Tholpavakoothu - Shadow puppetry is a temple art form which is performing in the Bhadrakali temples dedicated to Bhadrakali(mother Goddess) in Palakkad district and nearby regions in palakkad Thrissur,Malappuram in Kerala,India.

Tholpavakoothu - 'Thol' means leather, 'pava' means puppet & 'koothu' means play.The puppets are moved while performing with the help of sticks, and their shadows are appeared on a screen with the help of a row of oil lamps(21 Nos) in the background. The story of Tholpavakoothu performance is from the Indian epic, Ramayana. The performance language uses Tamil, Sanskrit and Malayalam words. The narrative used for the performance is a mixture of poetry and called Adalpattu.

Tholpava(puppets) are made by the skin of deer on olden days and the puppet forms are made by making small holes in the leather by using chesiles and hammer that is then attached vertically with the help of bamboo stick.Accompanying instruments such as Chenda,Ezhupara, Ilathalam(Metal instrument) and Maddalam in some temples. The performance is accompanied by the recitation of slokas and the performers are required to learn over 2100 slokas and their meanings of these before they perform The artists have to undergo several years of rigorous training to master this art form. The art was performed in Badrakali temples in specially built permanent theatres with 42- foot-long stage called koothumadam. The stage has a screen of white cloth and a black cloth, behind white which the puppets are held. The lighting is provided by 21 lamps of coconut halves or earthen lamps or chirath(metal lamps) placed behind the puppets,causing their shadows to fall on the screen. The lamps are a placed on a specially curved wooden beam called vilakku madam.

Tholpavakoothu performance on temple, staging all the episodes of the Kamba Ramayana story, takes 21 days to complete with seven-hour performances every day night.Traditionally, performances begin at night and go on till dawn and requires 120 to 150 puppets. For the performance needs10 artistes . The master puppeteer is called as Pulavar. The show begins with kelikottu & inside the koothumadam an invocation called kalarichinthu. Performances are done from January through May and during Pooram season. The performance can last 7, 14, 21 & 41 days depending on the tradition at the temple where it is performed.

Harisree Kannan Tholpavakoothu kalakendram is an institution with fully dedicated to the performance of Tholpavakoothu. The activities of this organisation include performance of Tholpavakoothu at permanent theatre on Bhagavathy temples during the Festival season, Teach this art form to students and those who are interested in learning this Art puppetry and puppet making, Providing facility to do research in this field of puppetry/ Tholpavakoothu, training workshop, demonstration, To do new innovations of puppetry, also perform stage performance to audiences at various venues.we are doing classes workshop demonstration for international students to do research in indian culture.

Now the performance and the Organisation Kannan Tholpavakoothu kalakendram run by Sri. M Lakshmana Pulavar, Kerala state folklore academy award winner with the able assistance of his son Sri. Sajeesh Pulavar,Kerala state Yuva prathiba puraskar Award winner, Sajith Pulavar. The organisation has all the necessary equipment to stage a performance at any venue. This includes puppets, screens, instruments and a portable angle stage. They also have a well trained of performers in the troupe Sri Sadhanantha Pulavar son of late Annamalai Pulavar, Sri Balakrishna Pulavar.

Sri Lakshmana Pulavar was born on 30-11-1957 Guru Shri: Krishnankutty Pulavar, Koonathara. He belongs to traditional Tholpavakoothu (Shadow puppetry) family with a rich historical background in a remote village koonathara Kerala State he had studied Tholpavakoothu by his great guru and father from the age of six. He soon achieves all the aspects of Tholpavakoothu within the period of childhood. While he was going with his father he follows the traditional style of puppet performance even now also. He follow the 7th generation from the followers of guru were endowed the talented skills in this art form Chinathambi Pulavar, ElaPulavar, Muthappa Pulavar, Appanna Pulavar, Lakshmana Pulavar, Marimuthu. Lakshmana Pulavar accompanied his father and guru to the permanent stage koothumadam from the age of six from then he started his studies in Kambaramayanam poems, interpretations, explanations, puppet making

Lakshmana Pulavar is 62 now and also engaged in this art form with his new contributions and his own great effort to promote this art form in Kerala India, Ever year from the month of December to June he was performed in 20 temples in 7,14,21 days and also he performed so many stages every years out the temple primes in Kerala -India. From 1999 he had assisted Sri Annamalai Pulavar who had played a major role in Tholpavakoothu renovation.

Achievements

Participated in India festival at the Sweden Mela held in Strockhom a gutenberg, Gaveie on August 1987

In connection with Sweden Mela done Tholpavakoothu in different places of Sweden

Participated four times in Greece Hydra on 1987 for the International Puppet festival.

I have done Tholpavakoothu, Puppet making in several parts of India and Abroad at several public institutions to create interest in the art to young generations

Still performing the conventional Tholpavakoothu in many of rural temples.

I remade almost all the puppets and have successfully coloured them using natural dyes.

Performed in Delhi and many other stage venue all over the country.

Many Award, honors form different Temple committee.

I done the performance in Akasavani radio many times

Got Sangeet Natak Academy certificate New Delhi in 1982.

Participated in SNA Putul Yatra puppet festival in Udaipur 2019

Participate in ITFOK2016 at Sankeeth Natak Academy Thrissur.

Present Master craftsmen training for more than 15 students in my institutuin Harisree Kannan Tholpavakoothu Kalakendram

Participated in National puppet festival by Sangeet Natak Academy Puthul Yatra in Udaipur Rajasthan on Nov2019

Certificate from grama panchayath president Vaniyamkulam

Articles

Different Magazines all over the world by blogs and News papers

On Kerala Mathrubhumi 16 march 2005

On Mathrubhumi 2014

“shadow puppet in Kerala” by NFSC 2008

The new Indian Express 22 Nov 2019

On Malayala Manorama Newspaper 21 Nov 2019.

On Deshabhimani newspaper 21Nov 2019.

On Mathrubhumi Newspaper 21Nov 2019

On Madhyamam Newspaper Kerala 20 Nov 2019

Camps

Conduct a exhibitions in Lalithakala academy “THOLPAVA” exhibitions of puppets in 2016

Conducting camps and workshops for school children’s

Participate puppetry camps in INDIA

Creating Modern Story through Puppets

Conduction workshops to TTC students

Performances

Annual performances in about 20 temples during the temple festivals seasons from December to June every year

A temple performance will stretch over 7, 14, 21days according to the temple tradition

Various stage performance during a year

Performance in schools for children’s

Performance in College as part of puppetry in education and theatre studies

Performance in Kerala tourism ONAM festivals

Performance in Department of tourism Kerala festival UTSAVAM in different districts in Kerala

Performing the New story ‘Poothapattu” by Malayalam poet Edassery Govindan Nair in 9thInternational Theatre festival of Kerala ITFOK – 2017

Puppet making

Making and coloring of about 200 puppets

Creating puppets, shadow puppets

Making designs with punching

Painting

I am SAJEESH born on 17-12-1989 Guru/father Shri: M.LAKSHMANA Pulavar. I was born into a traditional family with a rich historical background; and had studied Tholpavakoothu by my great guru from the age of six. Soon achieves all the aspects of Tholpavakoothu within the period of childhood. While i was going with my father he follows the traditional style of puppet performance even now also. I engaged in this art form with new contributions and my own great effort to promote this art form in Kerala India, Ever year from the month of December to June i was performed in temples in 7,14,21 days and also he performed so many stages every years out the temple primes in Kerala -India. From 1999 i had assisted Sri Annamalai Pulavar who had played a major role in Tholpavakoothu renovation.

My achievements are getting

CCRT scholarship-2002 Attending workshop by CCRT regional center Hyderabad with Shilparamam as “Unity in Diversity” on 2006.

Attending National festival by ABSS & CCRT on Pune Maharashtra -2007.

Participate in State level Work experience contest in Kerala 2004 & State level Work experience contest in Kerala 2005.

Young artist scholarship from ministry of culture New delhi-2014-16.

Many Award, honour form different Temple commity.

Participate in ITFOK2016 at KSNA Thrissur.

News & Articles are Different Magazines all over the world by blogs and Newspapers, Indian Express Hyderabad “shadow puppet in Kerala” by NFSC -2008.

Performances Annual performances in temples, Various stage performance during a year,

Performance in schools, College & Kerala tourism ONAM festivals, UTSAVAM.

Performing the New story ‘poothapattu” by Malayalam poet Edassery Govindan Nair in 9th ITFOK – 2017.

http://shadowpuppetsofkerala-tholpavakoothu.blogspot.com/.

.

.

.