Aditya Prasad with his mother Nirmala.Kannur: Aditya Prasad had a dream. When he dreamed, his whole village conspired to realize it.
The goodwill of the villagers at Ezhathur in Pathanamthitta district was the Philosopher's stone that transformed the young classical dancer’s ambition to reality.
Prasad's journey from the hilly village near Ranni to the state school arts festival in Kannur is the story of many generous souls. He has only his art form to pay back and that is precisely what is needed.
The eighth standard student at the St Mary's Vocational Higher Secondary School at Valiyakunnam was not sure about pursuing his dream of competing in the state school arts festival until support came from unexpected quarters.
The boy lost his father 11 years ago. His mother Nirmala supported him with whatever work she could find through the rural employment guarantee scheme. Nirmala was sure about her son’s skills from an early age. She toiled hard to ensure that he received proper training in dancing.
However, going to the arts festival required more resources than she could arrange. Prasad's talent was not to go wasted. Kumar, who runs a dance school at Kattappana, offered to train him.
Where would Prasad practice? He was living in a tiny house on three cents of land. The family had bought the land with the Rs 2 lakh granted by the local panchayat as part of the Ashraya scheme. The house was still unfinished.
His neighbors pitched in. A family offered him space to practice. Another neighbor lent their DVD player for him to play music.
Prasad rose to the occasion. He topped the district-level arts festival in Kerala Natanam and Bharatanatyam.
Nirmala was getting tensed as the date for the state arts festival neared. She could not find enough work to raise the funds to sent her son to Kannur. Again, the villagers around her helped. Everyone from school teachers and Padayani trainers to Kudumbasree workers and friends’ parents pledged their support for the cause. Kumar presented Prasad with the costumes to perform.
When the young dancer performed in Kannur on Wednesday, villagers in the remote Ezhathur were praying for his victory. They have already won over Kerala.
