Tholpavakoothu, is the traditional shadow‑puppetry ritual from Kerala—especially widespread in Palakkad, Malappuram, and Thrissur. It involves telling the Kamba Ramayana story through leather puppets cast as moving shadows on a white screen—set up inside a dedicated temple pavilion (koothumadam) using coconut‑oil lamps for illumination .
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🎭 Origins & Significance
• Name Meaning: ‘Thol’ = leather, ‘pava’ = puppet, ‘koothu/kuthu’ = play .
• Ritual Purpose: Enacted in Bhadrakali temple precincts because legend says Kali missed the climactic war of Rama–Ravana while battling Darika. So, Rama’s victory is ritually narrated for her benefit .
• Sacred Space: Performances last for 7, 14, 21, 41, or 71 nights, often spanning January to May, aligned with temple festivals .
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🔧 Technique & Performance
• Stage Setup (Koothumadam): A pavilion with three walls and one open face. A white cloth screen (‘ayapudava’) is lit from behind by 21 coconut‑shell lamps on a ‘vilakku madam’ beam .
• Puppets: Crafted from deerskin (now goatskin or buffalo), sizes range up to ~80 cm, often perforated and articulated using bamboo sticks for expressive motion .
• Puppeteers (Pulavar): Often lifelong scholars trained in Tamil, Malayalam, Sanskrit, and over 3,000 slokas. Performances are narrated in Tamil verses, with explanations in Malayalam, including chanted rhythmic sounds and musical accompaniment .
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🎶 Music & Storytelling
• Accompaniment includes ezhupara, chenda, maddalam, ilathalam, conch, cherukuzhal, etc. Vocal chant and puppets combine with sound effects for dynamic scenes .
• A full 21-night production may involve 180–200 puppets and up to 40 artists, concluding with Rama’s coronation after Ravana’s defeat .
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🕰️ Heritage & Contemporary Relevance
• Age-old practice: Possibly dating back to the 9th–10th CE, codified in the 17th–18th centuries, and part of life in over 90 temple stages across the region .
• Recognition & Revival: Despite declining audiences post-1970s, it’s gained attention through festivals like the Sangeet Natak Akademi Shadow Theatre Festival (1978), and received national support with awards like Padma Shri for K.K. Ramachandra Pulavar in 2021 .
• Modern Adaptation: Performances now travel to schools, colleges, public venues, and international festivals, and puppets are made for art enthusiasts .
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📍 Where to Witness in Palakkad
• The Krishnankutty Pulavar Memorial Tholpava Koothu & Puppet Centre in Koonathara, Shoranur, Palakkad is a key venue—offering shows, workshops, puppet‑making demonstrations, and homestays .
• DTPC Palakkad also promotes the centre. It’s located roughly 6 km from Shoranur, and typically active during temple seasons January–May .
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