At a time when natural resources were plentiful and the environment was favourable, life was peaceful in rural Coimbatore.
It would be a 'talk of the village', at least for a week, after the people in the yesteryear rural pockets of Coimbatore spent their evenings by watching traditional folk entertainments that would be held once in a year. As the rustic people were hard- working by nature, such annual evening entertainments kept them refreshed and relaxed.
One of such popular rural entertainments of those days was watching the show performed by a Viththaikaran (Juggler), who travelled with his family from place to place to eke out a living. The Viththaikaran would set up his tent on the border of a village and seek permission from the village head to display his show in front of the people. Following the orders from the village chief, then the Thalayari (Village watchman) would 'advertise' the event's performance that evening by beating his Parai (A traditional percussion instrument) at every street.
“As the news spread, the entire village would be in a happy mood to watch the event. Even the Ubathiyaayar (Teacher) would close the school a little earlier that day and let the children free. Around 4 pm the Viththaikaran would play his Thudi (Another traditional percussion instrument) inviting the villagers to watch his programme on the temple premises. As the village head and his relatives sat on the shrine's Thinnai (Pyol), the commoners would sit in a circle and enjoy the show.” Narrates Kovai Kizhar in his book Engal Naattupuram.
The Viththaikaran's programme would include events like making a mongoose fight with a snake, bringing the dead serpent alive, displaying a hen out of an empty basket and many more. In another event, the Viththaikaran enveloped a girl in a blanket, and to the shock of the spectators, he suddenly stabbed her with a knife. However, after a little while, he received a rousing applause from the viewers by showing the same girl walking towards him from a distance!
But, nowadays, with plenty of cultivable lands becoming real estate plots due to the challenges in carrying out agriculture in Coimbatore, it is a bitter reality that people of the present-day rural pockets are moving to the city to take up various odd jobs for their survival. However, at a time when natural resources were plentiful and the environment was favourable, life was peaceful in rural Coimbatore.
While entertainment was viewed those days as something to provide relaxation and refreshment to tillers and toilers, the present-day urban Coimbatoreans, who bother little about lifestyle diseases, soon slide into sleep after a sumptuous meal at a lavish wedding banquet.
One of such popular rural entertainments of those days was watching the show performed by a Viththaikaran (Juggler), who travelled with his family from place to place to eke out a living. The Viththaikaran would set up his tent on the border of a village and seek permission from the village head to display his show in front of the people. Following the orders from the village chief, then the Thalayari (Village watchman) would 'advertise' the event's performance that evening by beating his Parai (A traditional percussion instrument) at every street.
“As the news spread, the entire village would be in a happy mood to watch the event. Even the Ubathiyaayar (Teacher) would close the school a little earlier that day and let the children free. Around 4 pm the Viththaikaran would play his Thudi (Another traditional percussion instrument) inviting the villagers to watch his programme on the temple premises. As the village head and his relatives sat on the shrine's Thinnai (Pyol), the commoners would sit in a circle and enjoy the show.” Narrates Kovai Kizhar in his book Engal Naattupuram.
The Viththaikaran's programme would include events like making a mongoose fight with a snake, bringing the dead serpent alive, displaying a hen out of an empty basket and many more. In another event, the Viththaikaran enveloped a girl in a blanket, and to the shock of the spectators, he suddenly stabbed her with a knife. However, after a little while, he received a rousing applause from the viewers by showing the same girl walking towards him from a distance!
But, nowadays, with plenty of cultivable lands becoming real estate plots due to the challenges in carrying out agriculture in Coimbatore, it is a bitter reality that people of the present-day rural pockets are moving to the city to take up various odd jobs for their survival. However, at a time when natural resources were plentiful and the environment was favourable, life was peaceful in rural Coimbatore.
While entertainment was viewed those days as something to provide relaxation and refreshment to tillers and toilers, the present-day urban Coimbatoreans, who bother little about lifestyle diseases, soon slide into sleep after a sumptuous meal at a lavish wedding banquet.