 Purisai, a village about 120 km from Chennai, has been a traditional centre of Theru-k-koothu. This folk form has been nurtured for nearly five generations by a family of Theru-k-koothu artistes, presently represented by Purisai Duraisami Kannappa Thambiran Parambarai Theru-k-koothu
Manram.
Theru-k-koothu is the traditional art form of folk theatre of Tamil Nadu and it has a long history. This dynamic art form combines the spoken word, song and dance. It is a rich and vibrant art - popular among the rural population. Its themes are drawn from Indian mythologies and epics, particularly from the Mahabharata and nowadays from the Ramayana also.
Theru-k-koothu is not merely a form of theatre. It is bound with people's emotions, values and attitudes to life, which are reflected in the many rituals that accompany this art. The rituals around Koothu relate the community to the art in such a way that Koothu becomes an expression of a reality as felt and experienced by people.
Purisai is a village in Samburavayar district, Tamil Nadu. Most of the artistes for whom Koothu is a hereditary art, belong to this village. Purisai Kannappa Thambiran's troupe, which now gives the performance, is the most renowned among the Koothu troupes of south India.
It has had great exponents of the art like Raghava Thambiran, Natesa Thambiran and Kannappa Thambiran. This troupe has withstood the test of time and the upsurge of other popular media and has sustained the authenticity of tradition.
Koothu is performed at Shakti (Mother goddess) temples, generally between March and July every year. The performance begins late in the evening and lasts throughout the night. The costumes prescribed by tradition are tall headgears, arm and shoulder gears, breast shields and painted facemasks, highly exaggerated and rich in colour. It employs simple musical instruments like harmonium, mridangam, mukhaveenai and cymbals as accompaniments.
Koothu has been in the recent years receiving attention and encouragement from the people and the Central and state governments thanks to the initiative taken by a group of writers and theatre enthusiasts. The Union Education Ministry has enabled the group with periodic grants to produce many new plays. As a result, the Purisai troupe, led by its leader Kalaimamani Kannappa Thambiran, with encouragement fro Na Muthuswamy, an eminent contemporary playwright and director, has widened its repertoire. It has started producing plays from Ramayana. These productions have improved the capabilities of the troupe, have widened the scope of the art and enhanced its appeal.
The Purisai troupe was invited to perform at the inaugural function of Festival of India in France (1985) and Sweden (1987). It was invited by the Government of Singapore to perform at a theatre festival there (1990). The troupe also took part in the 5th International Theatre Festival at Bogota, Columbia (1996) and the Festival of Imaginary, Paris (1997).
Kalaimamani Kannappa Thambiran
The late Kannappa Thambiran represented the fourth generation of the Purisai Theru-k-koothu artistes. He performed for 70 years. He started his training in his 10th year under the illustrious Koothu artiste and his father, Purisai Duraisarni Thambiran, and paternal uncle, Raghava Thambiran. He witnessed the course the art took over the last half-a-century.
Today, his troupe represents the only major source of the northern style of Theru-k-koothu. He has mastered the art and its sources. He composed, improvised and revealed the many-splendoured aspects of the art. He drew his texts from the traditional sources, adding to them his proficiency in major classical texts in Tamil.
Kannappa Thambiran won several awards and honours. The Sangeet Natak Academy (Government of India) conferred on him the prestigious national award. He was a recipient of the Kalaimamani title conferred by Tarnil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Manram. He was awarded a fellowship by the Union Ministry of Education and Culture.
Kannappa Thambiran was alert to the need to adapt the traditional form to the new context. His two major adaptations demonstrated the strength and flexibility of the Theru-k-koothu art. He composed a Koothu text for the Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 'The Old Man with Huge Wings'. This production was staged at the V International Theatre Festival, 1996, at Bogota, Columbia, winning critical acclaim.
Similarly, he composed and choreographed Bertolt Brecht's 'Caucasian Chalk Circle', performed as part of Brecht's centenary in 1998. He has also composed the music for the collaborative production 'God has Changed His Name' with Dr Avanthi Meduri and Koothu-p-pattarai, Chennai. He is actively engaged in training a group of youngsters in
Koothu.
Kalaimamani Purisai Kannappa Sambandan
Born in 1953, he is the younger son of Kalaimamani Purisai Kannappa Thambiran. A fifth generation artiste of the Purisai school of Theru-k-koothu, Sambandan has been performing since 1977 in the main roles. His versatility and skill have won him appreciation from both the veteran artistes and the public.
Sambandan's skills have been widened by his interaction with contemporary theatre efforts in Tamil. In 1977, he participated in the National School of Drama workshop conducted by Bansi Kaul at Gandhigram. Later, he participated in the workshops of Badal Sircar and Ingbor Mayor. He conducted workshops in Theru-k-koothu at the National School of Drama, International Theatre Workshop Alwaye, and the Central University -
Pondicherry.
In keeping with the selective approach of his group, particularly his guru, Sambandan directed the group's Koothu version of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 'The Old Man with Huge Wings', for the 5th International Theatre Festival at Bogota, Columbia, in 1996. He also directed the Brecht centenary Koothu production, 'Caucasian Chalk Circle' in 1998. He choreographed 'God has Changed His Name' in 1998, a collaborative production with Koothup-pattarai and Dr Avanthi
Meduri.
Sambandan was conferred the prestigious title of Kalaimamani by the Eyal Isai Nataka Manram in 1995. He was also given a scholarship under the young talented artistes scheme of the Union Ministry of Culture, Government of India, in 1985.
Sambandan has accompanied his father's troupe in all major performances within India as well as abroad. He pas performed in France, Sweden, Singapore and Columbia.
Alliance Francaise, Chennai, has invited the troupe for an all-night performance December 10.
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Theru-k-koothu in Chennai
