The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Taking Bharatanatyam to the grassroots

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 08, 2007
ePaper

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Taking Bharatanatyam to the grassroots

Staff Reporter

Padmaja Suresh

Bangalore: There is more to life than the external being, professes dancer Padmaja Suresh. True to her beliefs, the Bharatanatyam performer uses spirituality and divinity in the various roles she undertakes as an artiste, parent or even a social worker.

The 39-year-old artiste is the daughter of late K.K. Rajendran, popularly called Chakkiyar Rajan thanks to his dabbling with Kerala's famous performing art.

Her father, who played a vital role in shaping her career, was the driving force behind Kalachaitanya, the charitable organisation Ms. Suresh runs.

Kalachaitanya is an initiative to promote Bharatanatyam among the underprivileged kids from government and corporation schools. Currently functioning in the vicinity of her residence in Sheshadripuram, the organisation charges a nominal fee of Rs. 10 a month payable on a voluntary basis. It is primarily funded by contributions from friends and philanthropists as well as the sales of CDs featuring Ms. Suresh's performances across the globe.

`Challenging'

Probably the most challenging task Ms. Suresh faces is convincing parents to let their children attend these classes. "Parents would rather see their children do some odd jobs in their free time rather than learn the art," she says.

The best bet was therefore to establish to the sceptical parents that their kids could seek gainful employment as dance teachers at a later period. "Even this is not always a workable solution to attract students," she adds.

Bharatanatyam incorporates several elements of yoga which is a form of physical and mental therapy. Kids who have undergone training at Kalachaitanya perform better than their other counterparts in school, she says. "Teachers at the corporation and government schools have seen a marked improvement in the discipline of these students," explains Ms. Suresh.

Ms. Suresh trashes the opinion from some quarters that discredit Bharatanatyam by terming it elitist. "The success of our programme with kids from the poorer rungs of society vouches for the fact that the essence of this art can be imbibed by anyone."

Mass appeal

However, Ms. Suresh concedes that Bharatanatyam does not have mass appeal. To appreciate its true quality, a certain degree of interest towards mythology and traditional culture is essential. "The enthusiasm the kids show at times surprises me as it's not very easy for everyone to take to Bharatanatyam," she says.

Ms. Suresh is a happy woman today to see her father's vision embarked upon in the right direction. "My father always wondered how to share the essence of Bharatanatyam with poor kids who possess raw, untapped talent. He was always fascinated with the ability displayed by the little ones playing their flutes and harmonium on the streets and railway stations," she says.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News Update

Stories in this Section