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Puravai Attam
Puravai Attam also known as Poikkal Kuthirai, is a dummy horse show. The
dummy horse is made of jute, cardboard, paper, and glass. The show is
performed by men as well as women.
The
main attraction is the richly decorated cardboard horse. The dancer uses
this as his dress. He gets into it through the holes made therein and
looks as if he is riding on horse back. Wooden stilts are tied to the
dancers feet and these can be successfully used only after months of experience.
The purpose of using the stilts is to prevent the dancer from being harmed
by snakes or scorpions.
This dance is performed by a pair of dancers impersonating
a king and queen. Sometimes, they indulge in acrobatics and they entertain
the folk for hours together.
The dummy-horse show is one of the chief attractions
in the republic day festivities at New Delhi and folk artists are sent
from Tamil Nadu every year to perform this show.
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