B. In the midst of the puppet performance on the Muthuchandran stage.
A traditional puppet (Thol pavai kothu) Artists, whose ancestors had migrated from Maharashtra for six generations and who lived a visit to the age of 19, are now ready to be held in Russia in “Bharat Utsav-Utsav” in Russia from 5 to 13 July at Manezanay Square in Moscow.
B. Muthuchandran, 50, has been performing puppet shows for the last 31 years from Thovai in Kanniakumari district and has been selected as one of the four art groups in Tamil Nadu to perform at the festival in Moscow. In particular, Mr. Muthuchandran and his brother B. Muthukumaran, 46, only represent southern Tamil Nadu for this event.
“Our family had no permanent address until I was 19 years old,” Mr. Muthuchandran told Hindu“We lived a nomadic life, a month we will install our tent to perform Kuthu In Tenkasi, Tirunelveli and then in Udangudi. Our livelihood was completely dependent on the amount collected during our show. ,
B. with your puppets before performance. Muthuchandran.
After the death of his father, Mr. Muthuchandran and his brother continued the family tradition, demonstrated at the temple festivals, and demonstrated village events for his existence. A major success occurred when he began to combine traditional stories such as Ramayana, Nalla Thangal and Harichandra Puranam with relevant elements such as plastic use, helmets security, women empowerment and social awareness such as contemporary humor.
In the recognition of his contribution to folk art, Shri Muthuchanadran was honored with prestigious Kalammani Awards by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 2018.
Thol pavai Literally means ‘dolls made with skin.’ These puppets are prepared using goat skin, which are painted with vibrant colors and humor manifestations. The goat’s skin is carefully treated before sketching, and natural colors made of cactus fruits, piple tree buds and charcoal are used in color process, which is financially suitable for them.
The folklore one Perumal says that the artists originally left Maharashtra and still speak Marathi at home. “Although only three to four families of Kanniakumari have continued to practice puppets, artists like Muthuchandran have developed tradition by including humor and relevant social themes in their story.”
After his performance in California in 2023, Shri Muthuchandran emerged in the Tamil Nadu Department’s radar.
Talk to Hindu, B. Hemmanthan, Deputy Director (Art Education and Schemes), Department of Arts and Culture, said that rural and folk arts were identified through regional festivals like Kumari Kalai Thiruvizha And Cortelam simple disintegration In the state. The government was taking various measures to protect and promote traditional art forms by organizing various programs throughout the year.
Published – July 02, 2025 06:16 pm IST
