KOCHI : Fulfilling a vow to the presiding deity, kathakali maestro Kalamandalam Gopi, offered thulabharam at Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple on Wednesday.
The 86-year-old veteran artist, who rarely participates in live performance of late due to health issues, arrived in Guruvayur on Wednesday to perform as Bahukan in Nalacharitham - Third Day.
He went to the eastern gopuram of the temple in kathakali attire and offered thulabharam using plantains of kadali bananas to fulfill a vow after the programme. Hundreds of devotees and connoisseurs of the art were present on the occasion.
Thulabharam is the ritual of offering things equal to the weight of a person to the temple. Gopi Asan offered 57 kg of Kadali bananas to the temple.
“Though I have stopped performing kathakali on stage due to health issues, I can’t think of avoiding the performance at the annual festival of Guruvayur temple. So I performed as Bahukan in Nalacharitham - Third Day at the temple on Wednesday. As I had made a vow for relief from health issues, I went to the Eastern gate of the temple and offered thulabharam after the performance. It was a gratifying experience,” Gopi Asan told TNIE.
“The thulabharam was offered outside the Chuttambalam as no person is allowed to enter the temple complex wearing artistic attire. As Gopi Asan’s vow was to offer the thulabharam in kathakali attire, we had to conduct it outside the temple complex. He prayed to the deity in front of the East gate and offered the thulabharam near the Deepasthambham,” said Guruvayur administrator K P Vinayan.