Ayodhyakanda of Tolpava Koothu
K.L. KRISHNANKUTTY PULAVAR

A form of shadow puppetry from Kerala, Tolpava Koothu presents the Ramayana story as told by Kamban, the Tamil epic poet, in the Kamba Ramayana. Ayodhyakanda is the second of six kandas or parts of Kamban’s epic, and deals with Rama’s expulsion from Ayodhya at the
instance of Kaikeyi. This book contains the atalpattu or ‘script’ of Ayodhyakanda, incorporating the interpolations — episodes, explanations, dialogues, etc. — made by the puppeteers in successive generations and orally transmitted. It is the first attempt — by a noted Koothu performer — to put this down in writing.

180 x 240 mm / 388 pages / 23 halftone
Published 1983 / Rs 100