The influence of South Indian Folk Tradition Kuttu on Nādagama Tradition of Sri Lanka.

Abstract

There are many thesis about the origin of Nâdagama tradition of Sri Lanka, which was popular from North to South of the Western coast of Sri Lanka. Even though the most popular theory regarding the origin of Nâdagama tradition in Sri Lanka is that it came during 18th century AD with the catholic missionaries from South India, some scholars as Dela Bandara argues that it has an important link to and direct influence of Terukuttu and Vîthi Nâtaka of Kuttu tradition of South India. Thus, according to social and historical facts, he argues that Sinhala Nâdagama tradition goes back to 13th century AD. The central argument of this study builds up to contradict the theory of origin of Nâdagama as a tradition introduced by Catholic missionaries and as an offspring of Terukuttu and Vîthi Nâdaka and to establish the thesis that its origin goes back to Kuttu tradition of South India, which has been recorded as the most ancient dramatic tradition mentioned in South Indian History.