Villu Paatu

Villu Paatu (English: Bow Song, Tamil: வில்லுப்பாட்டு), also known as Villadichampaatu, is an ancient form of musical story-telling method performed in Southern India , where narration is interspersed with music, an art of southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, as well as North-East Sri Lanka.

[1] This art form is popular among Nadar and Ezhava castes of erstwhile Travancore kingdom.

Villu pattu troupes usually perform for festivals associated with deities such as Sudalai Madan, Mutharamman, Pechiamman, Isakkiamman, etc.

Occasionally, the Villu Pattu team divides itself into two groups, each trying to prove opposite points-of-view of a subject.

These days the number of artists performing Villu Paatu is tremendously reduced as the income earned from it is never enough for running one's life.

Villu Paatu (English: Bow Song, Tamil: வில்லுப்பாட்டு), also known as Villadichampaatu and Villisai, is an ancient form of musical story-telling in Southern India where narration is interspersed with music.
Ezhava/Channar musicians from the 19th century: Performing traditional Villadichaampattu
Tamil folk artists presenting a Villuppattu near Tirunelveli during a festival (Panguni Uththiram) at a Sudalai Madan temple.
Kerala folk artists performing villupattu . Their song is accompanied by a villadivadyam . The instrument is a "composite idiophone", made up of a long bow, bronze bells hung on it, a terra-cotta pot and sticks with jingles . [ 2 ]