How would you like your full name to appear in the documentation?
Do you have any stage names, clan names, titles, or other names by which you are known?
Which community do you belong to? How would you like to identify yourself in terms of your cultural group?
What is your place of birth, district, and state? What year were you born? (If an exact date is not required, you may provide only the year.)
What other art forms do you know or practise?
2. Early Life and First Steps
What is your family background? (What occupations did your parents have? Did anyone in your family have an artistic tradition or ritual responsibilities?)
When and where did you first see or learn about this art form?
How old were you when you started learning or practising this art?
Who were the gurus or elders who taught you this art? What was their relationship with you?
3. Training and Formation
How did you learn or practise this art? (Was it through the gurukulam system, through your family, or at a school or institution?)
What was your training like? (How many hours did you practise each day? How did your guru correct your mistakes? What was the most important lesson you learned?)
What roles or contributions did you initially learn, such as accompanying instruments or supporting vocals?
Do you remember your first performance in front of an audience? What was the occasion, and how did you feel about it?
4. Artistic Career
What types of events do you participate in? (Temple festivals, funeral rituals, stage performances, schools/colleges, television, international performances, etc.)
Which places have you travelled to for performances? (Local, state, national, or international level?)
What are the major milestones in your artistic career? (Awards, international travel, major festivals, etc.)
What were the major challenges or difficulties you faced during your artistic journey? (Financial difficulties, lack of support, health-related difficulties, etc.)
Do you have any other occupation apart from this art for your livelihood? Is there any connection between that occupation and your art?
5. Teaching and Passing It On
How do you teach this art to others? (At home, as an art group, or through workshops?)
Approximately how many students have trained under you?
Who are the important disciples who learned from you and are now recognised artists?
When passing this art on to the next generation, what aspects do you think should be preserved without changing?
6. Evolution and Change
What changes have occurred in this art from the time you started performing until now? (Costumes, songs, audiences, microphones/lighting technology, stage arrangements, etc.)
Have you introduced any innovations to this art? (New songs, new themes, stories, or performance formats?)
What aspects of this art do you believe should never be changed under any circumstances? Why?
7. Recognition and Collaborators
What are the major awards and honours you have received?
Who are the key supporters who have played an important role in your artistic journey? (Family members, event organisers, government or private organisations, etc.)
Who are the important co-artists or musicians who have travelled and worked with you? (Their profiles can also be linked to this documentation.)
8. Personal Reflections
What does this art mean to you personally? (Does it provide you with fulfilment, spirituality, economic support, or social recognition?)
What message would you like to give to today’s younger generation?
What would you like to say to the people who may listen to or watch this documentation in the future?