“Villupaattu” is an ancient folk art of Southern Tamil Nadu. It is a form of storytelling with a combination of singing and speaking. According to history, Villupaattu was born in the hands of a rural King who turned the bow and arrow into an instrument whereby the arrow was used to play upon the thread of the bow with a pot being tied to the bow for balance.
Greentown Indian Cultural Society Ipoh had the privilege to bring Villupaattu to Ipoh. This event was held at Chettiar Temple Hall, Jalan Lahat on November 7. The artistes who made this possible were ‘Kalaichidarmani’ Mrs Bharathi Thirumagan who has been performing on stage for the past 45 years and is currently pursuing her PhD in Villupaattu. She was joined by the ever talented T. Kalaimagan, Dr S. Thirumagan and B.V. Ganesh Rao. They hail from Chennai, India and are the only Villupaattu artistes to be accredited with the Indian Cultural Centre.
The hall was packed with enthusiasts who were very appreciative and enjoyed the evening. According to GICS President, Subain Singam, this is the first such event organised in Ipoh. This show was jointly organised by the management of Chettiar Temple and Arunagirinathar Society.
