A Tholpavakoothu performance [ Kerala, India ]

Tholpavakoothuis a form of shadow puppetry that is practiced in Kerala, India. It is performed using leather puppets as a ritual dedicated to Bhadrakali and is performed in Devi temples in specially built theatres called koothumadams.This art form is especially popular in the Palakkad, Thrissur and Malappuram districts of Kerala. It is natural that the deer skin was used and still today, to make the shadows of Thol-Pavakoothu. Factors shadows are convinced that the leather of this animal is sacred and generating predictions. When the skin is cleaned, dried and tanned to the consistency of a translucent parchment, form the desired character is drawn above. Then the skin is cut following its contours. The facial expressions, decorations, depictions of weapons, and costumes are chiseled, drilled with precision and confidence. More than a dozen different scissors are used for this delicate work. A hollow bamboo rod is attached vertically along the length of the figure, to prevent it not to bend or become damaged when it is pressed against the screen. The figures are color coded and used for their identification. They are painted with taste, refinement and natural colored pigments such as bark and leaves Kašava tree Neli. To place the figures on the length of the screen that measures more than 12m long, it takes no less than 5 artists for this work. In August 1987 the troupe, led by master Krishnankutty Pulavar and puppeteer G. Come, give performances at the festival "events Indian Sweden" After Sweden, the troupe traveled to Greece on the island of Hydra to perform in a festival run by the famous artist Michael Meschke. Since then, this art is protected and developed by G. Venu, director and founder of the center Natana Kairali, real laboratory research, protections for all the arts of Kerala.