Vasundharamma - My Revered Guru

Agnana Timirandasya Gnananjashalakaya |
Chakshurunmilitam Yena Tasmayi Sri Guruve Nahama |

l bow to the divine Guru, who by the application of the collyrium of knowledge, opens the eyes of one blinded by the disease of ignorance.

Having offered this prayer to my revered Guru, I am making a humble attempt here to pen a few lines of my sojourn with Vasundhara Amma - my Bharatanatyam Guru and also my impressions about her.

At a very tender age of four years I used to dance to the rhythm of the songs sung by my mother at home. Noticing this natural gift bestowed on me by God Almighty, my mother decided that l learn classical dance, Bharatanatya, Lo and behold ! she spared no efforts in looking out for a dance guru for me and found one in Vasundhara Amma who had by then carved a niche for herself both as a performer and a dance teacher. My journey began at the age of five with 'Amma' as she wished to be called by her disciples after performing a small pooja to admit me into her dance school. My lessons started with adavus and it moved on.

Amma is a teacher and a scholar of Bharatanatya. She possesses all the attributes that a dance guru should possess : Smrithi (memory), Mati (insight) medha (intelligence) Uha (wisdom), Apoha (wiil power), Utsaha (enthusiasm) and Shishya —Nishspadana (production of good disciples). A perfectionist at that, she insists on her disciples maintaining the taala (rhythm), perfecting the adavus and abhinaya. One cannot dispute this as Nritta and Abhinaya are the soul of Bharatanatya performance. I would therefore classify her as a teacher who does not teach dance just to please a student or parents desires by rushing through the adavus or items. This makes her a unique teacher. Amma is a combination of being both a compassionate teacher and one who expects dedication, devotion and hard work. Hard work and continued practice according to her leads one to perfection in the art, promotes imagination, creativity and nuances in dance performances.

Her singular contribution to Bharatanatya lies in adapting Yoga and Kalaripayattu to the stringent dance technique thereby creating her unique dance style — the art form more accessible to the audience of South India. Apart from choreographing traditional items, she has been working incessantly on conceptualizing and choreographing innovative themes and discovers methods to keep the art alive and reach it to the younger generation in the right perspective.

Amma an enthusiastic dancer, she flits across the stage with an energy that is awe inspiring making even young dancers wonder whether it is a girl in her teens who is dancing or a seasoned dance guru. Her bright eyes, flawless abhinaya together with her sprightly style makes her dance enchanting. The most adorable part of her performances are her stamina and the ease with which she can hold a pose for a long time. How is  she able to do this? It is regular practice of yoga and vegetarian food habits that have given her the stamina she exhibits on stage.

The most fruitful days in my sojourn with Amma were the months before my rangapravesha when she spared no efforts right from six in the morning to nine at night in training me in the marga that l was to present. This was the time when I came into close contact with Amma. Her life is marked by simplicity and punctuality, and her story is one of tremendous hardwork, commitment and rare grit during difficult times — the qualities she instilled in me. She is not only a great artist but also a true rasika who simply loves music and dance. She believes that a dancer needs to immerse herself in the melody to emote well, which one observes when her feet go tapping while she sits watching a music performance, specially when a varana or a tillana is sung.

My rangapravesha made me more tolerant and humble as I felt that I had many more milestones to cover to reach the perfection that “Amma” has. Every performance of hers is unique, in that she innovates on the spot refining her earlier performances to the awe of the onlookers. She forgets that she is Vasundhara once she enters the stage and blissfully dances taking the audience on a divine journey. I feel apart from undergoing lessons in bharatanatya under her tutelage, even watching her teach or perform, holds many a lesson for us to learn to be creative and innovative in our performances. l must say that I am blessed to have a Guru like "Vasundhara Amma" and would like to close by penning the following lines

"Amma, you are the compassionate star that came to earth. To spill light to your children suffering in darkness of life. Amma, you are the beautiful flower that blooms for ever spreading fragrance in your children's heart"

- Kalyani S. Kumar

Teaching and learning  process with AMMA.

Great importance is attached to the search for knowledge of dance Bharatanatya, in my life. And it was in this that my relationship with my GURU, Teacher, Dr. Vasundhara Doraswamy, becomes vital. In my opinion the age, nature and stature of my GURU without doubt influenced my viewpoint.

At the beginning of my learning as a SHISHYA  I had implicit faith and implicit obedience, gradually the love between us went beyond that of a parent and child, that which gave ioy beyond one's occupation, beyond family ties, disappointments, tragedies, change.

My GURU gave us in the arts, an insight of worlds, I have inherited value based considerations like, the quest for beauty, tranquillity, tolerance and sensitivity, especially, dedication and determination, perception and perfection.

HOW CAN I FORGET — when we were asked to stay in ARAMANDl (first position) for more than 1/2 hr until she completes small ounce of coffee ?

HOW CAN l FORGET —when she made sure of the eye movements of all of us falls exactly as it has to and then moved to the second line in javali Madhurangarilo, which took more than 15 days?

HOW CAN I FORGET — to wipe tears of joy and goosebumps when she performed Valachi Varnam (annamei), me standing in some corner of the jampacked auditorium Jaganmohan palace some 10/15 years back and the recent choreography AMBE.

HOW CAN I FORGET — many nightouts, journey with her to many cities for performance or getting caught while stealing the bread and buns of her pet or overnight talks or just to be with her?

Now it must be said that most of those who teach ARTS are not GURUS, merely teachers, some good and some bad. lt takes great care and humility to find the right GURU. And I am glad to say I have one.