Stepping OUTSIDE THE SHADOW

What happens when a centuries-old puppetry tradition meets the modern world? Tholpavakoothu, once confined to temple performances, now finds new expression—on stage, multimedia experiments & wearable art, discovers Fathima Abdul Kader

- Fathima Abdul Kader

In the early 2000s, the media was talking about the decline of Kerala's Tholpavakoothu (shadow puppetry) to the point of extinction. Two decades later, the art form thrives, having evolved from temple rituals to social initiatives and immersive experiences. Tholpavakoothu originated in Kerala's Bhagavathy temples to invoke Goddess Bhadrakali's blessings. It was traditionally performed employing massive leather puppets, behind a white cloth screen, backlit by oil lamps, with music and narration in dedicated spaces called koothambalam attached to temples in central Kerala.

Padma Shri recipient K.K. Ramachandra Pulavar traces the art's origins to humanity's early encounters with shadows, long before organised religion. “Humans worshipped nature, and this art of ‘shadow play’ came into being from then,” he explains. His father K.L. Krishnankutty Pulavar was a key influence in taking the art form beyond its temple presence in 1972. They approached the Central Sangeeta Nataka Akademi in 2001 to further its scope.

Since then, Pulavar has adapted various stories to this form—from Mahatma Gandhi's life story to ‘Panchatantra Tales’ in four different languages, and has performed internationally, all while encouraging active participation towards Tholpavakoothu's preservation. His sons, Rahul and Rajeev Pulavar, continue the legacy, with Rahul researching ‘Cultural Studies Through Puppetry’ at the University of Connecticut, and Rajeev earning numerous accolades for his practice.

Today,