Thrissur: Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu has offered his one month salary for the promotion of Ashtapadhiyattam. Speaking at a function in Guruvayur as a part of the revival of the ancient temple art originated in the 12th century and went to oblivion in the 19th century, he said it was like unearthing a treasure. The art form is a combination of Odissi, Kuchipudi, Manipuri dance and Bharatanatyam. Union culture minister Mahesh Sharma handed a cheque of Rs 20 lakh as seed capital to E. Sreedharan, who is a trustee of the Guruvayurappan Dharma Kalasamuchayam Trust, for the project.
The trust was instrumental in giving a new lease of life to the art form with the help of the dance department of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady. "Ashtapadhiyattam which is a poignant rendition of love between Lord Sree Krishnan and Radha written by 12th-century poet Jayadeva is a remarkable piece of literature and has been adopted into various dance classical art forms," the Vice-President said.
"It also became the genesis for an entire branch of music Sopanasangeetham, sung on temple stairs. Only a few compositions like this have so effortlessly integrated the country by evoking appeal in the people from Bengal to Kerala." Governor Justice P. Sathasivam and devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran also extended their full support to the project.
Union minister assures immediate action
Meanwhile, the Union minister held talks with veteran artists of classical, folk and theatre at the house of Thanthri of Guruvayur Temple Chennas Dinesan Namboodiripad, who is also a functionary of Kalasamuchayam Trust. He assured them to release the pension, artists' salary and production grant of nearly 7,000 artists and 700 organisations in the state withheld since 2016-17 citing technicalities. "The minister has assured to release the pension and salary dues in a week," said Dr V. Jayarajan, chairman of the Payyanur-based Folkland International Centre for Folklore and Culture.
