One of the famous folk dance forms of Tamil Nadu is Oyilattam. In Tamil, the ‘Oyil’ means elegance or beauty, and the ‘Atam’ means dance. Therefore, it refers to a graceful dance in Tamil culture. Like any other folk dances, this dance also fosters community identity and builds connections across generations. But the ability to connect art to our livelihood gives Oyilattam dance a special place.
Origin:
The Oyilattam dance comes from Southern region of Tamil Nadu. Primarily, it was performed only in a few districts of Tamil Nadu such as Madurai, Tirunelveli, and Tiruchirapalli. Furthermore, the dance form was mainly limited to men. But, over the years, the scenario has changed. Now, women also actively participate in this dance performance, and it becomes popular throughout the Tamil Nadu.
About Oyilattam:
Actually, the dance form is connected to agriculture. It holds a special significance as a post-harvest celebration. After harvest, the dance form is used to protect the grains from birds. But, other concepts are also heard about Oyilattam dance form. People also claim that the dance performance often tells the stories, especially from the ancient epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Costume:
During the dance performance, the men wear vibrant colored dhotis with a piece of cloth wrapped around their head and waist. On the other hand, the women adorn themselves with bright colored sarees. They either tie another piece of cloth around their waist, or drape the pallu (end of the saree) around it. Both wear ankle bells. Besides, two handkerchiefs of different colors are tied to the fingers of all performers.
The Oyilattam Performance:
At the time of dance performance, performers usually stand in one or more rows. They perform rhythmic steps to the musical accompaniment. With time times, they increase their speed and twirling the handkerchiefs in their hand. According to some people, by twirling the handkerchiefs, the dancers honor the Hindu god Vishnu and goddess Amman. On the other hand, some says that through their movements, they represent different stages of agriculture- from throwing seeds to tying the harvest.
A barrel-shaped percussion instrument, Thavil, gives musical company to the dancers. And the ankle bells add more melodic dimension to the entire performance.
[It is noteworthy that the costume and dance style of Oyilattam differ from place to place.]
Oyilattam Now-A-Days:
Initially, the dance form was performed in various village festivals and was limited among people of few areas. But, in the past decade, it has become famous among all. Furthermore, Tamil University has recognized Oyilattam dance form as one of the folk arts to be mainstreamed. On 76th Independence Day of India, 76 school students perform Oyilattam in a grand cultural event, in Coimbatore.
Notably, an organization of Tamil Nadu has recently (October, 2023) set a new Historical Nobel World record, related to this dance form. The organisation gathered 1600 Oyilattam dancers who surprisingly performed non-stop for 4 hours.
Various traditional folk arts like Oyilattam receive active support from Tamil Nadu Tourism Department and non-governmental organizations, including Tamil Maiyam.
This traditional dance form reminds us how art and livelihood are connected. It connects people of all ages and backgrounds to their history and roots. Moreover, the dance form shows us special things about Tamil traditions that make Tamil identity unique.
Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to our FAQ section, where we address common queries and provide insightful answers to enhance your understanding. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
In Tamil, the ‘Oyil’ means elegance or beauty, and the ‘Atam’ means dance. Therefore, it refers to a graceful dance in Tamil culture.
The Oyilattam dance comes from Southern region of Tamil Nadu. Primarily, it was performed only in a few districts of Tamil Nadu such as Madurai, Tirunelveli, and Tiruchirapalli. But now it becomes popular throughout the Tamil Nadu.
During the dance performance, the men wear vibrant colored dhotis with a piece of cloth wrapped around their head and waist. On the other hand, the women adorn themselves with bright colored sarees. They either tie another piece of cloth around their waist, or drape the pallu (end of the saree) around it. Both wear ankle bells. Besides, two handkerchiefs of different colors are tied to the fingers of all performers.
During the dance performance, the men wear vibrant colored dhotis with a piece of cloth wrapped around their head and waist. Besides, they wear ankle bells and tie two handkerchiefs of different colors to their fingers.
The female dancers adorn themselves with bright colored sarees. They either tie another piece of cloth around their waist, or drape the pallu (end of the saree) around it. Like male performers, they also wear ankle bells and tie two handkerchiefs to their fingers.
At the time of dance performance, performers usually stand in one or more rows. They perform rhythmic steps to the musical accompaniment. With time times, they increase their speed and twirling the handkerchiefs in their hand.
According to some people, by twirling the handkerchiefs, the dancers honor the Hindu god Vishnu and goddess Amman. On the other hand, some says that through their movements, they represent different stages of agriculture- from throwing seeds to tying the harvest.