Sree Gurugopinath Trust Kerala

Reg No. K 397/97

Kangazha p.O , Kottayam - 686541 , Kerala

9495749931, 9495352679

Dr. Guru Gopinath

Pioneer of Kerala Natanam and Visionary Dance Reformer

(1908–1987)

(1908)

Born on June 24, 1908, in the Perumanoor family home in Champakulam, Ambalapuzha taluk. His father was Shankara Pillai from Kaippally and his mother was Madhavi Amma. Kathakali and farming were the family's occupations. He studied Kathakali without completing his school education. He made his debut at the age of 13. His first guru was Champakulam Kalamandalam. His teachers were Kunchukurup, Kavalappara and Pattikanthodi; Kuttikrishna Marar was also a literature teacher. Anandasivaram and Krishnan Nair were his classmates. Vallathol, Sardar K. M. Panicker, Mukundaraja, and Elayangat Unnithampuran gave him encouragement.

(1931)

At the age of 19, he visited Mookambika. In 1931, he went to Bombay with the American dancer Ragini Devi; he promoted the art of dance. After returning to Kerala, he continued to dance. He received the Veera Shringkhala from the Kawadiyar Palace.

(1935)

In 1935, he performed at Santiniketan at the invitation of Tagore. He toured North India. On 5 September 1936, he married Thankamani of the Mulakkal family at Mangat. It was a love marriage.

(1938)

In 1938, he toured Madras and played the role of Hiranyakashipu in the third Malayalam film Prahladan. Thankamani was Kayadhu (Prahladan's mother). He has acted as Jesus Christ in Jeevita Nauka.

(1942)

In 1942, Natannikethan was started in Madras. Sir. C.P. Performed a dance program for the wedding of Shakala, the granddaughter of Nehru.

(1954)

In 1954, he traveled to Russia on Nehru's instructions. He also went to Poland and Czechoslovakia.

(1959)

In 1959, he worked in Delhi. He created a dance form based on Tulsidas's Ramacharitamanasam.

(1961)

In 1961, he registered a Vishwa Kala Kendram in Vattiyoorkavu, Thiruvananthapuram. In 1967, Guruji's Ramayana ballet at the Ambalapuzha temple was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister E.M.S. Namboodiripad. Gurugopinath also choreographed Narayaniyam, Mahabharata, Chandalabhikshu, Baanayudham, Dakshayagam, and Kumarasambhavam.

(1965)

He won the National Award in 1965. In 1972, he was awarded a doctorate by Rabindra Bharathi University. Guruji received awards from institutions such as Bagal Music Conference, Indian People's Theatre, Akhil Malayali Association, Kendra-Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Kalamandalam, Travancore-Guruvayur-Devaswom; from the Maharajas of Travancore, Cochin, Mysore, Bikaner, Goalpur, Patiala, Navanagar, Kishangakul; and from famous personalities such as Tagore, Dr. Radhakrishnan, C. Rajagopalachari, Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer, Sarojini Naidu, Vallathol

Leadership in Art and Culture

Travancore Palace Dancer, Sri. Founder of Chitrodaya Dance Academy, Director of Bharatiya Kala Kendram, Director of Kerala Kala Kendram. Member of Kendra - Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy, Kerala Lalithakala Academy, Kalamandalam, University Fine Arts Section, Kunchan Nambiar Memorial Committee, etc. Cultural activities.

Author and Mentor to Legends

Author of 6 books: Abhinayankuram, Classical Dance Poses of India, Abhinayaprakasika, Kathakalinadanam, Natanakairali, Talavum Natanavum. Lalitha, Padmini, Ragini, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Padmasubramaniam, Chellappan Bhavani, Professor Sankarankutty, Sundaresiamma, Sukumari, Venuji, Shantha, Kodungallur Gopalakrishnan, etc. are his main disciples.

An Artistic Lineage

He is the elder brother of the famous Kathakali actor Champakulam Pachu Pillai. Kandhathil Narayana Menon, Champakulam Shankupillaiyasan, Champakulam Paramupillai, Nedumudi Narayana Kurup, Guru Kunchu Kurup, Guru Chengannur Raman Pillai, dancer Chellappan, Nalini, and Thakazhi Sivashankara Pillai are all members of Guruji's family.

A Life Remembered,
A Legacy Honored

Guruji has 4 children. Vasanthi Jayaswal (California), Vilasini Ramachandran IAS (Gujarat). Vinodini, Venugopal.

(1987)

The first World Conference of Guruji's memory was inaugurated by Governor Rachaiah in Thiruvananthapuram in December 1993.

Endowments have been set up in the name of Guruji for dance at Mahatma Gandhi University and Kathakali at Kalamandam.

(1993)

Formation of the Trust and Institutional Milestones

(1996)

The formal inauguration of the Sri Gurugopinath Trust was performed by Aranmula Ponnamma on 9 October 1996. Prof. S. Guptan Nair was the chairman of the trust.

(1997)

On 28 June 1997, the Kerala Education Minister, Shri P.J. Joseph, who inaugurated the
Dr. Gurugopinath Birth Anniversary Conference at Kottayam, announced that steps would be taken to include Kerala Natanam in the State Youth Festival from the next academic year. Dr. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University, presided over the said meeting.