The Karakattam Dance

The sound of the beating drum reached a crescendo as the dance was nearing the end. The father and son duo were performing the traditional Karakattam with a set of precariously balanced pots on their heads, while their hands were swinging wildly going round and round in a fast pace when the pots swayed but still remained balanced. The watching crowd cheered in a mad frenzy.

The dance stopped and the village procession started moving ahead with the decorated chariot carrying their village deity. Muthu and his son Aravind started now walking with the crowd. They would walk a few paces and then again start the dance as per their tradition. The village Sir-Panch neared Muthu and said, “Muthu I am so proud that you had given excellent training to your son. Though he is studying in the town and had come only for the village festival, his dancing is excellent. I am so proud of you two” He moved away.

That night after long hours of dancing father and son went back to their small hut. Muthu asked his son, “Good you came for the festival. Since your studies are coming to an end when are you going to look for a job?”

Aravind answered, “I had already applied for a job in the town in two or three places. Soon I will get one. Once I get a job I will take you to town and you can live a peaceful life with me for the rest of your life”

Muthu said, “I am so happy that you gave up your obsession with the Karakattam on my request. Gone are the days when people could survive with these old traditional dances alone. Good, you took my advice and agreed to go to the town and started studying. I am so proud of you”

After two months Muthu was thrilled to hear that Aravind got a Professor post in the US and was proceeding to Washington. One year passed and Aravind sent a flight ticket to Muthu to travel to the US. The whole village was talking about the lack of a poor Karakattam player as no one from the village had so far gone to the US at all.

Muthu reached Chennai. As per the arrangement made by Aravind one of Aravind’s friends who had come to India, took care of Muthu from Chennai onwards... He helped Muthu through the airport formality and they reached Washington together. Aravind received his father in the Airport and they drove to their home. Muthu seemed to be still too dazed about everything. A big house, car, furniture everything he could not have even dream of in his life.

Early morning Aravind took leave from his father and went out to his University. There were few Tamil families in the nearby houses and they came and kept the company and helped Muthu to warm the food in the microwave oven etc. Three days passed.

Though Muthu could spend his time nicely watching TV, working a bit in the garden, cooking some food, etc. he had an uncontrollable urge to go and see the University where Aravind worked. But Aravind told him that since he is always busy in his classes he will not able to take him to show around on working days. He promised to take his father on a weekend day and show him his University. Accidentally, Aravind’s friend and co-worker Manohar, dropped in that day as he was having an off day. Muthu told him his desire. Manohar said “Of course Aravind will be busy. But I will take your uncle and show you the University.”

Excited like a schoolboy going for a picnic, Muthu wore the best shirt his son had brought for him and got into the car with Mohan. As they parked and started watching around the University Muthu’s mouth dropped and his eyes popped out. He stammered, “Such a huge place? So many buildings! Is my son working in this place? My entire village will not be equal to this building” Mohan took him to various buildings and explained the various studies which were going on there. Muthu could not understand anything. But he stared at the group of students from various parts of the world. There were Japanese,

Chinese, Africans, etc. a group he had never seen even in a picture, They were walking in groups to different buildings. His heart swelled in pride.

Finally, they entered a building and Mohan said, “This is fine arts courses building. Aravind is teaching here only” They went by lift to the 15^th floor and entered a long lobby. They entered a room that looked like a big auditorium. Mohan led Muthu by hand and took him to a seat on the backside, made him sit and said, “From here you can see Aravind teaching” Muthu waited with his heart in his mouth.

After a few minutes, Aravind entered a stage like a place brightly lighted and a spotlight moved focused on Aravind. He walked around the stage and was talking something in an animated conversation. Muthu, not knowing English did not understand anything.

Then Aravind stopped teaching and a huge screen behind him became alive. It showed a Karakattam dancer dancing in full swing. As Muthu sat shocked, Aravind was explaining the various parts of the image with a pointer.  Now Muthu noticed that a dozen students were sitting in a semicircular form in front of the stage where Aravind stood. One male student got up and asked some questions. Aravind took a pot kept ready on the table and keeping it on his head started a swaying motion of dance. He stopped and explained his footwork and then he explained how he was balancing the pots on his head while he danced... Another young Chinese girl climbed the stage and he helped the girl to balance the pot on her head and holding her hand explained the finer points of her hand movements. The teaching went on and on and Aravind was explaining the fine points of the dance to his students with various flashcards and some of them were the picture of Muthu dancing in the festival. Muthu sat shell shocked his mouth totally dry.

The class ended and the students left the class. Mohan got up and called out Aravind’s name. Aravind looked at the back seats and quickly came up the steps and was too surprised to see his father there.

Father and son looked at each other speechlessly. Aravind held his father's hand in his hand and said, “ Appa, please forgive me. I did not tell you about my job early. After getting my M.Sc. degree I was not getting any proper job. Then just by a strange chance, I gave a performance of the Karakattam dance in one social event. Mohan was present there. It was he who told me, that how the population all around the world were showing increasing interest in our ancient Indian dances and the colleges were offering these courses. With his help him, I easily got this job in the US.  Appa, what is wrong with this? I am getting a good salary. At the same time, I am not only keeping the divine art of our village alive but I am helping it to spread it all around the world. Is it not?”

Muthu’s eyes got filled as he hugged his son. He said, “It is a pity that our own country people are feeling shy of our old ancient arts and running for mad movie dances. Actually you have done the right thing. You have kept our country’s culture alive. I am sorry that I underestimate the true value of our own dances”

The next group of students entered and Aravind started teaching the new group. Now as Muthu watched his heart swelled in pride about his own Karakattam.