Shadow puppet show enthralls audience

Part of efforts at reviving vanishing art forms

A shadow-puppet show organised by Stage Prgathi, at the Kabani Auditorium of the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, at Pookode, in Wayanad on Sunday. .

A ‘Tholpavakkoothu’ (shadow-puppet theatre) performance, held at the Kabani auditorium of the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University at Pookode in the district on Sunday was a novel experience for art lovers and tourists.

The programme was organised by Stage Prgathi, a collective of artists in the district, in connection with the 'Jadu Ki Rath,’ a musical and magic night. Every month the organisation is conducting such programmes as a part of reviving the vanishing art forms.

The event began with a ‘kelikottu' and an invocation by seven artistes led by K. Viswanatha Pulavar of the Palakkad-based Krishnankutty Pulavar Memorial Tholpava Koothu Sanghom.

The performance was based on the five acts of Kambaramayana such as Sitapaharanam, Balimoksham, Ravana Vadham and Sree Rama Pattabhishekam.

Scenes such as Sita’s abduction by Ravana, Mareecha’s appearance as a deer, the fight between Jadayu and Ravana and the duel between Bali and Sugreeva were cleverly enacted by the artistes with puppets made of leather. The dexterous use of fire behind the curtain to accentuate the battle scenes enthralled the audience.

The performance, which usually consists of nine-hour sessions spread over nine to 79 days, was abridged into a drama of 45 minutes, troupe leader Mr. Viswanatha Pulavar said.

Mr. Pulavar said the performance were usually held on specially constructed stages called Koothumadoms on the premises of Devi temples in Palakkad, Malappuram and Thrissur.

Puppets made of deer skin with intricate work are manoeuvred by the puppeteer behind a screen, creating shadows with the help of 21 oil-wick lamps.

They dance to the accompaniment of instruments like the Chenda, Ezhupara—a percussion instrument used only for Tholpavakkoothu — Maddalam, Kuzhal, and Chengila. Sanskrit songs are used for the performance, along with narrations in a mixture of Tamil and Malayalam.

An illusion performance of James Barroet, from California, a shadow play of Uday Jagudar, a Bangaluru based magician, and classical fusion dance programme of the students from Mudra school of Dance were also held as part of the programme.