Tolan (fl. 9th century AD), also romanized as Tholan, was an early medieval south Indian poet remembered for composing Malayalam passages of the art-form Koodiyattam.[1] He was a courtier and friend of king Kulasekhara Varma (identified with Sthanu Ravi Kulasekhara, c. 844/45 – c. 870/71 AD).[1][2] Tolan wrote the elaborate Malayalam passages for the vidushaka's speeches in Koodiyattam.[1] These passages were probably intended for a native (Malayalam) audience at the temple.[3]
Tolan is also credited with the authorship of the lost historical kavya "Mahodayapuresa-charitha".[4]
^Devadevan, Manu V. (2020). "The Semantic Universe of the Kudiyattam Theatre". The 'Early Medieval' Origins of India. Cambridge University Press. p. 227.
