THRISSUR: Minister Dr. R Bindu retraces her steps and memories of her college days and returns to the Kathakali arena. R Bindu is stepping on the stage after three and a half decades for playing 'Damayanti'. Tomorrow, on the fifth day of the annual festival at Koodalmanikyam Temple, Minister R Bindu will once again put on makeup for the 'Nalacharitham Onnam Divasam' Kathakali at the Sangam venue at 7 pm.

In the late 1980s, Bindu had won the prize for her Kathakali performance at the Calicut University Youth Festival, and 'Damayanti' is her favorite character. The Kathakali presentation is under the leadership of Kalanilayam Raghavan Aashan, who has been her teacher since the age of thirteen. Aashan's daughter Jayashree Gopi and CM Beena will be seen as Damayanti's friends. Jayanthi Devaraj will join as 'Hamsam' in the one-and-a-half-hour Kathakali performance.

A. Vijayaraghavan is at the fore to stage the minister with the same flair with which she performed 'Damayanthi' years ago. R Bindu was a student who excelled in all fields including Kathakali since her childhood. Along with Bindu, hundreds of artists will perform at the new venue built by the Kudalmanikyam Devaswom adjacent to the temple premises.