Therukoothu Kalaineekalchi

Malaipatti is where we are, in the Kuruvikulam area of Tirunelveli. It’s a small place and everyone knows everyone else. We are involved in Therukoothu, which is something we have done for a long time. Our work is very traditional. We have a lot of old costumes, wooden ornaments, and thick jars of makeup. Most of it is kept in a simple room in Kuruvikulam. We spend a lot of time practicing the songs and the movements. It’s not like a regular office job. Sometimes we are out in the fields or in the village square. The weather in Tirunelveli can be tough, but we are used to the sun. We don't have any big signs or fancy buildings. We just have our art and our gear. Traveling to different villages is a big part of what we do. We pack our stuff into bags and head out when we are invited. The history of what we do is important to us, even if we don't talk about it in a fancy way. It’s just something that has been part of our lives since we were young. We keep the costumes repaired and the instruments in tune. It’s a quiet life in Malaipatti until it’s time to perform. Then everything gets very loud and colorful for a while. We just keep doing what we know and how we were taught by our elders here.