HE IS NOT AN ANNAVIYAR OR A KOOTHTHU PERFORMER BUT MASTER EXPERT IN THE ART OF KOOTHTHU, THE TRADITIONAL THEATRE OF THE THAMILS OF SRILANKA. HE IS WELL VERSED IN KOOTHTHU TEXTS AND TECHNIQUES.
HE WAS A DROPPED OUT FROM HIS VERY EARLY SCHOOL YEARS BECAUSE OF HIS SPEECH PROBLEM. THE INSTITUTION GAVE UP BUT NOT THE CHILD. HE TOOK TO KOOTHTHU AND KAVADI SONGS AND BECAME A POERFUL SINGER.
WE MET HIM IN HIS SEVENTIES AND SHOCKED WITH HIS ABILITY OF SINGING NOT ONLY THE KOOTHTHU SONGS BUT THE OTHER FOLK AND DEVOTIONAL SONGS TOO. HIS KNOWLEDGE IN TRADITON IS TREMENDOUS.
HE IS ONE OF THE LIVIVNG POWER HOUSE OF TRADITONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL OF THE THAMILS OF SRI LANKA.
BUT THE MODERN KNOWLEDGE INSTITUTIONS ARE BLIND TO IT.
WE ARE YET TO DECOLONIZE OURSELVES!
