Karnataka   

She broke taboos in the pursuit of dance

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

A tribute: Vimala Rangachar, reading from the book ‘Attendance,’ after its release, in Bangalore on Saturday.

BANGALORE: The diminutive lady sitting quietly amidst the stunningly dressed men and women from the world of dance — many of them renowned figures — was the legendary dancer M.K. Saroja. If you did not know who she was, she could easily go unnoticed. However, the unassuming 79-year-old was the star of the evening. A biopic on the veteran artiste was released at the Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography during the weekend.

Ms. Saroja, recently conferred the Legends of India Lifetime Achievement Award, was a picture of grace: she spoke not a word, but the book with stunning pictures spoke volumes of her passion and talent.

Releasing the book, “Bharatanatya Bhakta Guru M.K. Saroja” by Ashish Khokar in the Gurus of Indian Dance series, renowned dancer and choreographer Maya Rao, spoke of how dance in their times was a taboo.

“Saroja was the lucky one. Her guru lived in their house and her parents allowed her to learn from him.”

Violinist L. Subramaniam, who received the first copy of the book, elaborating Ms. Rao’s point, said: “It was not just dance, the taboo extended to music also. In most traditional families, it was believed that if you did not do well in your studies, then you became a musician. Many people told my father that I was wasting my life.”

The evening also saw the release of the tenth anniversary issue of Attendance, Mr. Khokar’s dance annual. “I believe that dance writing is important with diminishing focus on traditional material,” said Mr. Khokar, speaking on what kept him going with Attendance, year after year. The annual journal not only has a series of in-depth interviews with maestros, second and third generation dancers, but also has small introductory pieces on promising, new entrants. Its academic rigour keeps you updated on the dance scene — traditional as well as the experimental forays. The accomplishment of this niche journal is the manner in which it engages even a “non-dance” person.

Releasing the tenth volume, former bureaucrat Chiranjeev Singh called it one of the best journals in the world. “What makes Attendance special is its personal touch. It gives the reader a sense of samvada with the artistes,” he said. The best writing in any field must make you sit up and set off a revisit. And Attendance succeeds in doing so, he said. Art patron Vimala Rangachar, who read excerpts from the journal she immensely appreciated, recalled the good old days when the love of art came without material frills. The evening was special. It was done in a dance space, had plenty of dance students and dancers in the audience, and was marked by a sincerity of purpose. What more, it began with an arresting composition in Raga Kafi, composed and sung by none other than the late Anil Biswas.

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She broke taboos in the pursuit of dance

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