By Nimisha Nair
Statesman, New Delhi
26-11-2009
Remember the dance form said to be the replica of the cosmic dance of the divine? That fell prey to the lustful designs of warlords? That was nurtured back to health by Rukmini Devi Arundale to whom the art was socially a taboo? The art form, Bharata Natyam, is on war path again, this time against mindless commercialisation.
Enter any dance school and one will find toddlers trying to get the aramandi (half-sitting posture) right. Their parents would be on tow, ever ready to splurge on their kid. Thanks to the fame quotient the dance is immensely popular, sparking an avalanche of fledgling institutes in almost every nook and cranny, all of whom claim their faculty is pass-outs from top dance schools. And they charge exorbitantly, with rates for a beginner going as high as Rs 300-350 a month.
As the child moves higher, the fees, too, shoots up. And to learn from a renowned guru is all together a different ball game, with a fee of Rs 1500 or more, depending on the expertise of the teacher. “The outlook of the people is also a reason for the high fees. They think that the more a teacher charges, the more experienced she is,” says Bharata Natyam exponent Guru Jayalakshmi Eshwar.
Fees differ from place to place; it is lower in Delhi than in Chennai, the Mecca of the art form among metro cities. “Teaching is business for many. And they are not bothered about the standards of teaching,” says Isabel Vinitha, a student for nine years.
Arangetram, the first stage performance after training, is also an affair that now needs a heavy money downpour. Today, an arangetram costs at least Rs 1 lakh, with the arrangements for the event starting months before. A hall has to be booked and guests given lavish invitation cards and brochures for which special photo shoots are mainstay. Two sets of costumes would be made to order keeping with the latest designs. Then there are the stage settings, orchestra and even guru dakshina—which would be quite a sum¬. Not to forget the party to be arranged after the event, often a buffet dinner.
Some parents blame it on the teacher saying the arrangements are as per the demands of the teacher. But teachers feel otherwise. “Fifty per cent of all arangetrams are show-off by parents,” says Guru Kanaka Sudhakar, who runs Nrityabharati, a Bharata Natyam institute in New Delhi.
A reason given for such mindless commercialisation is the lack of patronisation, which kept many artists in good shape during the kingly reigns. Nowadays, depleting finances and heightened cost of living force many to make dance a business, says Guru Kanaka.
And post all the training and the show of skills, when it is time for the fresher to go professional, hurdles come as established artists and as that bane of Indian society casteism. Guru Vasantha Aravindan, who runs Koothambalam, a dance institute in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, says youngsters are not getting enough chance, since seniors bag most of the shows. “Their performances are good lessons for youngsters, but senior artists should also help promote newcomers,” says Guru Vasantha.
But some gurus feel the so-called monopoly is coming down. “Upcoming artists can directly apply to dance festivals. The seniors get chances because of their experience. Rather than complaining, the younger generation should build on their talent,” says Guru Jayalaskmi Eshwar.
There was a time when the higher caste distanced itself from the art form calling it Sadir or Chinnamelam or the dance of the lowly. This was before Rukmini Devi Arundale, a Brahmin, took interest in it. Now the art form is almost a prestige issue, something that can buoy a girl’s chances in the marriage market. So much caste is into the dance now that “Brahmin students are given more preference,” says Guru Vasantha. The trend is very prevalent in Chennai, where most of the famed artists are Brahmins. “There are very few from other castes,” Guru Vasantha says.
Someone who has fought her way through is Narthaki Natraj. She remembers how she had to work her way up in the upper caste-dominated field when she began her career. “The art has its root from the Sangha era and is an integral part of Dravida culture. Brahmins patronised in it in early 20th century. They work hard and have a base in the scriptures. Also, their relatives might be artistes,” she says.
Though there is hegemony of the higher castes, there is room for those who work hard, Narthaki feels. “I worked for it. They now respect me as a dancer,” she says. But the fact remains a non Brahmin has to put twice the effort to get going as compared to those from the community.
The famed Marghazi (December music) festival is fast approaching. For Chennaites, it would be another season of donning mild woolens in the pleasant chill and nodding to the beats of agile taalas. In blissful ignorance that the art form, which has braved onslaughts of culture, is going through another dark phase.
