Arunachalam Pillai, a hereditary musician, plays a nāgasvaram quadruple-reed aerophone artist (4th from left); Sankarayya Pillai, a nāgasvaram soloist, (center) plays an ottu drone nāgasvaram. Om Periyaswamy (2nd from left); Kalidasa (in profile) plays a pambai drum pair (3rd from left); Venkatesan plays a pambai double-headed membranophone pair with two slightly curving sticks (7th from left); Cuppiramaniyan with hand talām cymbals, in a dark blue shirt and lunghi (6th from left); Mukkasāmi watches, holding a sattakulai (cattak kuḻāy) multiple-reed aerophone (8th from left); and other musicians watch. The jeep of the Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology stands behind the group.
Madurai Om Periyaswamy in costume for the a poikkal kuthirai aattam dance, wearing a “false leg horse” or "dummy-horse” costume, made of paper maché type material, elegantly caparisoned, and draped with a South Indian block print textile skirt that spins outwards, showing the dancer’s salwar trousers, anklets, and bare feet. He wears a decorated red turban, a blue silk kurta and golden jacket, and flower garlands, and slashes a wooden spear horizontally in his right hand toward two stick-wielding attackers. A third stick-wielding attacker smiles as he attacks from behind. At the TamilNadu Hotel.
Madurai Om Periyaswamy in costume for the a poikkal kuthirai aattam dance, wearing a “false leg horse dance” or "dummy horse dance” in a costume made of paper maché type material, elegantly caparisoned, and draped with a South Indian block print textile skirt swinging with the dancer’s movements and hiding the dancer’s bare feet. One of two wooden feet is visible, tied to the dancer’s feet to create clacking sounds that resemble the sound of a horse’s hooves. The dancer wears a decorated red turban, a blue silk kurta and golden jacket, flower garlands, and holds a wooden spear in his right hand. At the TamilNadu Hotel.
Madurai Om Periyaswamy in costume for the a poikkal kuthirai aattam dance, wearing a “false leg horse” or "dummy-horse” costume, made of paper maché type material, elegantly caparisoned, and draped with a South Indian block print textile skirt hiding the dancer’s bare feet. He wears a decorated red turban, a blue silk kurta and golden jacket, flower garlands, and brandishes a wooden spear in his right hand toward the camera. A second poikkal kuthirai dancer wears a blue and white decorated turban and rides a white horse, which rears up in pursuit of Madurai Om Periyaswamy. At the TamilNadu Hotel.
Madurai Om Periyaswamy, poikkal kuthirai attam dancer, in profile, shouting and brandishing his sword toward the second poikkal kuthirai attam dancer. A third dancer in red decorated jacket, salwar trousers and saffron sash, stands watching the battle, holding a stick. At the TamilNadu Hotel.
The Oyilāṭṭām “graceful dance” folk dance of Madurai, performed by eight men, each with ghunghru dancing bells on each ankle. The make a crouching movement while concealing the handkerchief in the palm of the hand. Members of Om Periyaswamy dance troupe. At TamilNadu Hotel.
The Oyilāṭṭām “graceful dance” folk dance of Madurai, is performed by eight men each waving a handkerchief in the right hand, with ghunghru dancing bells on each ankle. Members of Om Periyaswamy dance troupe. At TamilNadu Hotel.
The Oyilāṭṭām “graceful dance” folk dance of Madurai, performed by eight men, each waving a handkerchief in the right hand, with ghunghru dancing bells on each ankle. Members of Om Periyaswamy dance troupe. At TamilNadu Hotel.
Karakāṭṭam dance, an acrobatic dance performed with pots balanced on the head, and karana poses on ladders, in praise of the rain goddess Mariamman. A dancing woman holds a karana pose while kneeling against the top step of an open ladder, held at both bases by two men. She balances a bowl of pink roses, topped by a flying parrot, on her head, while leaning against the ladder on her bent right leg, and holding the toes of her bent left leg behind her left shoulder, while looking toward the viewer. An elaborate curving necklace rests on her chest. Her right arm is bent across her body, with her wrist flexed downwards. She is wearing a silk classical dance costume with a pleated front skirt, legs wrapped, a choli blouse, and ghunghru ankle bells. This type of acrobatic dance pose (karana) was done by devadāsī temple dancers in the past. Two dancers, a woman and a man, lean forward on their right legs while balancing five decorated clay pots stacked on their heads, with a parrot atop their pots. Their arms are bent and stretched upwards, downwards, and sideways. At the TamilNadu Hotel.
Karakāṭṭam dance, an acrobatic dance performed with pots balanced on the head, and hoops, in praise of the rain goddess Mariamman. Om Periyaswamy's son (?) and two younger dancers perform a dance with hoops decorated with frills, while balancing pots, trays of roses, and parrots on their heads. They kneel on one knee on the grassy ground, while Om Periyaswamy's son (?) kneels completely and leans forward on his hands. At the TamilNadu Hotel.
