Tour guide V. S. Nagendra Prabu is greeted by three officials of the State Department of Archaeology as he steps into the office at the Tirumalai Nayak Palace on Wednesday.
“We did not know about your talent. Did you learn Bharatanatyam? Can you show us a small performance,” they ask.
On September 26, 2019, the guide’s abhinayas and dance movements shot to fame across social media platforms as he explained various postures of Lord Siva, Parvathi and a lotus flower to a group of tourists at the palace.
In the video which runs for a little over a minute, Mr. Prabu, who works with the Department of Tourism, can be seen tilting his head side to side in a graceful manner, inviting applause from the audience for his distinct way of conducting tours.
“On that day, I was explaining the difference between Bharatanatyam and Kathakali. I had no idea about how popular it would become. I am not on any social media platform,” he says.
His phone has not stopped ringing since.
Mr. Prabu says that he has been interested in culture and history since childhood. The idea of becoming a tour guide came when he got bored of teaching history in private schools.
“My family I lived in a small village, Keelnachikulam near Sholavandan. My mother, a history teacher, regularly quizzed us about history and current affairs at home. After schooling, I wanted to be different and wanted a big platform to meet new people, showcase my talent and gain knowledge,” he says.
His brother V. S. Rishi, who had entered the tourism industry as a guide, encouraged him to follow suit 12 years ago. “Here, I realised that I could club the worlds of culture, history and current affairs in an easy and enjoyable mix,” he says.
Mr. Prabu’s greatest joy, however, came from knowing that he could incorporate song and dance into his routine packaged tours. Even as a child, he felt the grip of music and dance despite lack of formal training. This revelation is a direct contradiction to the several tweets commending his professional Bharatanatyam skills.
“I cannot stop my body from grooving to music. I have learnt everything by copying dance steps from songs. Nobody taught me,” he says.
Mr. Prabu, father of two children, says that he encourages them to sing and dance.
He adds that encouragement from his colleagues and well-wishers has been overwhelming. “It would be nice if more youngsters enter this profession,” he says.
