Teipattu

Teipattu, also spelled teippattu, is a term in Tamil literature that designates a traditional form of narrative song or ballad. In scholarly usage it refers to orally composed, sung narratives that recount episodes from myth, legend, or history. The etymology is debated; tei is variably interpreted and pattu means song or ballad in Tamil, but there is no single accepted derivation.

Performance and content: Typically performed by wandering bards or village singers, often in the evenings or during temple festivals, weddings, and harvest celebrations. Teipattu songs are usually rendered in a straightforward stanzaic form, often with refrains, and accompanied by percussion such as the thavil and mridangam, or by clappers and simple wind instruments. The repertory draws on epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as local legends and religious narratives, with emphasis on moral instruction, devotion, heroism, and social values.

Context and transmission: Teipattu is predominantly associated with Tamil-speaking regions of Tamil Nadu and with Tamil communities in Sri Lanka. It has historically been transmitted orally from generation to generation, though increasingly documented in field recordings and scholarly studies.

Modern status: The tradition faces pressures from modernization, urban migration, and changing entertainment preferences, but also experiences revival through cultural programs, archives, and academic projects that aim to preserve performance practice and language.