Sri Lankan Tamil indigenous Koothu forms

Subashini Pathmanathan

The term 'Koothu' was generally used in Tamil to refer the dance form. That's why the dancing deity Lord Nataraja is often referred to numerous names connected to the term Koothu. Koothapiran, Koothandavan and Kootharasan are some of the names referred to Lord Nataraja. The ancient Sanskrit stage was often referred to Koothambalam. The ancient Tamil classic Silapathikaram was enacted by the royal ascetic Illangoadikal in second century A.D. This ancient Tamil classic Silapathikaram mentions numerous Koothu forms existed at that time., Adiyarkunalar the commentator on Silapathikaram wrote the first commentary on Silapathikaram after thirteen century of its enactment.

A Koothu performance

Ancient Tamil literary work 'Kootha nool' mentions that dance originated from drama and drama originated from dance. In ancient times, there was no proper separation between the dance and drama. Initially dance and drama were considered as one and the same art form. But with the passage of time both these art forms were gradually separated from one another. And latter they maintained their own identity and originality.

Regional practices

Today in Tamil the word Koothu means folk dance. It is generally referred to as Koothu Kalai. These folk dance or dance forms are normally influenced by local culture, tradition and regional practices. Further these Koothu forms are also called Naatu Koothu. The Tamil word Naatu means country or village.

At regional level the Tamil Sri Lankan folk dances were divided into three different divisions. One is Eastern indigenous dance forms, other is Northern regional folk dances including Manner district, Vanni district and Jaffna district folk dances. And other regional Tamil folk dance is based on upcountry Tamil folk dances. Thenmodi Koothu and Vadamodi Koothu forms are quite popular both in the northern and eastern regions of Sri Lanka. The Tamil folk dances are practised, preserved and protected in the Tamil dominated areas of Sri Lanka. Earlier these Koothu forms were well protected and preserved by Annaviyars. Annaviyars were the males practicing Koothus.

The approach of practising Thenmodi Koothu is quite different from Vadamodi Koothu. Both these Koothu forms are differed from one another especially on the basis of Thala Kattu (rhythm and tempo). Batticaloa district in the eastern province of Sri Lanka is famous for traditional Koothus. Batticaloa Koothu forms are more or less accompanied with two main instruments named Drums and Thalam. Meanwhile Thenmodi Koothu practised in Jaffna is always accompanied with more than two instruments. It was practiced with certain selective Orchestra.

Traditional arts

Professor. S. Maunaguru's contribution is immeasurable to preserve the traditional local Tamil Koothu forms in the eastern Sri Lanka. He took tremendous efforts to revive these traditional eastern Koothu forms. To create public awareness among the masses he himself appeared before the stage and performed. His untiring efforts even after the thirty years of civil war, by his own efforts he protects and preserves these traditional indigenous Koothu forms of eastern Sri Lanka from wane.

Today after the thirty years of civil war because of him, the Tamil world has got an opportunity to see these valuable indigenous art forms once again in the eastern Sri Lanka. Presently anyhow it is noticeable that all the ancient Koothu forms are strongly associated and intermingled with dance and drama to certain extent.

It is worthy to mention here that the northern Sri Lankan indigenous Koothu forms were survived due to the efforts of the late Professor .Vithyananthan. In northern Sri Lanka most of the Koothu forms were really pertained to different castes. Those Koothus were specially practised by certain castes only. Among them, some Koothus are still persevered by the Hindu and Christian communities together.

According to certain previous records Vadamodi Koothu, Then Modi Koothu, Then Paangu Koothu, Vadapaangu Koothu,Vassapu Koothu, Kathathavarayan Koothu, Kovalan Koothu, Nondi Koothu,Vilasam Koothu and Pallu Nadakam were some of the remarkable Koothu forms were prevailed in the northern Sri Lanka. Among them at present a very few varieties of Koothus are existing. So far, a handful of scholars have done considerable amount of research on Sri Lankan Tamil folk lore. Earlier so many Koothu forms were existed, but recently due to the arrival of numerous modern technical and electronic mass medias all the traditional art forms have gradually lost their importance in the society worldwide. But today many of the Sri Lankan Tamil Koothu forms are only known by names.