Koothu and Koothar in Tamil History: A Study Centered on Sangam Literature

தமிழர் வரலாற்றில் கூத்தும் கூத்தர்களும்: சங்க இலக்கியங்களை மையப்படுத்திய ஆய்வு

Abstract

The historical periods of Tamil are classified in various ways. Among these, the Sangam period is considered the beginning of the literary era. Literature belonging to this Sangam period is available in Tamil. The Ettuthokai (Eight Anthologies) including Natrinai, Kuruntokai, and Ainkurunuru; the Pattupattu (Ten Idylls) including Tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai, Porunarāṟṟuppaṭai, and Cirupāṇāṟṟuppaṭai; and the Eighteen Minor Works (Pathinenkilkanakku) such as Tirukkural, Naanmanikkadigai, Inna Narpatu, and Iniyavai Narpatu—numerous literary works can be viewed as Sangam literature.
Tamil language historians such as Te. Po. Meenakshisundaram, S. Agathiyalingam, Se. Vai. Shanmugam, and Su. Shakthivel consider that two works from the Ettuthokai collection—Paripādal and Kalittokai—were not composed during the Sangam period but during the post-Sangam transitional period. They arrive at this conclusion based on the fact that only in Paripādal is the new first-person singular form “nān” found, and only in Kalittokai does the neuter plural suffix “kaḷ” appear in the honorific plural. However, there are also arguments that Kalittokai and Paripādal can be considered Sangam literature, as Nallantuvanar, who composed poem 43 in Ahanānūṟu, also composed in both Paripādal and Kalittokai.
Among the arts that identify the Tamil tradition, Koothu is one. Mayilai Seeni Venkatasamy states that the art of Koothu is as ancient as the art of music. The art of dance and the art of acting developed together. The Abithana Chintamani explains that Koothu is performing with gestures to suit the song, incorporating ‘Bhava, Raga, and Tala.’ Ilango Adigal was the first to specifically refer to Koothu as “drama” (natakam). The term “Koothu” is commonly used for both “Nāṭṭiyam” (dance) and “Nāṭakam” (drama). The words “Koothu” and “Koothar” appear in Tolkappiyam. The word “Koothu” also appears abundantly in Sangam literature: “Koothar ādukaḷam kaṭukkum” (Puram 28), “Iruvagaik kūttin ilakkaṇam aṟintu” (Silappadikaram 3:12), “Nāṭṭiyam nannūl naṉku kaṭaippiṭittu” (Silappadikaram 3:46), “Nāṭakamēttum nāṭakak kaṇikai” (Silappadikaram, Pathigam 15), “Kūttāṭṭu avaikkaḷam” (Tirukkural 332) are found in Sangam literature. Koothu is drama performed from night until dawn in costume, based on a story. The word Koothu initially referred to dance and later to story-based drama.
On this basis, this research is presented to compile information about Koothu found in Sangam literature and information about Koothars (performers), and to demonstrate that Koothu (drama) was in practice among the people during that period.