THE
DEITY'S PREFERENCE FOR KOOTU
Here
is an anecdote that fortifies this belief. In accordance with the
rules of the Koottu, there must be at least one Brahmin spectator
during the enactment. It happened that no single Brahmin attended
the performance once. The performance was at his wits end, and was
cursing himself at his predicament. There came then a resonant
voice, "Go ahead, Koottu is performed for me, not for Brahmins.
Perform it in my presence. Stop not". The divine command was
implemented anon.
The
actor was elated and the invisible spectator was delighted beyond
measure. Since then, the Koottu is offered in the mandapa itself
instead of a separate one specially created for this purpose. And
moreover, the garbhagriha is kept open throughout the performance.
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