Therukoothu
Therukoothu is the traditional art form of
folk theater of Tamilnadu and it has a long history. This dynamic art
form combines 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 Mahabharatha and nowadays
from the Ramayana.
Therukoothu is not merely a form of theater. It is bound with people's
emotions, values, 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 a people.
Koothu is performed at Shakthi (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 head gears, arm and shoulder gears, breast shields
and painted face masks, highly exaggerated and rich in colour. It
employs simple musical instruments like Harmonium, Mridangam,
Mukhaveenai and Cymbals as accompaniments.
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