Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Kudamaadu Koothan

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • May 8, 1996 


I feel comfortable breaking down the 
Word KudamaaduKoothan into its three parts:
Kudam , Aadu , Koothan. 

Krishna as a part of His Bala Kreedaa is saluted as 
dancing a dextrous dance with metal or other pots
on his limbs tothe  accompaniment of Music at the Places,
where the four roads meet (Sandhi ). His mysterious 
juggling act of balancing the pots could symbolically 
refer to  the divine act of creation and sustenance as a
part of His eternal leelaas.

I am also reminded of the Village(Folk ) dance called 
Karagam, where intricate movements  are performed by 
a skilled artist without losing the balance , while holding 
a pot on his head and going around the village streets.
Lord Krishna as a Vichitra Kurumban might have performed 
the Kuda Koothu to amuse Fellow Gopaas and Gopis during 
His boyhood days at Gokulam & Brindhavanam .

V.Sadagopan

P.S: Koothu is an act of dance done in a 
state of Joy as Badri points out. The great 
dancer Nataraja is hence hailed as Koothapiran
His devotees. He is said to dance this Taandavam 
or Koothu at the dusk to please His Consort, Uma.