From nomadic life to international stage, Tamil Nadu puppeteer to perform in Moscow

A traditional puppeteer (Thol Paavai Koothu) artist, whose ancestors migrated from Maharashtra six generations ago and who lived an itinerant life until he was 19, is now set to perform in Russia at “Bharat Utsav-Festival of India” to be held from July 5 to 13 at Manezhnaya square 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.