Mohiniyattam

There is no precise historical evidence to establish the antiquity of Mohiniyaattam, the classical female dance-tradition of Kerala. Probably it was evolved in the eighteenth century. In the court of king Swathi Thirunal who ruled Travancore (South Kerala) in the 19th century Mohiniyaattam flourished along with Bharatanatyam, the classical dance of Tamil Nadu. The post -Swathy period witnessed the downfall of Mohiniyaattam. ‘The dance of the enchantress’ slipped into eroticism to satisfy the epicurean-life of some provincial satraps and feudal lords. Poet Vallathol rescued Mohiniyaattam form total extinction. It was added to the curriculum of Kalamandalam in 1930.

The make-up and dressing of Mohiniyaattam is simple and semi-realistic. The dancer’s face is made up of yellow and pink-paste. She wears sandal-colored jacket and sari. Jasmin flowers adorn her tied-up hair. She decorates her eyes with KAJAL and the lips are reddened. The traditional theme of Mohiniyaattam is devotion to and love of God. Vishnu or Krishna is more often the hero. This dance-form explores all the subtleties of the expression, Sringara, in all the items performed. We feel his invisible presence when the heroine or her friend (Sakhi) portrays him through hand-gestures, soft, undulating and circular body movements. In the slow and medium tempos the dancer finds adequate space for improvisation and suggestive facial-expressions, the invocation of Mohiniyaattam is known as CHOLKETTU. JATHISWARAM, VARNAM, PADAM and THILLANA are other items in a Mohiniyaattam-recital. Varnam is the piece de resistance in Mohiniyaattam.Thillana unfolds to the audience the dancer’s rhythmic virtuosity. Padam focuses on ABHINAYA. Mridangam, Violin and Edaykka lend excellent support to the vocal music and to the visual-rhythm of Mohiniyaattam.

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Thullal

Thullal is the successor of Kathakali. Kunchan Nambiar who lived two centuries ago, wrote the text of Thullal and choreographed it for the stage. All the forty or more Plays of Thullal composed by Kunchan Nambiar are replete with humor, sarcasm and social-criticism, Thullal has three divisions- Seethankan, Ottan and Parayan. The distinction between them lies mostly in the make-up and costumes and to some extent in the metres and the rhythm applied. Thullal often reflects the literary, artistic and cultural life of the medieval Kerala. In Thullal, episodes from the Indian Epics are retold in simple Malayalam poetry. The stylized singing of the lines carries with it the beauty of the dravidian metres. A rasika once called Thullal ‘the poor man’s Kathakali’. Thullal is a solo performance. As a semi-stylized dance-theatre-narrative, Thullal is a more popular entertainment than other temple-arts. The performer establishes powerful communication with the audience through verbal-acting which is interspersed with humor and social references.

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‘My lifetime devotion to thidambu nritham was God’s plan’ – Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri

Ranjan Mohapatra

Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri is the finest exponent or master in Indian temple dance thidambu nritham. Puthumana is the sunshine on stages at this age also. The voyage was long more than sixty years. Thidambu nritham is a ritual dance performed by carrying the thidambu (replica of the deity of Gods and Godesses) on head. Puthumana is one and only blessed artist in whose performances the ritualistic signs of the presiding God or Godess appear, but unintentionally. Puthumana’s thidambu nritham had been heavenly unique, magical and unsurpassed. The humble artist says ‘I haven’t done anything. I apply whatever I’ve learned and do as disciplined, dedicated daily practice in the early hours of the morning. It’s only God’s grace and blessings of all gurus and elders’. Puthumana applies his full concentration on the performance with great zeal and enthusiastic attention whole the time. Puthumana evokes and invokes to the inner soul and offer prayers to keep in mind the permanent denotations, gestures and demeanor of the governing god and goddess, before entering on stage. Puthumana speaks about thidambu nritham. ‘At the commencement of the dance, I forget any kind of mental or physical uneasiness in me. My reverence is to god to enter into my heart and foot movements. I do not see or hear what others do at that time.’. Puthumana showcase his intellect and prowess as manodharmma in a very sensible style. His awareness in the natyashastra  and basics is huge. He thinks that his consecration to thidambu nritham was decided earlier by God. He surrenders to god like a solemn vow, which he thinks comes out as his contributions. Puthumana says his inner feeling is that there is a consistent harmony and congruity between his heart and gods he present on his head, and less with the human beings. Art can be used as a weapon for continued existence, but once an artist start copying actions from somewhere else, no longer the art will remain unique. Thidambu nritham is a part of Indian culture, parentage and heritage. He says ‘I believe that if we do lose its value in the presentations, it will not continue as thidambu nritham, and become some other dance; whether in temple or exterior. And, when the value of any temple dance is frittered away, it may cause dislike to the audience.’ Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri is abiding his ceaseless connections and eternal love with the temple gods.

 

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Thidambu Nritham – a spiritual journey - Anil

 

I remember an interview in all india radio 18 yrs back – guest of honor the legendary icon, thidambu nritham dance exponent and the ‘celestial thaandava’ dancer Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri; titled ormayile yavanika. He had given enlightenment to the listeners and replies for all the questions of the interviewer. Thousands of his admirers were not aware of his hardships and trainings. His debut performance was in Kanhangad, his native place and the event was roughly 50 yrs before; still, he is at the top. In those days, thidambu nritham was observed as a ritual in temples. Govindan Namboothiri has invigorated the dance – brought in noteworthy innovations, without rousing the originality and ritualistic traditions. ‘My ambition and passion since the age of 5 has been thidambu nritham and it continues..’ what else other than a life committed to thidambu nritham dance.. He explains the rudimentary methods and painful experiences he had during his initial days of training. ‘chavittithadal and training in the four fundamental rhythms are the basics’. Even now, he wakes up at 3 early in the morning and trains himself and disciples thidambu nritham till sunrise. Thidambu nritham is celebrated in a temple during annual temple festival. ‘In a temple, though the seva samiti invites me for the performance, it is the chief priest who gives final permission to me, because it is a divine art.’ In his words - ‘Thulasi, Chethi, Jamanthi and Mulla are main flowers used to decorate thidambu’. The color of the flower to be highlighted in the  garland depends on the main deity. ‘The dance begins with chenda melam followed by an important ritual ‘kotti urayikkal’ beginning at  north side if main diety faced eastwards, and if faced westwards, the ritual begins at the south side’. There are customary rhythms based on which thidambu nritham is structured – thakiladi, adantha, champada and panchaari further to conclude with ekathaalam. Govindan namboothiri had sacrificed each instant of his life for the development of art thidambu nritham. Several cultural organizations and temples honored the exceptional artist over the years, and the spiritual journey of the thidambu nritham legend continues. Unsurpassable divine dancer!

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A talk with renowned Indian thidambu nritham exponent Kalasree Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri.

This is the interview with by Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri after winning the Kerala tourism award. He shares his experiences of his earlier days of thidambu nritham, praise won from different parts of India and his views on thidambu nritham. His comments on other kerala classic dance form Kathakali, chakyarkoothu  and evaluation on other dances. He remembers friendship with different generations of dancers throughout the past decades.

Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri got the highest award for any artist in the state of Kerala. He was very happy to know about the award and welcomed it with a smiling satisfied face. In between the appreciations through telephone calls and e-mails, he shares rare experiences on thidambu nritham dance which he has shared with none. As an introduction he told us that it is the emotional connection with the people of Kerala that impelled him to allow this interview. 

Hussain: On this fortunate occasion of winning an award, you will be recollecting many treasured moments in your temple dance career?

Puthumana: During my childhood at 5, I saw performances of thidambu nritham at temples for the first time. In those days, I used to emulate the steps after coming back home. All my elders and relatives told my father that ‘this boy has a taste for thidambu nritham’. But my father had different expectations on my education to complete a minimum of SSLC grade. My maternal uncle encouraged me to train and undertake thidambu nritham as the main in my life.

Hussain: Thidambu nritham is a less known dance in India. There are other dances Kathakali, Ottan thullan and chakyarkoothu which are discussed far and wide. What are your memories of these dances?

Puthumana: Those memories were kept secretly in my mind, please don’t think another way. Whenever I think about childhood memories of these dances, I feel happy. To name, there are several artists touched me. In kathakali,  Kalamandalam Krishnan nair, Pattikkanthodi, Kunchukkuruppu, Chemancheri, Kalamandalam Gopi. Similarly, there are many graets in ottan thullal, and in chakyarkoothu.

Hussain: It is been more than fifty years after you started debut performance. What is the contemporary importance of this dance?

Puthumana: In my opinion, currently the dance is important in every sector of life. I need many hours to explain this to you.

Hussain: How will you self assess the central feature of your dance performances? 

Puthumana: The central themes of my performance are love towards mankind and love towards nature.

Hussain: How did you interpret and relate modernization in thidambu nritham? 

Puthumana: Originality in thidambu nritham dance at temples should be retained. I was sadly following the radical change in this art form. There were changes in Kathakali and Chakyarkoothu, but not this much. The uniqueness in ottan thullal and bharathanatyam has attracted me extremely. I kept telling to myself in mind how cautiously the artists go on with the tradition. Whether they get recognition or not, whether the audience likes it or not the dancers should not slew away from the advice of gurus. 

Hussain: While the legends in Kathakali and similar classical dance forms were celebrated, you were also evaluated point by point and applauded sufficiently. How do you look at this action of review?

Puthumana: I was surprised to see that many groups of supporters have scrupulously considered and criticized my performances. A lot of them have selected me as a topic in temple dance and wrote a book about me! People from different generations and different tastes in art are writing about me. I believe that through this action, they try to uncover many levels of India temple dance. 

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A conversation with Thidambu Nritham Legend Kalashree Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri

'thidambu nritham art is my life'

Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri

Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri is a noted Indian dancer at temples. His thidambu nritham beats are taken in the hearts of devotees as well as dance followers in Kerala. He has captured back his dance life which would have been ended in the beginning itself. This happened due to unswerving hard work from him. In the initial segment of his dance life he loved Kathakali, the classic art of Kerala; same time committed life to thidambu nritham. Govindan namboothiri speaks on his extraordinarily long and outstanding dance life.

Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri is a famous malayali temple dancer who has deepened Indian dance with basic elements blended using variety of experimented steps. Puthumana was born in Chemmattamvayal street in Kanhangad of Kerala state. Enthralled by thidambu nritham rhythms at the age of 5, he had no interest other than enacting this dance form. He has experience of more than six decades in thidambu nritham and is still active. Puthumana has done thousands of performances, won many International awards, Indian awards and Kerala state awards. Puthumana, one of the greatest dancers in India says ‘When I look back sixty years, I think whatever thidambu nritham I’ve performed till today was concentrated to refine society in one way or other. I think it is god’s blessing which permitted me to center, center and center at a point. Now you can see that point as a shining star’. Puthumana has immense respect for his village Balla and Kasaragod district. We got an opportunity to spend few hours with Puthumana at Kanhangad. He opens up on the topic of thidambu nritham, his life and present stands.

Santhosh : Sir, you started watching and following thidambu nritham sixty years back and completed nearly fifty years with it. You were paying attention to the drifts and changes, but maintained a distance from that torrent. Now also your situate stay unmoved. In all your recitals, there is a jumble of old traditions and legacy; the other side of a contemporary approach of implementation. Can you explicate on the particulars?

Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri: You see, only because of these reasons I was one of the most sidelined artists in our country. The thinking has come from the beliefs that only from imperial surroundings and high education novelty materialize. I only backer for the call for, and consequence of these sophisticated handling. There are bigger and deeper dispute in our essentials, why to disregard?

Now, I will tell about myself. I fitted in to a category of people from a backward area in northern part of Kerala. In the opening steps in my recitals, I consciously put this in for people to understand me. You cannot map out this anywhere in Kathakali. By that amalgamation and fortification, I haggard out the crafts and approaches for the future. Many times I had told this.

Santhosh: You are described as a dancer went into the folk. Analogous to this portrayal, you are being depicted as not into modernization of dance and so on. How you look at this?

Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri: The one and only purpose of my thidambu nritham dance is to express what I experience. The sensation comes from experiences. I can’t speak..my footsteps and footpath articulate a story. I merge all the pictures, bits, pieces, mini stories etc from my background. I do not overlook the divine is the foremost light in front. I should always build from my surroundings. I provide an individuality to myself as a thidambu nritham performer from my surroundings. I look to my adjoining places. Then, my dance starts in myself. Both are parts of the same process. Do you know what I do? Isolation, speedy augmentation, powerful soreness, frantically gladness.. I bring into dance, nowhere only in the steps. During thidambu nritham, I take myself to childhood. There I set up a bond sandwiched between me as a child and neighboring. The process connect my inner and outer. You don’t mistake there is philosophy here, there is no values. Again and again, the intention is the oneness. Here I should track ceremonies when I dance with gods.

Santhosh: Do you go with imaginary backgrounds in thidambu nritham dance?

Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri: You should be very conscious about place, sketches and suitable stepladders. Not only for a thidambu nritham dancer like me, for a writer, for an orator, for an artist, actor and all.

Santhosh: Do you remember your suffering and poor surroundings in a remote village during your childhood? You have written a lot about it. At this point in time, do you bear in mind anything?

Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri: There are many memoirs about my early days in education. Being a child in those years, I was not interested to go to school. Do you know what my interest was? I wanted to take cattle to feed near the river and mountain valleys. I used to watch kathakali from evening till morning while I was very small kid. I used to think about kathakali and festival which will come up in the future and will not get sleep. Do you know, kathakali is normally accompanied by songs having an important effect. All those songs and steps were in my heart. I used to act out kathakali steps near river and valleys alone. My father required me to go and attend school. I wanted to become a thidambu nritham performer at temples. In all stages and states of my life, I had the ambition to become thidambu nritham artist. My school teachers used to ask all students in my class on their aim in life. Some answered ‘driver’, ‘doctor’, ‘engineer’ and ‘teacher’ by some others. To all those questions by teachers, I had a single answer ‘thidambu nritham artist’. Today at this age I do thidambu nritham practice every day because it is my life. I cannot even imagine a single day without my feet remembering and playing with it thakilati, atantha, chempata and panchari.

Santhosh: You began with few stages in temples. After that everything is history. You have done thousands of stages that has changed the inclinations in temple dance. It was like a silent movement in India. You have produced ineffaceable impressions in thidambu nritham. It was a very long journey of hardwork, dedication and a series of events. Could you share something about this extensive thidambu nritham cruise?

Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri: What can I tell now ! You may refer to my thidambu nritham performances. I have been working for very long to reach this place.

Santhosh: Dance supporters identify your entry as beginning of a new wave in Indian dance. In Kerala, we have dance kathakali, there are many artists, writers, film directors, film actors and all who brought international appreciations like you, there are many artists in kathakali and ottamthullyal. What was your inspiration to move forward with thidambu nritham only?

Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri: I told you, I will be happy only if I do thidambu nritham dance. I will not be satisfied with a day if I do not do that. It is an ingredient of my everyday life. My love for thidambu nritham is not for money, not for fame, not for recognition, not for award and not for anything else. I am doing what my heart tells.

Santhosh: You have been associated with many organizations. You are doing archetypal research in thidambu nritham and languages, thidambu nritham and literature, thidambu nritham and Indian culture. Your publications are quite popular. Your life, work, involvement and inputs in dance is like a mesmerizing dance for people from young age band. What is your advice to new generation?

Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri: I do not believe in any pressure to do or instructions. You know, concerning my dance life, I never obeyed my father, mother or teachers (his eyes become wet). I have high regard just before all of them, except in my passion for thidambu nritham. ‘You should become an officer and a good farmer’ my father told me, I couldn’t. I happened to become a thidambu nritham dancer. A human being is a product of his or her thoughts and situations. One should try to dig new pathways and go forward. Another thing never forget the past, without keeping in mind your past, how can the truth in you exist?

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Folk Dance Legend of centuries

Folk Dance Legend of centuries

Thidambu nritham exponent Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri overtook the years he is alive while living and became a legend in folk dance. He is one of the greatest dancers in India for the centuries. He has mesmerized two centuries the present and the last. The dance students of India and out of the country together speak out collectively that Puthumana has gone above and afar from the height of a recitalist. Puthumana is the soul of Indian folk dance. The quintessence of dance pace visits puthumana, not the other manner. The total globe onlooker how puthumana attain place of a legend. Puthumana began from naught. Puthumana has the benefit of kathakali, by no means endeavor to dance with it. Kathakali sets an archetypal state in India representing Kerala having masters. Conspicuous works of Puthumana came from thidambu nritham. ‘How can I grow if the world of art does not encourage me?’ Puthumana asks. He declares, in the beginning, I sat down immobile without deliberate effort on where to go. Oh! Now I cannot envisage what would have happened to me if I hang about at that state. From wherever - art came to me, conception came to me and thidambu nritham dance shaped me, not I shaped dance. Kathakali dance had set an example of typical teaching and preparations. My chronicle is unusual. True. Legends are formed in colossal, mysterious!

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‘Thidambu Nritham dance is prayer for me’

 ‘Thidambu Nritham dance is prayer for me’

Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri

Kshetra Kala shri Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri says that ‘I have a high regard for all dances; whereas for me thidambu nritham is prayer’. ‘thidambu nritham practice is meditation for me’. You ask me what happens in one day, I will respond to you and tell ‘now you tell me what happens in next instant?’. It was for thidambu nritham I let go every enjoyment in my life. During my good times and unhappiness, I devoted everything to thidambu nritham. Then you will ask, you had  a love for Kathakali. ‘Yes, I do agree, I still have, but I never went after kathakali’. Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri says that he correspond all feelings with the spectators in a recital. But how is it achievable? This is a valid question to be asked. You cannot express emotions. You are not allowed to show irritation, cheerfulness, hurting, severance or no matter which. ‘Who told you all this? Please do not take care of Kathakali and thidambu nritham in same manner.’ But..still you have not answered. My foot speaks in there. When I was a young boy I was told by father not to dance and try for some government or private job. Initial few years he told me to study. I obeyed him, but after few years my inner identity started dancing which I was not in complete control. As you acceptably told I watched kathakali, which I did not want to enter. I look at few films, but it was never my choice for life. I was very serious to do score and find my place for which I enjoyed and worked day night. ‘In other dance forms, you have more flexibility and freedom. In thidambu nritham, it is not. The reason I need not explain. The spectators are devotees assembled in the temples’. There was no compromise with the seven hundred year old dance steps. He will keep the tradition because godly is on the top of his head. ‘Yes, the remaining piece you have freedom. But, you cannot cut a piece from some other dance and paste here. I was a artiste who looked at it in more than a few stratum.’ The try out continued for decades. ‘I enjoyed each and every try out. Many thoughts came up from the invited speeches and shows for the public’. ‘At last, success came my way. I was thrilled like a kid’. Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri suggests that there should be changes steadily, not all of a swift.         ‘One may copy few steps from other dance and paste here. How strange will it come out?’ Another important truth is about the dance performance. ‘Thidambu nritham is Indian culture and tradition. What is in above my head is the almighty. There should be some limit for your advancements and manners. I cannot do anything I like. Thidambu nritham is divine, sanctified and very sacred’. He has agreed that there should be progress in the dance. The renowned dancer shared about his discoveries, challenges, failures and progress over years.

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Saintly artiste Puthumana in memories of temple ritual Thidambu Nritham

-Namdev Manohar 

In the dawn light of my life, the clearest pictures I see are linked with temples. One of the pictures I see with the temple ambiance is that of thidambu nritham proponent Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri. While puthumana arrives to dance at a temple, we will have a mood that the devotees are blessed and puthumana has come to stir up the consciousness that we will continue as devotees for the coming year. The memories remains full of life around temples with devotion on a normal day and festival during annual prathishta day. Thidambu nritham done by puthumana govindan namboothiri is only once in a year. There will be other ceremony such as Ramayana parayana, bhagavatha sapthaha by acharyas, chenda melam, kathakali but thidambu nritham performed by puthumana is greater than everything else in temple. The temple followers and temple adjoining gets his blessing yearly once. The festival days during early days are in my mind. There was some relaxation for children at home. On prathishta dina, we had to get up at 5 am in the morning and take bath soon. Duty will be allotted for all children living near temple. Cleaning of temple surrounding, collect flowers for morning poojas to temple, arrange place for bhajans. Duty will change year after year. After 61/2 am on the day we the children be supposed to deliver bhagavathgeetha and harinamakeerthana at temple. These experiences are sweet in memories. We are not able to meditate on how much was the support and blessing of temple in life. We reach the temple in the morning, come back home evening, quick bath, again and again, rush to temple. There will be thidambu nritham of puthumana which fills in vigor and blessing for the subsequent year. In front of temple, puthumana will stand with an ornamented lord in his hands. Then devotionally he keeps lord above the godly cap. At that time, all devotees will stand with coupled hands bit by bit enchanting lord’s name in the lips. Lord will be smiling on top between the garlands and shower blessing on us. The picture of Puthumana energized by the Lord’s presence will be ready to start thidambu nritham. His peace of the face and enthusiastic to act upon lord’s steps gives us blessing and support for years. The thidambu nritham steps by puthumana produce an illustration of move smoothly in that environment. Every follower present there gets supremely elevated in their minds. O god! These steps not only fill up my eyes but also my spirits. O god! Why should I be concerned in life when this embodiment of Indian traditions and practice embark on by priest are with us signified in these godly steps. We devotees are a family of god’s servants centered by messenger puthumana govindan namboothiri in his thidambu nritham. The recollections of puthumana’s temple thidambu nritham are like light houses that provide brightness in the path of my life. In this life, always praying god and holding heavenly lotus feet is primary which is apparent in puthumana govindan namboothiri’s thidambu nritham.

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The dignity of Godly steps – Thidambu Nritham Stalwart Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri

S. Jayakumar

Thidambu nritham concert of puthumana govindan namboothiri is in my mind from my early days. His escalation was very fast in such a way that we, the young children of those times could distinguish him highly respected in temples while he was in his teenage, between 15 and 20. In the years of my teens and now also, there is no alteration in the immensity in thidambu nritham of puthumana govindan namboothiri. Puthumana has a place in all temples for thidambu nritham, let it be vishu festival in month of April on 14-15 or thiruvathira in December-January or Malabar pooram in March-April or sivarathri in February-March or prathishta uthsav. Opportunity we got included see kathakali and ottan thullal, matching to it inside temple we see thidambu nritham of puthumana. He got credits at a very young age. I have seen his thidambu nritham at temples while he was very young at around 11 pm and witness many award ceremonies by various temple committees after that. Thidambu nritham is measured very important in temples of kerala, usually the northern part 800 years older. It was of a huge surprise to the spectators was that he could carry huge murtis at temple and dance at ease during his teenages. We saw him coming up in thidambu nritham performing at most of the temples in Malabar. Puthumana remains at the first position in Kerala dance exponents including kathakali and one among the best in Indian temple dancers. His versatility and flexibility in thidambu nritham is due to the fact that dance will be safe in him at different temples irrespective of change in rituals, beats or situations. In interviews, Puthumana speaks about intense training at 13 years of age. However, he became very popular only after 17, after going through different venues and kalaris. Luck came Govindan Namboothiri’s way when he was extensively acknowledged and accepted as a popular temple dancer who can do extremely well in any arangu and get better over the time. While on one side Puthumana do not compromise with destroying the thidambu nritham traditional steps and originality, on the other side, he applies manodarma in a natural way also to mesmerize thousands looking at his foot on what novel magical steps can they witness on stage. Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri’s inventions on vishnupurana, sivathandava, kaliyamarddana and akroorayatra are all have scripted golden chapters in dance history. One will be extremely fortunate to see his foot and body movements and all mudras he develops during thidambu nritham. Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri has learned dance very carefully and now also the circumspection he go after for materialization of each step is impressive to be replicated.

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Puthumana_the Guruji of thidambu nritham

-Rameshan M P

Kanhangad town is a municipality in the northernmost district of Kerala, the place in which many great artists were born. Chemmattamvayal is a small village in the east side of the town in which many developments are still to come. Many do not know that a noteworthy revolution of thidambu nritham, from a less popular temple ritual to a worldwide dance form happened here from beginning to end with Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri. His name is mentioned always in Kerala, whenever and wherever there is a mention about temple dance. There were many generations of other arts such as Kathakali before who were methodically taught folk dances also in Malabar. The intent of these groups were to keep on the tradition and the popularity of those artists was restricted to those villages to name a few. Another reason was that the venues were few staged inside the temple boundaries. In the beginnings, puthumana was not given enough prospects and was heavily discriminated despite being an intellect and proficient in thidambu nritham. He became a thidambu nritham artist after in front of quite a number of bitter experiences.

Puthumana started learning fundamentals matching with learning and school incoming at 5. He was passionate right from start and in few months learned all verbal commands in thidambu nritham, which was very quick. Govindan namboothiri started to mimic thidambu nritham steps in the intervals and at home. He was also attracted to kathakali dance to watch in many stages. He had the tendency of presenting few movements he watched from temple to perform before classmates, such was his excitement for thidambu nritham. During school studies period only, puthumana was meticulous in thidambu nritham methods by observation learning. After finishing basic school, his financial condition at home was very poor and conditions in temples were also poor. Puthumana was characteristically trained in thidambu nritham and got opportunities to do it at temple surroundings, paid from few stages and non-paid from most of stages. He lived for thidambu nritham dance the last years and on no account sold his dance for making a living.

Puthumana is moving at the top of temple dance and is very dynamic in presenting thidambu nritham at temples. Many big artists of the 20th century in kathakali, ottanthullal, chakyarkoothu of kerala left this world, however, even today,  for puthumana’s thidambu nritham there will be very big crowd and rush the whole time. All the achievements by Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri came to him through customary practice and commitment. His every instant is with thidambu nritham. Today, Puthumana is a popular dancer in India by his own talents, without press on by any godfathers, without help of any group or troupe and without attending an established organization. He questions predisposition of artists to duplicate other different dance steps, whether kathakali or bharatnatyam. Puthumana took thidambu nritham in shoulders and simplified the conceptions for understanding of an ordinary viewer. Several footsteps have come into bud from him over these years which speculate spectators. Due to Puthumana’s involvement for over 55 years, spectators in temple and outer show interest to see it again. He shared the knowledge to all the generations of people in public stages. Thidambu nritham legend Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri’s contribution to Indian temple dance is also huge.  

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Thidambu nritham, the unseen blessing

The emperor of Indian temple dance Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri has a soulful connection with thidambu nritham. Despite the fact that he is the last link of sanctified artists of the olden days with rudimentary cultural traditions and safeguard of 700 years old ritualistic steps, he, even at this age is communicating happiness through the dance. Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri hails from Kanhangad in Kerala state. He was a normal student in school academics, though, it was the dominion of god on his thoughts to leave school and start dancing at temples. Puthumana submitted everything to god and god Natraja danced in his mind and ruled his intellect. This keeps him going with conception of novel steps in each concert besides preserving the ancient steps. Puthumana is a genuine artist who lives for others, and one who ensure that others are benefitted from his performances, interactions and workshops. His steps contribute to the society for above past five decades to purify the society using the dance. The experiments of Puthumana Govindan Namboothiri are projected to search for the final truth in individual minds. Puthumana has made known his rank for being different from other classic and popular commercial artists from entertainment industry to live only for artistic creations in thidambu nritham. He believes that the intention of a dancer should be to ignite a spark of interest in the minds of millions of viewers. Puthumana use thidambu nritham stages to refine and educate the audience. Thidambu nritham art has grown-up standing on the shoulders of puthumana, a gigantic transformation from ritual to dance. Puthumana spreads messages of universal brotherhood and integration of artistic minds by using thidambu nritham as a medium. He believes that these dance steps help multiply happiness in the audience like a lamp spreading light.

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