Abstract
Although Ilangovadis referred to Silappathikaram as “a poem sung by the people,” scholars are more inclined to call it a dramatic epic or a third Tamil epic. The reason for this is the structure of the epic and the wealth of information regarding its arts.Silappathikaram has not only been made into a film twice but has also been performed in a theatrical form with dance by various groups. Many have written literary plays based on the story of Silappathikaram. For example, the Silappathikaram drama written by poet K. Thirumeni can be cited. Some have taken a few episodes and written them as one-act plays.A fragmented version of the Silambam is still being performed as ‘Kovalan Kathai’ in small villages in the form of Koothu (traditional dance-drama). Therefore, looking at all this, it can be said that Silappathikaram functions as a Koothu-kalanjiyam (a collection of traditional dance-dramas). During the Double Kappa period, the Koothu performers were revered, and the Koothu clans prospered. This can be described as the period when the influence of the Koothu clans reached its peak.The performance of the dancer Madhavi, who is not lacking in dance, song, and beauty, is described in Arangeretakathai (the story of the performance). It also refers to the stage setting of this play where Koothu is performed: “Under the painter's canopy, it speaks in the night, The evening hall adorned with a ring, The banquet hall set with a feast.” The rules set by experts in sculpture and architecture are not lacking, and they point to the style in which the hall was built. Through Silappathikaram, one can learn about various forms of Koothu. "By knowing the nature of the two kinds of Koothu, And uniting them by learning the details of different Koothu forms." This section refers to the concept of "two kinds of Koothu," which involves six divisions that are contradictory. Apart from this, songs such as Aichiyar Kuravai and Kundrak Kuravai, which appear in Silambam, are categorized as forms of Koothu that provide joy and pleasure.