Utnoor (Adilabad): Adivasi dance masters long years of struggle to keep their traditional Gussadi and Dhimsa art forms alive in the old Adilabad district and in bordering Maharashtra are beginning to bear fruit. With their efforts, both forms of dance have regained their popularity not only among the Adivasi communities but are also attracting non- tribals and foreign tourists. Gussadi was even shown prominently in the movie ‘Baahubali’.
Kanaka Raju and Lachu Patel were popular dance masters in their traditional Gussadi and Dhimsa dances respectively. Lachu is no more, but Kanaka Raju, 60, of Marlavai of Jainoor is popular even today as Gussadi master among the Adivasis in the old Adilabad district and bordering Maharashtra. They have trained hundreds of Adivasi teenagers and youth in these dance forms in the last 40 years. With this Adivasi festivals are an eye-catching affair, rich with dances and traditions and rituals.
Gussadi dance master Kanaka Raju is closely associated with their Gussadi dance since long time and even led a Gussadi cultural troupe to Delhi and performed Gussadi dance before the then Prime minister late Indira Gandhi and president late Jail Singh in the past. The then ITDA Assistant project officer late Madavi Thukaram being an Adivasi had show much interest in Adivasi traditions and cultures and made serious efforts to preserve them for future generations.
Mr Kanaka Raju said Madavi Thukaram had selected only 150 persons after screening about 1,000 Adivasi men to perform Gussadi dance before Indira Gandhi. Among these 150, only 16 persons were sent as Gussadi cultural troops to Delhi to perform there on the special occasions. Madavi Thukaram provided a jeep and '1,000 each as stipend to Kanaka Raju and Lachu Patel to tour Adivasi gudems to select interested Adivasi youth and trained them in Gussadi and Dhimsa dances to preserve these art forms.
Mr Kanaka Raju said after performing the Gussadi dance in front of Indira Gandhi, he presented her a ‘Topi’ (Cap made of peacock feathers) and ‘Rokal’ (a wooden stick) as a gift in 1981. He recalled that Madavi Thukaram was very much particular about the steps, body movements and facial expressions in tune with the drumbeats by Gussadis while performing.
