‘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.