Thamang’s Success Mantra: Respect Gurus, Learn the Art, Lead Happy Life

Golden Period: Thamang discloses that the three years that he stayed in Kolkata were Golden Period of his life. “Initially it was difficult as I didn’t know the language but soon, I picked up and learned how to appreciate the Art in Kolkata.  I watched Theatre and Classical Music in Kolkata, and later learnt music there. I got a job as a Bharatanatyam dancer in Calcutta Kalamandalam and taught for three years. I was hardly 25 years and lean and was seizing every dancing opportunity. I was teaching Telugu pada varnams and Telugu padams to them. I got lots of love and appreciation in Kolkata, where I opened my own institute with 30 students,” he reminisces. 

Being in Kolkata, he did not waste time. “Yes, I was blessed to learn Carnatic music with Kamakshi mami, who is the senior student of Calcutta Krishnamurthy Sir. She taught me Thyagaraja Krithis and different Thillanas. On Kamakshi mami’s reference, I met Guru Rajalakshmi mami, who taught me dance without charging a penny, and gave me food to eat. Now also at the age of 86, she remembers me. I have a thirst to learn old compositions, it’s the lesson from my Guru Maa, Jayalakshmi Narayan – Be a student then only one can learn the Art,” Thamang says.

Mastery Over Languages: Santhosh Kumar, who can speak Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, English, Bangla, and his mother tongue Nepali, says that Telugu, he can speak, read and write as he was born in Hyderabad and associated with Telugu friends. “I know Tamil as my gurus were from Tamil Nadu and daily hearing them, I picked up Tamil. While living in Kolkata for three years, I learned Bangla. it’s the experience of life which made me learn the languages,” says the modest artist.

During his growing up years, Thamang did not watch Director K Viswanath’s movies based on Dance and Music, as they did not own a TV, but did watch the classics in late 90s. “I saw K. Viswanath sir for the first time in Ravindra Bharathi in the 90s when he felicitated my Guru TK Narayan,” he says, adding that they paid 25 paise to watch television at a neighbour’s house on Saturdays during his childhood.

To ensure his financial security, Thamang worked in HSBC as an internal auditor for nine-long years and quit to set up his academy – Shree Narayani Natyalaya on Shivaratri Day in February 2012. Thamang and his nine-year-old niece Urvija performed beautifully on the annual day celebrations of the academy. “I feel proud as a father (Peda Nana) and teacher to perform along with Urvija. We performed for the first time on July 4, 2021 on the occasion of nine years of Shree Narayani Natyalaya,” says Thamang. The artist shares that till now three students have successfully performed their Arangetrams and another three will perform after the Covid subsides. He has some 30 students in his dance academy.