Poikkaal Kudhirai Aattam, or the false-legged horse dance, is one of the oldest and most popular folk dance forms of Tamil Nadu. Mentions of this dance form can be found in two ancient works of Tamil literature i.e., in the Tholkappiyam (2000 years old) and the Silappadhigaram (5th to 6th Century AD). It is believed that this dance form was introduced in Tamil Nadu, by the Maratha kings who ruled Thanjavur. The dance is also known by other names such as Puravai Aattam or Puravi Nattiyam (horse dance), Poi Kudhirai (false horse) and Marakkaalaadal (wooden leg dance).

Poikkaal Kudhirai Aattam is supposed to have been one of the eleven dances performed by Madhavi, one of the main characters in the Silappadhigaram. In one of the sections of the Tholkappiyam, when the heroine’s parents oppose their daughter’s marriage to her lover, he adorns himself in a horse-like structure and expresses his dissent on the streets.

This dance form is usually performed during festivals, in processions or during religious functions such as those for Ayyanar, the Hindu deity who protects villages. The dance is usually performed in pairs, where the dancers fit themselves inside the shell of a horse, at hip level. The horse shell is beautifully embellished with attractive designs, and is made of jute, cardboard, and paper to keep the shell light. Lots of glass work is included in the shell to reflect light and entice the audience. The dancers also attach wooden legs to their own legs. Thus the dancer’s legs become the horse’s legs, and the wooden legs sound like a horse’s hooves. The horse is also decorated with vibrant and colourful skirts that twirl beautifully as the dancers perform.