ABSTRACT
Tholpavakoothu is a traditional shadow puppet theatre of Kerala, a southern state of India. This religious play is performed in the Bhadrakali temples as part of an annual festival, extending its artistic expression to religious worship. Even if there is no audience, the performance goes on all night for several days because it is believed that the goddess Bhadrakali is listening keenly. Apart from the dramatic effect of the puppetry that allows visualization of religion, the puppets are themselves considered holy like any other deities. The presence of puppets makes the devotees treat the drama house almost like a temple, as a place for worship during the performance. Although the puppeteers do not earn anything substantial from these performances, they religiously perform for several days in a row at these temples. These performances raise several questions with regard to the puppeteer’s own beliefs about the importance of performing in temples and the role of spiritual experiences. This interview aims to explore some of these questions with puppeteer Ramachandra Pulavar. Pulavar’s views on this subject are vital as he represents a generation of puppeteers who have religious concerns but who, at the same time, have been influenced by modern thought.
