structure — be it mythology, legend or folk tale. She comforts the lovelorn heroine with music, rhythmic speech and the comic element.
One must see the Kurathi of Padma Subrahmaniam for the humour of Kurathi in classical dance. In the folk tradition of Therukoothu it is limitless entertainment.
Singi and Singa are the Kurathi and Kuravan, who sometimes herald the performance, introduce the story just like the sutradhar or the Kattiakkaran and speak wisdom couched in colloquial and classical language. Kuravan and kurathi bring the story and the characters close to the audience. Kurathi is the mainstay of a Kuravanji drama though she is there as the confidante of the lovelorn heroine and helps her to get over her anxiety.
In the Tamil Total theatre of Therukoothu or Kattaikoothu, Draupadi becomes a Kurathi in the Kuravanji natakam. Anji (dance) of Kurathi (gypsy) brings with it the wisdom gained by the Kurathi in her travels. She also is an expert in local medicinal practices and advises the women of the royal household in their applications. The audience thus becomes the receivers of this knowledge making the ritual of reading the palm complete.
It is said that King Serfoji II of Tanjavur had used a Kuravanji drama to teach geography. Some others have used it to teach science also. There is also a Kuravanji drama written on the Bhavani river after the construction of the dam across it.
There is a kuravanji on Jesus Christ too “Bethelem Kuravanji” composed by Vedhanayakam sastriyar. An Islamic Kuravanji was composed by Peer Mohamed.
Some believe the Kurathi is from the Kurinji mountainous region of the Tamil country. Others say the origin is in the Andhra region. The Kuravas who spoke a peculiar dialect of Telugu are said to be excellent fortune tellers. Some believe the origin of Kurathi tradition of dances was in the 17th century. The Kurathi dance item was a must in the repertoire of early Bharathanatyam performances.
Kurathi compliments the royal splendour of the heroine’s costume with her rustic checked costume and tribal bead jewelry and hair ornaments of leaves and feathers. She has the freedom to chew betel, make fun of everyone and speak a strange tongue.
The pining heroine
In a typical Kurathi scene, the heroine suffering love pangs for the hero is unable to confide in anyone. She implores the cloud, the moon and the birds to convey her message of love to her beloved and almost faints in desperation. Then the gypsy suddenly appears and boasts of her expertise. She proceeds to read the palm of the heroine and predicts that she is desperately in love. The heroine first denies it and then accepts it. Kurathi tells her that her hero will either come to rescue her if it is someone like Subhadra or that she will merge in him if it is Andal. The gypsy is amply rewarded for her prediction. Then Kuravan appears in search of his wife.
They both indulge in some accusations of infidelity but profess their love for each other and exit happily. The beauty, virility and the directness of the kurathi add a delectable naivety to the proceedings, whether it is classical dance drama or folk theatre.
(The author is a cultural activist and a Gandhi scholar)
