Kauthuvam: Textual References And Interpretations

Kauthuvam is an invocatory item in Bharatanāṭyam recitals. It is a hymn, a song of devotion in praise of a deity. It was said to be performed by the devādasi as part of the daily rituals, on special occasions during the festivals. It was initially used to invoke blessings and create a spiritual atmosphere for the performance. This article is a study of Kauthuvam and its evolution, from the history of Kauthuvam to devadāsi tradition, where the reference is taken from Nityasumaṅgalī and an effort is made to find the relevance of Kauthuvam in the older times with the help of reference text like Cilappatikāram and Tolkāppiyam.