Tholpavakoothu: Out of the shadows, into the light JTPac presents "TOLPAVAKOOTHU" (Kerala Art Form - Puppetry) by K Viswanatha Pulavar and Vipin Viswanatha Pulavar on Thursday, 24 January 2013 ; 7:30 pm. Kerala’s cultural tapestry is woven with threads of great art forms such as Kathakali , Kalaripayattu, Mohiniyattam, Pulikali etc that have evolved from traditional beliefs and customs. These have grown in stature to depict the face of Kerala, relegating numerous ritualistic art forms to the shadows. Tholpavakoothu or shadow puppetry performed with leather dolls for Goddess Bhadrakali was once an intrinsic part of rural worship and entertainment in Palakkad and Malappuram. But the onslaught of visual media and time constraints of modern living have made it challenging for this 2000-year-old ritual art to step out of the shadows and regain its past glory. Behind every art form lies a story and Thoplpavakoothu is no different. It is based on Tamil poet Kambar’s version of the Ramayana written in the 12th century. Kambar narrates how Goddess Bhadrakali was caught up in her fight with the demon Dharika that she missed the epic battle between Lord Rama and Ravana, in which Lord Rama emerges victorious after slaying Ravana. Goddess Kali’s devotees recreate the battle scene through shadow puppetry to draw a parallel to the victory of light over darkness. The Ramayana is usually enacted in 21 parts performed over 21 evenings at temple theatres specially erected for the show called koothumadams . A white cloth is stretched taut across the koothumadam and is illuminated by numerous lamps lit in coconut shells. The shadows of the deerskin puppets, expertly maneuvered by the puppeteers, fall on the white cloth and depict enchanting tales during this dusk-to-dawn performance. The devotees believe that the Goddess stays awake the whole night to watch the show and blesses the community in return. In its glory days, there were about 400 active koothumadams that had around 26 puppeteers for every performance. But the numbers have dwindled drastically to 105 active koothumadams and around three puppeteers. Puppet masters have to undergo intensive training in puppetry and acquire an in-depth knowledge of Malayalam, Tamil and Sanskrit. They also have to study the Kamba Ramayana as well as the Vedas and Puranas . Puppet masters use knowledge and skill imparted by their forefathers to fashion the filigreed puppets from deerskin, if available, goatskin or buffalo hide. Once the leather is processed, the characters are painted and cut out with chisels in various positions such as sitting, standing, walking and fighting, with movable body parts as required by the character. In ancient times, the availability of fine deerskin made the puppets translucent; and when painted with vegetable dyes they would cast coloured shadows. Today, the puppets are painted black and mounted on bamboo sticks that can be skillfully handled by the puppeteers to create fantastic shadow play. There is dialogue and stylised narration accompanied by music from instruments such as chenda , sankh , ilathaalam, chengila and kurumkuzhal . A few Pulavar families are still torch bearers of this dying art and are determined to ensure that Tholpavakoothu does not fade into oblivion. Off late, they have opened up to the idea of using contemporary themes that are relevant in the present world and performing in secular venues to gain more publicity. This should go a long way in nurturing interest in the younger generation who has the ability to take the art into the future! Hurry! Block your desired seats! Seat categories are: Rs. 500/- and Rs. 250/- For enquiries and reservations, please contact us on 9349528057 , 9349528107 , 8086881681 or 8086881669 .Alternatively you could book online at : www.jtpac.org CONTACT US JT Performing Arts Center The Choice Campus, Tripunithura, Kochi - 682 301 /jtpac /jtpactweet http://www.jtpac.org/ .