Let me look back upon some memorable milestones during my pursuit of the arts that has lasted around six and a half decades. Hopefully, the insights gathered from everything that I had experienced, seen, watched and heard, on the stage, on the back stage and in front of the stage, both within Kerala and outside, may turn out to be useful for those who are setting out on the same path as this. My life in the arts was a free flowing journey. The journey that took me from Kathakali to Kutiyattam was the pursuit of a whole decade.
It makes me feel extremely proud and fulfilled to realise that Kutiyattam, in the revival of which I had played an active role right from 1976, had gained the recognition of the UNESCO in 2001 followed by Mudiyettu (in 2010), another art form with which I was involved from 1997. The realisation that these recognitions are the result of my own efforts also makes me feel tremendously pleased.
Recognising my passion to learn Kathakali, my father had started a Kalari at village in 1956. Four students other than me were also being trained in that Kalari. All the expenses of the Kalari were borne by my father who was not a rich man. We were living in a rented house at that time.
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Naatyaachaarya (Dr) V.P.Dhananjayan:
ReplyDeleteI have always been an ardent admirer of G.Venu for his determined dedication to his chosen field. Probably I must be one of the first artistes who bought his book Kathakali Mudra notation. I had sent couple of students to attend his Navarasa saadhana classes and happy to say, they all benefited out it immensely. Narthaki should be congratulated for publishing an illustrious account of Venuegee's life in a nut shell. His great legacy is inherited by his equally illustrious daughter Kapila, she is his best contribution to the world of ChakiaarKoothu and Kootiyaattam. My best wishes on his 75th birthday and pray the almighty that his legacy continues through his daughter and several disciples all around the globe.
V.P.Dhananjayan