My God, My Guru, My Dance
Reflections by Pallavi Saran Mathur
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I’ve been lucky to have traveled quite a bit around
For me, these journeys often highlight the little nuances about “Indian-ness”
that we Indians often take for granted, without realizing why we do what we do,
till a curious foreigner asks us.
Such questions made me turn back to India’s great wealth of
mythological stories. I had to absorb many of these during 13 years of study as
an Indian Classical dancer under my Guru, India’s prima ballerina, Shrimati
Sonal Mansingh, recipient of many of the highest honors including the Padma
Vibhushan from the President of India.
In turning back to those myths and legends, I re-discovered that
they are still such an inherent part of the Indian consciousness that to
interact with
Yet, many young people in India today find it difficult to
really believe in the gods and goddesses of such legends.
However, as we go about our modern, technology-oriented lives,
we still carry with us the consciousness of Good and Evil, Right & Wrong,
ingrained in us as children when we listened in fascination to those very
legends. We are fortunate that our ancient sages offered something for every
level of intellect, in every Age or Yuga, even for the highly developed,
analytical intellects of today.
My efforts as a Bharatanatyam dancer constantly expose me
to this rich tapestry of images and perceptions that underline the essence of
India. Through them I think I am beginning to sense the exciting glimmer of a
Universal Truth that lies, perhaps,” just around that corner!”
It is such journeys that I want to share with everyone, even
with those who are unfamiliar with Bharatanatyam, who cannot follow the lyrics
(usually in Tamil or Telegu), or those who are not familiar with Indian
philosophy and mythology.
I was 9 when I came to Guru Sonal Mansingh. I remember
vividly that first day as I sat in the dance class, dressed self-consciously in
my little frilly frock, waiting nervously for Guru ji to come and approve me.
All the “didis” were
sitting in padmasan and dhyanmudras
with their eyes shut…The room resounded with the chanting of shlokas, something I had associated only with boring temple ritual…!
And so it was. Dance with Guru ji was a religious ritual, not just an activity. In the first few
years, it sometimes seemed rather dreary, especially as I had already
experienced the thrill of dancing on stage to popular or folk music! Now, there
were months of repetitive exercises, and very slow progress in learning
"items". Then one day I became a “senior” and started
taking the classes in Guru ji’s
absence. As an invaluable side effect, I began to develop my own objective insight
into the significance of the countless details that had been embedded in my
mind by Guru ji.
That was when I began to realize the
magnitude of the instruction that was imparted to me. In small doses, we were given insights into the entire gamut of
Indian philosophy, mythology and ritual. Only a part of Guru ji’s class is devoted to practicing and
correcting dance sequences. Instead,
she spends countless hours in explaining the significance of seemingly
insignificant details.
How many Indian ladies who wear a bindi
know what it signifies? Most will put
in on mechanically, in much the same way as they apply any other cosmetic. When
Sonal ji’s student enacts the putting
of a pottoo (bindi) on stage, she is
expected to bring with her an awareness of its cosmic ramifications.
In the hands of a talented student, such
insights can help to lift a dance performance to new heights. And even if,
after all that, a student chooses some other profession instead of dance, the
innate discipline, values and sensibility inculcated by Guru ji will always provide her with a sense
of Balance and a sense of Joy in herself and all around her.