Kalaimamani Kannappa Thambiran
Thiru. Kannappa Thambiran, represents the fourth generation of the
Purisai Theru-k-koothu artistes. He has been performing for 70 years. He
started his training in his 10th year under the illustrious Koothu
artiste and his father, Purisai Duraisamy Thambiran and paternal uncle,
Raghava Thambiran. He has witnessed the courses the art has taken over
the last half a century. Today he represents the only major source of
the northern style of Theru-k-koothu. He has mastered the art and its
sources. He can compose, improvise the revels the many splendoured
aspects of the art. He draws his texts from the traditional sources,
adding to them his proficiency in major classical texts in Tamil.
Thiru. Kannappa Thambiran has won several awards and honors. The Sangeet
Natak Akademy (Government of India) conferred on him the prestigious
national award. He is a recipient of Kalaimamani title conferred by
Tamil Nadu Eyal Esai Nataka Madram. He has been awarded a fellowship by
the Union Ministry of Education and Culture.
Thiru. Kannappa Thambiran has been alert to need to adopt the
traditional form to new context. The two major attempts in such
adaptation he has demonstrated the strength and flexibility of the
Theru-k-koothu art. He composed a Koothu text for the Nobel Prize winner
Gabriel Garcia Marquez "The old man with huge-wings" for a performance
in Koothu style. This production was staged at the 5th International
theater festival 1996 at Bogotá, Columbia, winning critical acclaim.
Similarly, he composed and choreographed Bertolt Brecht's Caucasian
Chalk Circle performed as part of Brecht's centenary in 1998. He has
also composed the music for the collaborative production 'God has
changed his name' with Dr. Avanthi Meduri and Koothu-p-pattarai,
Chennai.
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Kannappa Kasi
Kannappa Kasi Thambiran, a fifth generation Theru-k-koothu artiste,
was born to Kannappa Thambiran and Kannammal as the second child in 1945
in the village Purisai in the present Thiruvanamalai District. He
completed his school education in Chennai. He has been performing for
nearly 30 years now in his father's troupe Purisai Duraisami Kannappa
Thambiran Parambarai Therukoothu Manram, in the most important and
demanding role as Kattiyakaran. He has performed all over the India. He
has accompanied his troupe at the festival of India performances in
France (1985), Sweden (1987). He has also performed in Singapore (1990),
Colombia (1996) and France (1997). The important cultural festival he
has performed includes SAARC festival (1984), Madras Festival organized
by South Zone Cultural Centre (1984), Interstate Cultural Exchange
Programme (1982) in U.P., Apna Utsav (1988). He has trained students in
Koothu at the National School of Drama, New Delhi (1986,1987), Students
at Central University, Pondicherry (1989, 1991, 1994); he has
participated in the International Theatre Workshop at Alwaye
(1992, 1994).
Kasi is also actively interacting with contemporary theatre in Tamil. He
has participated in many plays of Koothu-p-pattarai and workshops
conducted by internationally well know theatre directors like Peter
Brook (1989), John Martin (1984, 1991), Inga Mayer (1985, 1990),
Prof.S.Ramanujam (1992), Anmol Vellani (1991) and N.Muthuswamy (several
years).
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Kalaimamani Dr.P.K.Sambandan
Born 1953. Younger son of Kalaimamani Purisai Kannappa Thambiran. A
fifth generation artiste of the Purisai School of Therukoothu. He have
been performing since 1977 in the main roles. In 1977 He participated in
the National School of Drama workshop conducted by Bansi Kaul at
Gandhigram. Later participated in the workshops of Badal Sircar and
Ingbor Mayor. He conducted workshops Therukoothu at National School of
Drama - New Delhi, International Theatre Workshop - Alwaye, the Central
University - Pondicherry, Bhaskar's Arts Academy - Singapore. He
directed the Group's Koothu version of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's 'An Old
Man with Huge Wings', for 5th International Theatre Festival at Bogotá,
Colombia in 1996. Also directed the Brecht centenary Koothu production
'Caucasian Chalk Circle' in 1998, Thenali Raman and Basan's Dhoodha
Gadothgajan. He choreographed production 'God has changed his name'
between Koothu-p-pattarai and Dr.Avanthi Meduri. He choreographed the
Therukoothu part in Ms. Arianne Mnouchkine's "Une Chambre En Inde" of
Theatre du Soleil, Paris, France.
Sambandan got Sangeet Natak Akademi award in acting for the year 2012.
He was conferred the Honorary Doctorate from Tamilnadu Dr.J.Jayalalitha
Music and Fine Arts University in the year 2020 and also conferred the
prestigious title Kalaimamani by the Tamilnadu state Eyal, Isai, Natak
Mandram in 1995. He also has given a scholarship under the Young
talented artiste scheme of the Union Ministry of Culture, Government of
India in 1985. He was also conferred the prestigious Title Nataka
Thamizh Ariangar by Pongu Thamizh Arrakattalai in the Year 2002,
Dakshina Chitra Kalai Virudhu by Madras Craft Foundation in the year
2004, Podhigai Award by Chennai Doordharshan in the year 2007, Nritya
Kala Nipuna Award by Nrityalaya Aesthetics Society, Singapore (2008),
Kalai Sudar award by Tamilnadu Progressive Writers and Artistes
association in the year 2014 . He also got Dr.M.A.Chidambaram Chettiar
award for his excellence in Fine Arts in the year 2015, Naataar Kalai
Kon- special award in Folk arts by Abhai (Association of Bharathanatyam
artistes of India) in the year 2022 and Nanban Arts and Crafts Award in
the year 2023. In 2025, Kalaimamani Purisai K. Sambandan was honoured
with the prestigious Padma Shri Award by the Government of India for his
significant contribution to the field of arts.
Sambandan has accompanied his troupe in all major performance within
India and abroad. He has performed in France (1985, 1997, 2018 &
2019), Sweden (1987), Singapore (1990), Colombia (1996), Singapore
(2004, 2005 & 2008), the USA (2006), La ReUnion (2008) and SriLanka
(2009).
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M. Palani
Born on 4 March 1976, M. Palani began his career as a Therukoothu actor
in 1992. He received his Therukoothu training under the guidance of Guru
Purisai Kannappa Thambiran and Kannappa Sambandan. He served with the
repertory company Koothu-P-Pattarai for several years and participated
in various productions of Arangam Trust under the direction of danseuse
Anita Ratnam and contemporary dancer Padmini Chettur. He has also acted
in several Koothu-P-Pattarai productions and in Ponniyin Selvan,
produced by Magic Lantern. He worked with Prof. Ramanujam on the
recreation of Kaisika Puraanam. He has also acted and choreographed in A
Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Mr. Tim Supple of the British
company Dash Arts.
His international collaborations include working with Mr. Yosup-Bae on
Beyond Binary (Tuida, South Korea), Ms. Natia Lee (Theatre Seoul, South
Korea), and Apsaras Arts, Singapore. He also worked with Ms. Ariane
Mnouchkine of Théâtre du Soleil, Paris, as an actor and assistant
Therukoothu trainer in the production Une Chambre en Inde. He has worked
with the National School of Drama, New Delhi, as a Therukoothu trainer
and Assistant Director. He currently continues to work as an actor in
the traditional Tamil theatre form of Therukoothu.
In recognition of his contribution to the field of traditional theatre,
he received the Junior Fellowship from the Ministry of Culture for the
period 1999-2002 and the Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar from the Sangeet
Natak Akademi in 2009. In 2026, he was honoured with the "Naatar Kalai
Vithagar" Award by Abhai, in recognition of his contribution to the
traditional performing arts.
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Left to right: Pandian, Vadivelu, Nagappan, S.Muthukumar,
P.K.Sambandan, Srinivasan, Gnanam, Sigamani, S.Radhakrishnan,
S.Baskaran, Arunachalam, Raghavan, Jayakumar, Babu, Munusamy
Seated left to right: Srinivasan, Babu, S.Gopal, P.K.Sambandan, G.Vijayan, S.Baskaran, Arunachalam
Standing right to left: Palani Murugan, Dr.V.Baskaran, Raja,
S.Manikandan, S.Nandakumar, E.Prakash Raj, V.Hari Prasath,
Dakshinamoorthy
Purisaikoothu team
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