Mahabharata’s many versions find place in this Tamil folk dance form called Kattaikoothu

Two hours before showtime, the quaint Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam, located eight kilometres from Kanchipuram town, amidst trees, stepwells and a smattering of houses, whirrs to life.

Arjuna, Duryodhana and King of Panchal, Draupada, are lugging their bags into hair and make-up. A singer and the ‘kattiyakaran’ or the jester, are tying a rope to a 10-foot-long bamboo shoot which will substitute a golden bow. In their re-enactment of Panchali’s wedding, potential suitors from the warring families of The Mahabharata — the Pandavas and the Kauravas — must bend a bow and pierce the eye of a golden fish by looking only at its reflection in the water.

“For six months, when the temples in and around us have festivals, we will be kings,” says 30-year-old performer P Moorthy.

Kattaikoothu artists performing Panchali’s wedding from The Mahabharata at Kattaikkuttu Sangam, Kancheepuram.
| Photo Credit:
Akhila Easwaran

For now, the focus is on ensuring that streaks of green, pink, orange and white powder are carefully applied on the face with a base mixed with coconut oil. The dots of natural colour that mark their facial expressions and enhance emotion, must come through. The artists must wear layers of costumes with opulent crowns and ornaments to mark their presence as royalty. “The crowns will easily weigh about two kilograms,” says 70-year-old P Rajagopal, the co-founder of the Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam and association.

For the first time since the pandemic, the school which specialises in this oft-overlooked Tamil folk art form performed night-long, readies itself for bite-sized renditions of The Mahabharata. Serialised over 10 weeks until December 9, the school will have one-and-a-half hour long shows of this epic with versions endemic only to the northern region of Tamil Nadu. Here, Panchali will fling the dice at Duryodhana after she is placed as a bet on the table and Karna will have a wife. Here, women who have traditionally not taken part in the performance, will ace the roles like that of the cunning and sly Saguni (Shakuni).

Kattaikoothu artists performing Panchali’s wedding from The Mahabharata at Kattaikkuttu Sangam, Kancheepuram.
| Photo Credit:
Akhila Easwaran

Three tales

Hanne M de Bruin, co-founder of the Kattaikkuttu Sangam and the school from the Netherlands, says that there is no easy way to document the origin of this artform because of its nature. Having been passed around orally with several derogatory connotations associated with its performance nature, the challenge has been to preserve and keep the artform alive.

Rajagopal says that the nature of Kattaikoothu or Therukoothu, is rural. It is usually performed by ‘companies’ consisting a minimum of 14 performers in areas including Tiruvannamalai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Gingee, Dharmapuri, Salem, Vellore, Ranipet and Villupuram. Rajagopal who is from Perungattur, a village in Tiruvannamalai district, began acting at the age of 10 in his father’s company. He, like all the other artists in the field, knows the lines and songs for all parts. Most people play roles interchangeably. Rajagopal’s Karna and Arjuna however, are most popular.

Kattaikoothu artists performing Panchali’s wedding from The Mahabharata at Kattaikkuttu Sangam, Kancheepuram.
| Photo Credit:
Akhila Easwaran

The artiste today hobbles between rooms. Sixty years of dancing and singing on odd stages in unmarked towns as well as prestigious venues, has taken a toll on his knees.

On stage, as Arjuna springs to life and the jester clowns about, mocking the haughty Kauravas, Rajagopal sings the lines of all parts so that the mesmerised audience, comprising many children and elderly, can hear all the way till the back. He cannot dance and walks a little more than he used to some months ago. “But if you let me, I am ready to dance as Panchali. Everyone must die someday. Why not on stage?”

The jester, M Duraisamy, has some serious advice to offer on the subject. “One has to take care of their body while performing. We have been taught this at the gurukulam. We stretch before every performance and ensure our diet is right. One needs to sleep well too,” he says. It is the only way to perform all through the night starting from 10am to 6pm on village streets, managing unruly crowds.

As 22-year-old A Bharati speaks of Kattaikoothu while applying make-up as her toddler walks around her. Bharati has learnt both the artforms and graduated with higher secondary education at this school. She has also studied at Ashoka University’s Department of Performing Arts and is back to the school as an instructor and employee.

“Usually, women are disallowed from performing at three stages of their lives. Once you hit puberty, people ask why. After graduating school, we are asked to give it up and move to a more respectable profession where we can work at a desk. The third is during marriage. Every woman who is performing Kattaikoothu has supportive partners. Though my mother-in-law does not like it, I do not face any major issues as my husband performs too,” she says.

Kattaikoothu artists performing Panchali’s wedding from The Mahabharata at Kattaikkuttu Sangam, Kancheepuram.
| Photo Credit:
Akhila Easwaran

She is today’s Saguni but enjoys playing Krishna and Draupadi the most. Her favourite place to perform is her village, K. Velur during the time of the annual village festival. “I love the compliments that people from my village give me. I am celebrated,” she says.

Crescendo

A pained Draupadi sits among the audience in the first row, watching as different men battle it out in the palace, hoping to string the bow. This grieving spectator wonders if her childhood love, Arjuna would return from the dead. She has been told that he perished in a fire at the palace of lac.

When the Kattiyakaran and Saguni come on stage, there is laughter. Tiger, a little indie dog which has grown up inside the gurukulam campus, walks on stage several times. Sometimes, it seems like he is part of the act. Hanne says that the crew is used to interruptions that are far worse. “It’s alright,” she says, speaking to Tiger.

When Arjuna, disguised as a nondescript Brahmin, takes the stage, strings the bow and pierce’s the fish’s eye, his true identity is revealed to Panchali. The audience is encouraged to take part in their marriage. There are hoots and cheers. The first in the series of performances is a success. Over one-and-a half hours, everyone is a Kattaikoothu performer.

The episodic Mahabharata Festival will be performed every Saturday between 5pm and 6.30pm at the Kattaikkuttu Sangam, Kanchipuram until December 9. Entry is free. Contact 9944369600.

Kattaikoothu artists performing Panchali’s wedding from The Mahabharata at Kattaikkuttu Sangam, Kancheepuram.
| Photo Credit:
Akhila Easwaran