How a koothu performance proved to be a social leveller

Munnetram, a night-long koothu event and its social-cultural outcome

K. Velur village, Arcot taluk, Ranipet district, recently bustled with youthful energy, kindred spirits and pride. The stage near the Uthiragiri Amman temple in the village, with two statues dedicated to Kalavai Ponnusami and Tamil scholar Prof. M. Varadarasan, speaks of the village’s long-term involvement in their heritage of Koothu and Tamil.    

The village hosted the Munnetram (Progress) project of Kattaikkuttu training programme in three villages in the surrounding area, sharing the shortened versions of their new koothu along with Carnatic music (Ashwath and team), Bharatanatyam (Sangeeta Isvaran and Mookambikai trained girls of Katradi Centre in Kalavai village) and multiple folk forms (Nanbarkal team from Chennai). The overnight event began at 9 p.m. and lasted till 6.30 a.m. The project was led by Thilagavathi Palani.   

Overnight Koothu performances are not new in Northern Tamil Nadu. But the presence of a young audience through the night, the performances of urban and rural groups, the mixing of classical and folk forms and the inclusive caste and gender dynamics were certainly refreshing. 

Though we think that breaking the fault lines of the urban-rural divide in the performing arts in Tamil Nadu is a recent phenomenon, it actually has its own unique history. 

When culture in India is becoming homogenised, the home-grown artistes’ growing desire to critically engage with their art forms is heartening. This engagement has been crucial in bringing about change in the contemporary context — of being rooted yet accessible. 

Village leader Nandakumar was happy that a Carnatic music concert was staged for the first time there. While the mangalavadhyam (nagaswaram and thavil, three of each) featured a female artiste, the North Chennai-based Nanbarkal group led by Deepan included school and college students and employed people; they performed Parai, Silambam, Karagam, Poikkaalkuthirai and Mayilattam. 

Deepan shared how these art forms were livelihood options and skills to entertain and create awareness for members of the group.