Rhythmic Bharata Natyam

Tamil art and culture was a very important part of my upbringing, originating in Nallur and nurtured by the Suntheralingam part of my family- Linga Satchithananda, Vatha Chelvadurai, Mani Rajarayan, S Satyalingam and of course my main guru Neela Balendra. It is kept alive in me to day by my cousins Anjalen, one of Sri Lanka’s leading architects who insists on dragging to me to every concert, exhibition and performance that he feels he must see and my cousin Anandavalli who has made Bharata natyam blossom in Australia.

Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam who was my mentor and N. Ram of the Hindu also gave me access to books on Tamil art and culture that widened my horizons. After Dr. Tiruchelvam’s death, in his memory, we invited some of the best artists to perform on his birth anniversary during the war years to remind us that life is also about creativity and beauty. Though my proficiency in the Tamil language is limited due to years of being overseas, Tamil art and culture is very much a part of my identity- though I will agree not the only part.

Bharata Natyam is the world’s oldest dance form dating back to 300 BC. Of all the dance forms available to us it is also perhaps the most expressive and most subtle with countless mudras and eye expressions. Its rhythmic qualities are equal to any of the dances of other countries with its difficult and intricate foot movements that keep audiences enthralled. This combination of facial expression and rhythm make it unique and therefore its legacy has drawn a great deal of attention from scholars all over the world.

When we look back we must acknowledge and appreciate that Bharata Natyam has its own particular history. Though it has its origins in 300BC, by the sixteenth century it became the exclusive dance form of temple courtesans who during that time, like the “Nautch” Kathak dancers of the North of India, became the center of music and dance. In 1892 British missionaries and British Colonial Officers, aided by socially conservative Hindus started the anti-dance movement. In 1910, Bharata Natyam, this most beautiful of dance forms was banned in the Madras Presidency.

Therefore one part of the Indian nationalist movement, especially in the South, was to revive Bharata Natyam. Rukmini Arundale, a Brahmin broke all social conventions of her time and later went onto found the dance school of Kalakshetra. The famous dancer Balasaraswathi who was herself one of the last devadasis assisted her. These two kept the dance form alive, thereby taking it out of the temples and into the mainstream. In the North this was done by Mirnalini Sarabhai, also a Brahmin, who formed Darpana. It was not easy for them. They were greeted with hostility by sociallyconservative Hindus, often booed and even stoned.

With time, not only has this Bharata Natyam gained acceptance, most middle class Tamil girls (such as myself) were expected to learn and excel in the dance form. It became an important item in a modern Tamil girl’s CV. So when we have these events and performances, we must not forget pioneers like Rukmini Arundale, Mirnalini Sarabhai and Balasaraswati who fought against British colonialism and ultra conservative social values that prevented men and women from artistically expressing themselves. It is they who preserved and protected this wonderful dance form.

Today, especially in India Bharata Natyam is not only alive it is pushing all the boundaries. The new Bharata Natyam superstars really leave you spellbound with their sense of discipline and perfection. They also meet dancers from other traditions on a complete basis of equality. Some argue that their impeccable technical perfection has taken away from the soul of the dance embodied by dancers like Balasaraswati and this is a debate that continues among connoisseurs. Yet Bhara Natyam in India is alive thriving and full of passion. On Thursday I leave for Chennai to see a performance by Anandavalli’s dance troupe- there will be traditional Bharata Natyam but also Bharata Natyam set to Japanese Taiko drumming.We are hoping that sometime in the futue Anadavalli will come to Sri Lanka and do a collaborative performance with another exceptional dance phenomenon- the Chitrasena Dance Troupe.

Sri Lanka has gone through a terrible civil war where our own Tamil leaders downplayed Tamil Art and Culture. Even today this is not a main item on their agenda. People like Vasugi tried to keep it alive despite all odds. We owe them a great debt of gratitude. Thank You Vasugi. . I saw the sad faces of Bharata Natyam dances during the war but look at what we have seen today- it has been quite magnificent. Now that peace has finally come let us double our efforts to revive Tamil expressive arts and work towards greater creativity and perfection.