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

JFW Award 2018 is presented to Dr. Bombay Jayashri

R enowned Carnatic music vocalist and music composer Dr. Bombay Jayashri is honored with JFW Award 2018. JFW (Just For Women), South India's leading women's magazine, reflects the essence of the progressive Indian Woman in all her glory. The 10th edition of the JFW Awards 2018, dedicated to the women-for women-by women, was conducted on Saturday- the 15th September. Dr. Bombay Jayashri has been performing since 1982 and has given thousands of concerts all around the world, in addition to a thriving playback singing career as well as known for her collaboration with various artists. A short video was presented on the achievements of the awardees. The awardees, much like the previous years, are women from various fields who have made a fundamental difference in their chosen field by way of their sheer talent. Send your Articles, Reports, Reviews to editor.wocue@gmail.com >> For Details Click here ...

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.

Nrithya Seva Mani by Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival to Kalasree Dr Sunanda Nair

C leveland Thyagaraja Festival's Nrithya Seva Mani award will be presented to the renowned Mohiniyattam exponent Dr. Sunanda Nair. The title of Nrithya Seva Mani is bestowed upon an individual who has made a lasting contribution to Classical Dance through propagation and demonstration. Senior disciple of Pathmabhushan Dr Kanak Rele, Dr. Sunanda Nair is one of the foremost exponents of the art today. She is the first student to complete Masters Degree in Mohiniyattam in India. She has completed her PhD from University of Mumbai for her thesis "Intrinsic Lyrical Feminism in Mohiniattam". She was in high school, while she started the Srutilaya Institute of Fine Arts, which trains students both Mohiniattam and Bharatanatyam, in 1980. She had performed all around the globe in prestigious venues and had received somany awards such as 'Kalarathnam’ from Kerala Kalamandalam(2016), 'Kalaasree' from the Kerala Sangeetha Natak Akadem...

SPIC MACAY, igniting the spirit to see beyond...!

T he seed sowed, four decades ago, had now grown in to a huge tree providing the shade and fruits for a lot of lovely hearts around. From the single hand that sowed it, after forty one years, there are billions now, to safegaurd the tree and thus making sure that it will go on bestowing the shade and fruits to the future world too! It is the great vision of a Humble Human- Pathmasri Dr. Kiran Seth, the founder of SPIC MACAY that so many youth were able to open their inner eye. SPIC MACAY is hosting its 6th International Convention in IIT Kharagpur, West Bengal from 3rd to 9th June, 2018. Dr. Seth had given an enlightening message to the whole society in this context : Seeing beyond what one can see! Amongst the greatest contributions of India to the world, has been in the development of different techniques to experience exquisite domains of the inner self which are not clearly visible. Space gets curved due to the effect of gravity & hence light from the stars also ge...

Bhoomi Pranam on the world environment day

F or Bharatham, artforms are not a medium for entertainment, but the way for enlightenment. Spiritual essence remains the soul of the sub-continent since time immemorial. Classical dance-forms are not different too and the repertoires begin with the 'Bhoomi Pranaam' , taking the permission and blessing from the Mother Earth. On this World Environment day, Smt. Sharmila Mukerjee, Founder Director of Sanjali Centre for Odissi Dance-Bengaluru, and her disciples celebrated it with a Bhumi-pranaam, but this time off the stage. With the theme - 'Beat Plastic Pollution', they were busy with up-cycling the old dance sarees to reusable carry bags. "We're saying No to single use plastic and taking a step towards better environment. Let's be the change we want to see!", they said. Get updated! Visit and Like our fb page at : www.facebook.com/wocue Renowned Carnatic Musician Pathmabhooshan Sudha Raghunathan gave a message through a video titled 'Amrut...

Prayers through Music, Dr. Bombay Jayashri

S adguru Sainath attained Samadhi on Vijaya Dashami day exactly 100 years ago . In relation to this on 18th Oct. 2018, Vidushi Dr. Bombay will offer the prayers through Music. In August 1918, Shirdi Sai Baba told some of his devotees that he would soon be "leaving his mortal body" . Towards the end of September, he stopped eating. As his condition deteriorated, he asked his disciples to recite holy texts to him and continued to meet visitors. On 15th October 1918, he breathed his last. This year on 18th October 2018, the thithi of Dasami comes after mid day as per Hindu lunar astronomy. Hence Sai Temple all over observe 18th October as Samadhi Centenary.

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. ...

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...

WOCUE

Search This Blog