From nomadic life to international stage, Tamil Nadu puppeteer to perform in Moscow
B. Muthuchandran, 50, from Thovalai in Kanniyakumari district has been performing puppetry shows for the past 31 years and has been selected as one of the four arts groups from Tamil Nadu to perform in the festival happening in Moscow. Notably, Mr. Muthuchandran and his brother B. Muthukumaran, 46, are the only ones representing southern Tamil Nadu for the event.
'Our family had no permanent address until I was 19,' Mr. Muthuchndran told The Hindu. 'We lived a nomadic life, one month we would set up our tent to perform the koothu in Tenkasi, the next in Tirunelveli and then in Udangudi. Our livelihood depended entirely on the amount collected during our shows.'
After the passing of their father, Mr. Muthuchandran and his brother continued the family tradition, performing at temple festivals, and village events for their survival. A major breakthrough came when they began amalgamating traditional stories such as the Ramayana, Nalla Thangaal and Harichandra Puranam with relevant elements such as social awareness on plastic usage, helmet safety, women empowerment and contemporary humour.
In recognition of his contribution to the folk art, Mr. Muthuchnadran was honored with the prestigious Kalaimamani award by the Tamil Nadu government in 2018.
Thol Paavai literally means 'doll made with skin.' These puppets are crafted using goat skin, painted with vibrant colours and humorous expressions. The goat skin is carefully treated before sketching, and natural dyes made from cactus fruit, pipal tree buds and charcoal are used in the colouring process, which is economically suitable for them.
Folklorist A.K. Perumal says the artists originally migrated from Maharashtra and still speak Marathi at home. 'Although only three to four families from Kanniyakumari continue to practice puppetry, artists like Muthuchandran have evolved the tradition by incorporating humour and relevant social themes into their story telling.'
Following his performance in California in 2023, Mr. Muthuchandran emerged in the radar of the Tamil Nadu Department of Arts and Culture.
Speaking to The Hindu, B. Hemanathan, Deputy Director (Art Education and Schemes), Department of Arts and Culture, said the rural and folk arts were identified through regional festivals such as Kumari Kalai Thiruvizha and Courtallam Saral Vizha across the State. The government was taking various measures to protect and promote the traditional art forms by organising various programmes throughout the year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
28 minutes ago
- Indian Express
AR Rahman joins forces with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman for his AI project Secret Mountain, a musical metaverse
Two-time Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman recently shared a photo with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, teasing their collaboration for the singer's AI-powered project. Rahman met Altman at his office, where the two discussed and explored ways to empower Indian creators while also tackling the generational challenges using artificial intelligence. In his post shared Friday on Instagram, Rahman tagged Altman and revealed they were brainstorming on 'Secret Mountain,' his upcoming virtual global band project that aims to fuse sound and code into something game-changing. 'It was a pleasure meet @sama at his office …we discussed 'Secret Mountain', our virtual global band, and to empower and uplift Indian minds to use AI tools to address generational challenges and lead the way forward,' Rahman wrote on social media alongside the picture of two smiling for the camera. A post shared by ARR (@arrahman) What is AR Rahman's Secret Mountain project? Back on February 14, 2024, AR Rahman posted a nearly five-minute video on YouTube, titled 'Introducing the Secret Mountain.' Fans were confused with the sudden update, but it turned out to be a tease for what Rahman was planning. The video started with, 'Hey I'm Luna, let me tell you a story. Like most of us, I have been wandering the jungle instead of gratification, dooms of scrolling.' The video teased the introduction of innovation through enhanced storytelling set in a mystical metaverse world. It tells the story of Luna, a young woman who is transported to the world of Secret Mountain, where she meets different musical characters from various cultural backgrounds, each with a different style. Also read: AR Rahman jokes about Andy Byron's Coldplay video but promises 'not to get anyone in trouble'; Kartik Aaryan caught cheating. Watch Rahman often relies on wisdom rather than leaning on 'muscle memory,' and is known for making music without direct reference to film scenes. This is where he gets his inspiration from to come up with his new project. 'I consciously avoid repetition,' Rahman explained on his website. 'AI can be a starting point,' he noted, adding, 'but the human element, the emotional depth and creativity, remains irreplaceable.' Through this project, he will bring singers and mentors from around the world onto one platform, including Ireland, China, Africa, and India, to show how music can surpass geographical boundaries. The project is called 'Meta Band' and aims to provide an immersive experience. Also read: AR Rahman shares excitement about collaborating with Hans Zimmer for Ramayana: 'Who would have thought…' Rahman is collaborating with the Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer on the music for the upcoming two-part Ramayana adaptation, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and starring Ranbir Kapoor. Rahman won his Oscars for Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle.
The Hindu
10 hours ago
- The Hindu
A visit to Sitamarhi in Bihar
'I love this!' said Taran, looking at an intricately patterned painting of people and animals in bright colours, as he put his bags down in the guest room. Taran and family were visiting friends in Sitamarhi, Bihar, about 130km away from Patna. 'Oh! You are looking at an art style that is the pride of this region: Mithila. It is called Madhubani or Mithila art and is traditionally done by women. They paint on mud walls using natural colours from berries and flowers. These days, you can spot it on paper, fridge magnets and sarees too,' said their host. 'It's very cool. I love the symmetrical fish,' he said, stepping closer for a better look. 'The art is usually inspired from Nature and mythology. Geometrical designs are used too,' said their host, adding, 'In fact, Goddess Sita is said to have been born here in Sitamarhi. She is also a big inspiration for Madhubani art. This evening, let's go to the Sita temple revered by locals and tourists alike.' 'Sita Mata was born here?' asked Taran. 'The Ramayana tells us that Sita had a very unique birth. She was found as a baby while her father, King Janaka, was ploughing the field in this area. That is why this region has a lot of spiritual and cultural importance.' Exploring They visited the Goddess Sita's temple that evening. There were many devotees milling about. Later, they headed to a location called Panth-Pakar. 'There really isn't much to see here. Just an old banyan tree. But it is very special.' It was a hot day, so Taran's mother sat down under the shade of the tree. Appa chimed in, 'It is claimed that Queen Sita rested here on her way to Ayodhya after her marriage to Rama. Now our modern-day queen also rests here.' He smiled at Amma. She smiled back, seeming pleased with the analogy. 'I think our king should find us some local snacks and take us shopping,' she retorted. 'Haha! I'm sure Goddess Sita didn't worry about snacks and had loftier thoughts,' countered Appa. Taran joined the fun. 'Modern queens have modern problems and finding yummy snacks seems fitting to the occasion.' Their host added his mite. 'May I present the perfect Bihari snack: Litti Choka? I know just the place for it.' Everyone piled back into the car and headed back into town, each lost in their own thoughts of the day, till the wafting smell of mustard oil at the restaurant brought them back to the present. 'Litti!' Taran's family said in unison.
The Hindu
10 hours ago
- The Hindu
A writer creates a work, but a translator breathes new life into it, says writer Imayam
The task of a writer is to create, while the translator, in turn, breathes new life into it through another language, said Sahitya Akademi award-winning Tamil writer Imayam on on Thursday (July 24, 2025). Mr. Imayam was in conversation with Justice (retired) Prabha Sridevan, former judge of the Madras High Court, who has translated three of his books into English, at The Hindu office in Chennai. Sharing her experience of working with Mr. Imayam, Justice Sridevan said, 'Translating vattara vazhakku (regional dialect) into English is difficult. But Mr. Imayam does not use vattara vazhakku in his writing. His language is unique.' While talking about translating Mr. Imayam's Ippodhu Uyirodirukkiren into the English edition (I'm alive... for now), Justice Sridevan said, 'The story is narrated by a 15-year-old boy. I cannot use words like 'dichotomy' or 'parameters' while translating his voice. I have to be conscious of the kind of words he would have used if he had known English. I cannot use polysyllabic words. The language has to be simple and true to his age and background.' Responding to a question from Justice Sridevan, who asked whether the humour in his otherwise dark and serious stories comes naturally or is consciously added, Mr. Imayam said he does not sit and decide what to include or leave out. 'It is the character that decides, not me. I don't interfere. I simply write what they speak. Once I finish writing, the character leaves me, and I also leave them,' he said. 'Love is the foundation of all my stories,' Mr. Imayam said, while talking about where he draws inspiration for his stories. As society continues to change, it is the duty of a writer to document that transformation. The foremost responsibility of a writer is to keep renewing and reshaping the language through creative evolution, to ensure that the language remains alive and relevant, he said. 'To me, storytelling comes second. Reviving and refreshing the language comes first. That is my identity. In the past two thousand years, many kings and wealthy people have come and gone. Only Tholkappiyar, Thiruvalluvar, and Kambar still live on through their writings,' he added. (This conversation was held as part of The Hindu's Out of Print series with writers)
