Tholpavakoothu: A Penumbra in the Universe of Shadow Puppetry

Introduction

Shadow Puppetry or Shadow Play is a shared cultural phenomenon across Asia. From the Tholu Bommalatta of Andhra Pradesh (India) and the Nang Sbek Thom of Cambodia, to the wide and varying Chinese Shadow theatres, it’s an art form that can very well be described as a precursor to modern visual animation. However, amongst the famous iterations of various shadow plays across the world, there is an interesting version that goes unnoticed even in India. This is the story of Tholpavakoothu, a theatre rooted in rituals and worship, but held together by the public conscience of a land that actively seeks value in tradition as a tool to espouse social commentaries.

 

 

History: A Stream that Settled

Although Tholpavakoothu is an exclusively Keralite art form, its origins may lie in the migratory history of ancient Malabar. There is evidence of a form of Shadow Play existing in the Tamil Sangam literature, which leads scholars to believe that Tholpavakoothu might also have had a cross-cultural influence that goes back at least two millennia. Regardless, the art form is conclusively attributed to certain Tamil groups existing in Kerala in the 9^th and 10^th centuries CE. Obviously, what existed at that time could only be a Proto-Tholpavakoothu, since the famous narratives of Ramayana and the corresponding motifs that are now associated with the art form will only become a defining attribute of Tholpavakoothu until much, much later, possibly in the 18^th Century CE. As such, the earliest stories narrated in Tholpavakoothu are believed to be Tamil folk stories like Nallathangal and Harishchandran Nadagam. Also, interestingly, the version of Ramayana prominently used in Tholpavakoothu is Kamba Ramayanam, a Tamil rendition created by the poet Kambar (12^th – 13^th Century CE).

On the other hand, the literary evolution within Tholpavakoothu mirrors the linguistic evolution in Kerala, as the narration follows a blend of Malayalam, Tamil, and Sanskrit, the three most influential entities that contributed to the formation of Modern Standard Malayalam.

 

Mythology: A Communion of Two Legends

The mythology behind the practice of Tholpavakoothu connects two seemingly unrelated events in Hinduism, especially in South India. Darkiavadham (The killing of Darika) is an episode where Goddess Kali is tasked with neutralising Darika, an Asura blessed with the boon of not being able to be killed by any ‘male’ whatsoever. He had also asked for an extra boon, which allowed every drop of his blood to fall on the battlefield to turn into a thousand Darikas. Conveniently, Darika, being extremely misogynistic, looked down on all ‘women’ and deemed himself invulnerable. It was using this loophole that Lord Shiva created Bhadrakali, the fiercest form of Shakti, and commanded her to defeat Darika. Kali, being a woman, not only killed Darika but drank his whole blood to prevent the second boon from being enabled.

Unfortunately, while this extremely long battle was going on, Bhadrakali missed another, one of the most important battles in Hinduism.

The climax of the Epic Ramayana.

But Lord Shiva, to compensate her disappointment, asked her to visit a temple dedicated to her, so that the devotees could arrange a Shadow Theatre to let Bhadrakali experience the legendary battle between Rama and Ravana.

Thus began Tholppavakoothu and its association with Bhadrakali Temples in Kerala.

The Motifs: Intricacies of Tradition

The most important part of a Shadow Theatre is, well, the Shadows. However, this might lead one to assume that the ‘behind the scenes’ of said shadows is not as relevant. To the contrary, in fact, most of the work associated with the creation of a Tholpavakoothu goes into the creation of the Pavas (dolls) themselves.

Leather as a Base

The term Thol-Pava-Koothu literally translates to Leather-Doll-Performance. In other words, the dolls are not mere cardboard cut-outs or paper models. They are made from Goat or Buffalo leather. While the use of Animal Hide in a Temple Performance might come across as a cultural shock to many, it’s not generally taboo in Kerala since even certain musical instruments (Chenda, for example) widely employ leather in their creation. And no, the animals are not ‘killed for’ Tholpavakoothu. The hides are usually bought or processed from slaughterhouses, and some are even imported from other states in India.

Regardless, the leather is just a material. How it is transformed into ‘Tholpavas’ is a different story altogether. The leather has to be first treated with ash and water, dried, and then cleaned of all the impurities. This processed material must then be cut (using a special chisel) into various shapes according to the characters that are being performed. There are categories to this. For example, Veeralipatta is a cut for the kings like Rama or Ravana, while Nakshathrakothu is reserved for the likes of Lakshmana. There are specific parameters for ‘non-human’ shapes too. Chandrakalaroopam, as the name suggests, is used to represent the Moon.

An Artwork and a Tool

It is important to remember that the final look of the characters might change according to the artistic interpretations of the troupes that create them. One must not mistake the Pavas as ‘less detailed’ because of their existence as mere shadows in the performance, either. They are not only intricately carved, but also beautifully coloured using natural extracts, dyes, and vegetable colours. Modern renditions are even more beautiful to look at, making the Pavas Collectables or Showpieces in their own right.

Converting these finished artworks into animate-able bodies is the next task. Obviously, different characters and models move differently. Therefore, a standardised set of joint attachments must be used to enable efficient training and performances. As such, there are different types of Pavas. Nirthu (standing) usually moves only a single hand, while Nadathu (walking) has movable legs. On the other hand, Yuddham (war) can perform complicated manoeuvres using their arms, legs, and heads. Dozens of other types are also used to create a sequence, ranging from winds and clouds to arrows, animals, and Rathams (chariots). In fact, the entire performance of Ramayana may use up to 160 different Puppets.

The Performance: A Magical Memory

A Koothumadam is a dedicated platform created for the sole purpose of Tholpavakoothu. Its edges are first covered with black fabric to prevent any outside light from entering. The front screen, however, is a thin, bright white cloth, stretched at the edges and corners to create a translucent sensation for the viewers. Behind this humongous 42-foot white screen is arranged a set of 19-20 oil lamps. They are coconut shells (nowadays metal trays or even candles are used) filled with coconut oil, with a wick placed inside for ignition. This unique setup creates a yellow-lit ambience for hours, a rare sight in the shadow plays across the world.

It is into this arena that the Pavas are introduced. Each Pava has a stick acting as its spine for stability, and based on the type of Pava being used, the limbs are moved to animate them. The skills of the performers hit their epitome when the accessories come into play, as they have to be extremely careful not to let their hands produce shadows on the screen. The war sequences in Tholpavakoothu are, therefore, the most exhilarating to look at, as the performances may employ simulated fires and explosions behind the screen to amplify the immersion.

The Universal Reach of Shadows

In the past, Tholpavakoothu used to thrive under the active patronage of the rulers, chieftains, and royal families in Kerala. However, after India gained independence and the monumental Land Reforms of Kerala in 1970 abolished the feudal system altogether, the art form witnessed a substantial loss of public appeal and even remembrance. The exclusive ‘temple’ nature was a huge factor in Tholpavakoothu’s inability to spread as much as its regional peers did at this crucial juncture in Kerala’s history, and the introduction of modern visual media (Cinema, TV, etc.) rapidly took over the creative spaces the public imagination was aching for. As such, the early second half of the twentieth century acted as a curse for Tholpavakoothu.

That was until the veil was lifted and certain artists themselves spearheaded the process of bringing Tholpavakoothu out of the Temple confines. In 1972, the late puppeteer Krishnakutty Pulavar (the founder of Koonthara troupe) led a team to a performance at the Kendra Sangeet Natak Academy. This pre-emptive act of bringing the art to the general public for the first time would later prove to be THE saving grace of Tholpavakoothu. Within a few years, Tholpavakoothu got global recognition, and it was accepted as a valuable sibling of other Shadow Theatres in the world that were already undergoing the process of preservation. Krishnakutty Pulavar was also given a Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 1980 for his contributions to the field.

Later, the successive generations in Koonthara Troupe would diversify the narrative structures in Tholpavakoothu and promote the art in its purest form. As long as there was a story to be told, that story could be Shadow-fied! Consequently, the first Non-Ramayana Tholpavakoothu was performed in the form of the Pancatantra stories of India.

It didn’t stop there. The troupe would then go on to perform Gandhikoothu in 2006, the first standardised contemporary Tholpavakoothu about the life of Mahatma Gandhi. At that point, the horizon was behind them, and anything was possible. Mahabharatam was a recreation of the Sanskrit Epic Mahabharata. Penpavakoothu was a social commentary on the issues faced by women in modern society. Additionally, after a presentation at Jerusalem, Ramachandra Pulavar (the troupe head at the time), seeing the potential of Biblical mythology, created a Jesuskoothu (Life of Jesus) and cemented the universality of the art form.

Conclusion

India has a rich history of Shadow Theatres, and it’s a history that inspired the emergence of similar art forms in other parts of South and Southeast Asia. Although this article is regarding Tholpavakoothu in particular, the path of evolution it followed has parallels in other countries, and it is this very same path that allowed them to keep their traditions alive. A Wayang theatre in Malaysia, for example, performed a story based on Star Wars, aiming to bridge the gap between traditionality and modern pop culture sensibilities. Elsewhere, Chinese Shadow Play is being consistently used to retell Chinese Recorded History, leaping over the wall of legends and myths that trapped the traditional art forms for centuries. Since the story of Tholpavakoothu has laid the groundwork for similar possibilities in India, it is up to its peers to tap into the opportunities and bring more light into this realm of Shadows.

References

1. Koonathara, Rahul. “Jesus Koothu: A contemporary Tholpavakoothu shadow puppet performance.” Ecumenica, vol. 16, no. 2, Nov. 2023, pp. 178–183, https://doi.org/10.5325/ecumenica.16.2.0178.
2. Joseph, Shiny. “THOLPAVAKOOTHU: THE SHADOW PUPPETRY OF KERALA.” International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, vol. 5, no. 4, Dec. 2017, pp. 790–91. ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT1135125
3. Nishanth, A. (2021). “Tholpavakoothu: A Study on The Performing Art of Shadow Puppetry in Kerala.” ISSN (Online): 2350-0530, ISSN (Print): 2394-3629, December 2021 9(12), 17–24
4. K Nair, Sreedevi. (2009). When goddess turns spectator: on multiple audiences in Tholpava Koothu performance in Kerala. Studies in Theatre and Performance. 29. 173-186. 10.1386/stap.29.2.173_3.
5. Pillai, Pallavi. “Striving, Not Dying: The Koonathara Shadow Puppeteers and Tholpavakoothu.” JANAL Archive, 2024, keralamuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Striving-Not-Dying_-The-Koonathara-Shadow-Puppeteers-and-Tholpavakoothu 
6. Official website of Koonathara Troupe 
7. Video references from Kerala Tourism
8. For comparisons with Chinese Shadow Theatre, Wayang theatre, and Tholu Bommalatta