Story of Courage and Determination- Dr Narthaki Nataraj Padmashri

I am so delighted that Dr Narthaki Nataraj has been conferred Padmashri by Govt of India vide Republic Day honours list 2019. What is so significant about this great civilian honour is that she is the first Transgender to receive the top award. Not just that, it is a saga of struggle all throughout her childhood due to exclusion, derision, social boycott, poverty. She faced everything with true grit but she had one dream - to be a classical Bharatanatyam Dancer. She achieved that with gusto. She did menial jobs for surviving but was focused on her inner urge to dance. In 1984 she compelled the legend Guru Thanjavur Kittappa Pillai to accept her as a student. Yamini Krishnamurti, Vyjayantimala etc were his students.

According to an article from Indian express “It was years before audiences recognised her splendid performances. In 2011, she was honoured with the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi award from the President of India, a first for any trans person. At that moment in Delhi, I realised how gifted every human being is. No matter whether we are born as male, female or trans, passion and self-confidence are all it takes".

Narthaki Natraj with C S Pancham at Devi temple Puthur prior to her dance concert .

Along with her friend Shakti Bhaskar, Narthaki Nataraj set up a dance school, Velliyambalam Nadana Kalaikoodam, in Chennai and Madurai. Here, she trains many students from India and abroad in the traditional repertoire of Thanjavur Quartets.

I am blessed and fortunate to know her and when she addresses me as Anna, the whole world becomes so beautiful to me and living very meaningful. As coordinator for SPIC MACAY, I had curated her first ever circuit in Kerala about a year ago and she enthralled youth in several prestige institutions like NIT Calicut, IIT Palghat etc etc. I had curated her dance concert at Puthur Devi temple Palghat in 2017 and she said after the program “ I have been dancing all my life for my livelihood but today I danced for Devi MA and it is Sayoojyam for me”.

Narthaki Amma, I offer my humble Pranams to you. You prevented me from bowing to you but you can’t prevent my heart doing Charan Sparsh to you . You are a great achiever and I wish you many more laurels.

Written by
Sri C.S. Pancham Author is an Art Critic and frequently writes reviews in leading national news papers.

Get updated!
Visit and Like our fb page at : www.facebook.com/wocue

Comments

SPIC MACAY 'Kumbh' - A plethora of Indian classical music and dance

W e all know the 'Kumbh' or 'Kumbha' Mela (Fair) to be one of the largest human congregations in the world. This 50 day festival is a pilgrimage of faith where people gather to bathe in the sacred river, Ganges. Traditionally, the ArdhKumbh (which is now celebrated as Kumbh) is held once in every six years at different locations (Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain) depending on Hindu astrological positions. This year, the Kumbh is being celebrated from 15th January - 4th March 2019 at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. SPICMACAY has come together with Ministry of Culture, Government of India, Dept. of Culture, U.P., District Administration, Mela Administration and got the opportunity to be a part of the Kumbh Mela 2019 Anahad Naad 'The Unheard Sound' and celebrate the richness and diversity of our Indian heritage. In this regard, SPICMACAY has invited students from different states to participate in the majestic SPICMACAY Kumbh Mela 2019 to be hel...

Aananda Bhairavi and Sree Thyagaraja Swami; 'Neeke Theliyaka Pote..'

T housands of Keerthanams that streamed down from the Divine Heart of Sri Thyagaraja Swami have been spawning unfathomable and indecipherable feelings in us for centuries. 'Neeke Theliyaka..', among those priceless gems, is the only 'Keerthanam' in Ragam AanandaBhairavi from Sri Thyagaraja Swami! A snippet on this:- Once Swami ji happened to hear Sri Shayama Shasthrikal singing AanandaBhairavi. Feeling it to be an awesome sauce, Swamiji fell head over heels in love with the AanandaBhairavi of Shasthrikal. Bowing before Shastrikal, with such a pure and humble heart Swamiji's words broke the silence," Divine is Thy rendition, henceforth dost I wish no Keerthanams from me take shape in AanandaBhairavi !" (Note: "ksheera saagara vihaara aparimita.." in AanandaBhairavi by Sri Thyagaraja Swamikal is a DivyaPrabhandam [Utsava Sampradaya] ) Lyrics and Meaning below: Keerthanam on Lord Sree Rama. ...

Pristine purity with traditional hues - Dr. Bombay Jayashri at Margazhi

S he came she sang she conquered. Bombay Jayashri performed scintillating concert at Music Academy today prime slot. For 150 minutes several ragas ( Carnatic music does not have concept of Ragini ) wafted. Thodi, the central piece, descended from Heaven and embraced in its aura the entire audience of 1500 passionate music lovers. After a soul stirring Alap,she chose Shyama Sastri Swami’s masterpiece Ninne Namminanu Sada for her characteristic treatment. The music was sublime and emphasis was pristine purity with traditional hues. Acute poverty of expressions come in the way of describing her concert in words. Heard melodies are sweet but the reverberations are sweeter because of the joy of recollections in tranquility. Today’s fulfilment of a dream for me reminded me of a place in Scotland which I visited last year where Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy were said to have stayed for some time . The poet wrote The Solitary Reaper in 1815 at that place and I q...

A New Dawn for Mohiniyattam : Smt. Pallavi Krishnan's Lasya Akademi to Open in Kolkata

M ohiniyattam enthusiasts in Kolkata have reason to celebrate as renowned dancer and choreographer Pallavi Krishnan is set to inaugurate the Lasya Akademi of Mohiniyattam in her hometown. This new institution promises to be a beacon for the art form, offering a platform for dance lovers to immerse themselves in the nuances of this classical dance. With Pallavi's dedication to preserving the traditions of Mohiniyattam while bringing in new ideas, this academy is set to become an important cultural center in the city. Pallavi Krishnan is a celebrated Mohiniyattam performer, choreographer, and teacher with a career marked by artistic excellence and global impact. Trained under eminent gurus at Kerala Kalamandalam and Santiniketan, she has mastered the delicate balance of tradition and innovation, making her performances both deeply rooted and uniquely expressive. Her dedication to the art form has earned her numerous accolades...

Financial aid for the institutions from the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi

I s your cultural institution a registered one? Is it promoting any of the traditional art forms like Music, Dance, Drama, Puppetry, Folk & Tribe? Yes....? Here is an opportunity for you to avail the financial assistance from the Central Sangeeth Natak Akademi. Applications are invited by the Central Sangeeth Natak Akademi from the registered Cultural Institutions which are active in the promotion, propagation and dissemination of the above mentioned art-forms for the financial grants under the “Financial Assistance Scheme to Cultural Institutions” for the financial year 2018-19. Terms and Conditions : All Institutions applying for financial assistance under the scheme should be registered with the concerned Central/State Govts/Concerned departments, at least 03 years prior to the date of application. The application form should invariably be supported with self attested copy of the registration certificate, audit report for the last ...

Celebrating Fifty Years of Guru Narasimhachari's Kalasamarpana Foundation

K alasamarpana Foundation, a notable academy that have been spreading and training the classical art forms, is completing Fifty Golden Years. It was founded by the Artist couples Guru Narasimhachari and Vasanthalakshmi in 1969. The program titled 'Swarnaanjali' will be conducted on 4th August 2019, Sunday at Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai 5.00 PM - 5.45 PM at Lobby - A walk-through gallery showcasing rare photographs of The Narasimhacharis 5.45 p.m. Auditorium opens for seating. 6.00 - 8.00 p.m 'Swarnaanjali' - An offering of Natyam dedicated to Guru Narasimhachari featuring over 100 artistes.

Where the Artist Disappears, the Art Lives On - Dr. Sunanda Nair

W hat does a five-decade sadhana give to a practitioner? The sadhaka disappears, and the art speaks through the artist. What Dr. Sunanda Nair gave at Rose Theatre Brampton was a riveting 30–40 minutes of performance. The program, held on November 17, was part of the Umang Festival – Light of Hope, organized and curated by Mrudanga by Enakshi Sinha from Canada, supported by the Department of Heritage Canada and the Ontario Arts Council (OCAF). Sunanda Nair brought 'Adharam Madhuram' and 'Kubja' to the stage. When the artist speaks about what she is bringing to the stage, it feels better than an emcee reading it out. It is the emotions of the artist about the item, in their own voice, that come out, thereby giving life to the item even before it starts. Adharam Madhuram began by beautifully expressing Krishna's sweetness, slowly transporting us to the details. When he came to conso...

Nrtya Techniques in Mohiniyattam; book released

R enowned 'Mizhavu' artist and Guru - Padmashri P.K. Narayanan Nambiar released a book ( Malayalam ) - 'Nrthya Sankethangal Mohiniyattathil' written by Dr. Geetha Sivakumar at Palakkad, Keralam. Over the years, different 'Baanis' or 'Traditions' had contributed a lot in the nourishment of Mohiniyattam. This book -'Nrtya Sankethangal Mohiniyattathil' focuses on 'Kalamandalam baani'. ”Mohiniyattam, a lyrical dance form of Kerala, has a well structured 'prayoga' style in Kerala Kalamandalam Kalaries. This book tends to analyse the techniques of Mohiniyattam adopted by Kerala Kalamandalam so as to consider it as a Lasya Nrtya form. The queries on the techniques of nrtya such as what, why, where, when are the basic thought of this study. It is analysed on the basis of Sanskrit texts, which give us more scientific explanations and principles. ...

WOCUE

Search This Blog