Contents Volume 2, Issue 5 | November 2017 Editorial Team 04 Beacons of Light 30 Jayashree Nair Editor’s Note 05 A Woman with a Steadfast Belief Cultural Bulletin 06 Torch Bearers 14 A MAN OF COMMITMENT IN GOD’S OWN COUNTRY Reports 40 Sadanam Puthiya Veetil Balakrishnan Kindled Spirits 52 Scholarly Corner 54 Folk Dances of Rays of Hope 34 Maharashtra Dr Sai Jyothi Palisetty, M.A., Ph.D. A Kuchipudi Diamond Frozen in Time 61 with Resilience Cover Story 20 THIRUKKURAL A Guide for Meaningful, Effective and Joyful Living Tributes 63 Reviews 38 Rasa United: In Sight 64 Vanashree Rao and Dancers Classifieds 65 Scale Great Artistic Heights P 3 | NOVEMBER 2017 Editorial ‘The Dance India’- a monthly cultural magazine in English is our humble "If the art is poor, attempt to capture the spirit and culture of art in all its diversity. the nation is sick." Articles may be submitted for possible Editor-in-Chief publication in the magazine in the following BR Vikram Kumar manner. Executive Editor • Send in your articles to [email protected] Paul Spurgeon Nicodemus Please include your full name, contact Associate Editor information (address and telephone number) and a short bio data. RMK Sharma • Articles are published in the magazine only Assistant Editor on the condition that the author agrees to UNS Vijayshri the terms of the Copyright Statement and Policy Sub Editor D Praveena Regd. Office: Trivikram Publications, Feature Writer D.No. 50-01-50/1, ASR Nagar, Seethammadhara, Visakhapatnam - 530 013, A.P. Ch Nikhitha Coordinators (News, Advertisements & Tel: +91 8897987445 Administration Manager Subscriptions) The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed KV Lakshmi by the various writers in the articles and Sai Venkatesh Karnataka reviews do not necessarily reflect the opinions, Communications Incharge beliefs and viewpoints of the editorial team or K Bhanoji Rao Kashmira Trivedi Maharashtra official policies of The Dance India. All rights reserved. © November 2017 - Alaknanda Noida The contents published in The Dance India magazine are an exclusive copyright of Lakshmi Thomas Chennai Trivikram Publications. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without Parinithi Gopal Sagar the written consent of Trivikram Publications. Geetha Chandran Kerala All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts in GV Chari New Delhi Visakhapatnam only. Dr. Kshithija Barve Goa and Kolhapur Edited, Published and Owned by Bathina Ranga Vikram Kumar, Mobile No. +91-9848137445, on behalf of Trivikram Publications from D.No. 50-01-50/1, ASR Nagar, Seethammadhara, Dist. Visakhapatnam - 530 013, A.P. and Technical Advise and Graphic Design Follow us on Printed by K. Ram Naidu, Vizag Art Printers, D.No. 30-5-21, Krishna Gardens, Dabagardens, Visakhapatnam - 530 020, A.P. thedanceindiamagazine Editor: Bathina Ranga Vikram Kumar P 4 | NOVEMBER 2017 The two challenging questions of the present day, for which the answers need to be provided, regardless of the consequences, are… 'What is the future of Indian Art Forms?' 'What would be the contribution of future generations towards it?' Indian art forms are blended with culture and heritage and today, they face a challenge of becoming extinct if our future generations fail to rise to the occasion and take an initiative to pull the cart called 'Indian Art Forms' BR Vikram Kumar forward. They are the wheels which would propel the Editor-in-Chief cart forward through the challenges. A tad of research which I have conducted during the last few years provoked a thought in my mind that incorporating Indian art forms into the education system as a part of their syllabus should be initiated at both State and Central levels. Also, a practical solution would be to support the students who indulge in performing arts. Administration at both the State and Centre should conceive and come up with a 'New Educational Policy' wherein, grace marks would be awarded to students who represent, participate, practise and promote Indian Art Forms. This initiative by the Government would serve as a helping hand to the students who aspire to become art practitioners. Noticing the aforementioned challenge, Union Minister for Human Resources Development, Smriti Zuben Irani should take an initiative to find a practical solution and then implement it early, it would not only create a boom among students but it would also be a boon to those who practise Indian art forms. Such a move would be highly appreciated by all the art lovers and art practitioners in the country. Jai Hind! BR Vikram Kumar Note Editor’s P 5 | NOVEMBER 2017 Indira Gandhi Award to TM Krishna he 30th Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration for 2015-16 will Tbe bestowed upon the Carnatic Vocalist, TM Krishna for his services in promoting and preserving national integration in the country. The singer, who won the Ramon Magsaysay award for bringing 'Social Inclusiveness in Culture' in 2016, will be presented with the honour by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on October 31, Indira Gandhi's death anniversary. T M Krishna Krishna is not only one of the prominent The Congress instituted the Indira Gandhi Award for vocalists in the rigorous Carnatic tradition of Indian National Integration in 1985 in its centenary year. The classical music, but also an activist who has worked award is conferred on October 31 for promoting on creating egalitarian spaces for music and breaking national integration, understanding and fellowship down caste-barriers in the form. among different communities and cultures of India. An outspoken columnist, Krishna, has written and Others winners include the Kasturba Gandhi National talked about a wide range of socio-political issues, Memorial Trust (Indore, Madhya Pradesh), musician including women's rights, children's needs, issues that AR Rahman, Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, make a society civil or uncivil, and the dangers of the Narainpur, Chhattisgarh (jointly), poet Gulzar, scientist mentality of war and narrow nationalism. MS Swaminathan and activist PV Rajagopal, besides The award consists of a citation and a cash prize of filmmaker Shyam Benegal and lyricist Javed Akhtar. Rs 10 lakh. P 6 | NOVEMBER 2017 CULTURAL BULLETIN DILUTING KUCHIPUDI r Vempati Chinna Satyam is the father of Kuchipudi and is also an Abhinava DSidhendra Yogi who has given a direction to the dance form. He dedicated his entire life to the development of Kuchipudi. He has given life to hundreds of items, both group and solo performances. He is a man who is considered the divine in Dance. His disciples are spread all over the world and we request all the artists to consider Kuchipudi dance form next to godliness and continue the tradition and pass it on to the generations to come without any deformations. Recently at Kalabharati Auditorium, the students of Andhra University have performed a programme. The programme was mentioned as composed by Dr Vempati Chinna Satyam but it was completely murdered by the Guest Faculty of Andhra Dr Tadepalli P 7 | NOVEMBER 2017 University, PA Sai Kumar. After an enquiry about the If any disturbance or trouble is caused to the art form, issue, they realised their mistake and corrected it by he mentioned that they would not keep quiet. He also apologising. emphasised that it has become a very common characteristic among all the institutions to teach very Dr Thadepalli Satyanarayana Sharma, 'Bhagavat Mela casually for the sake of certification which is a disgrace Kuchipudi' Secretary said that this is not a publicity to the art form. He also warned that these kinds of stunt to fight against such blunders, as considered by mistakes would not be tolerated and the responsible few responsible people, but an effort to protect the citizens of the cultural community would fight for the ever so delicate and beautiful dance form - Kuchipudi. rights of Kuchipudi dance form. Scholarships to the young artists in the cultural field Source : PIB he Centre for Cultural Resources and Training Visual arts and Folk, Traditional and Indigenous arts (CCRT) under the Ministry of Culture, for two consecutive years 2016-17 & 2017-18. There TGovernment of India as invited online are 400 scholarships for each year. Applications are applications from the individuals for scholarships invited with effect from 1st November 2017 and the under the 'Scheme For The Award Of Scholarships To last date for applying is on 30th November 2017. young Artist In Different Cultural Fields'. The award of Separate applications have to be filed by the scholarships for the young artists of outstanding applicants for both the years, if eligible. For more promise in the fields of Indian Classical Music, Indian details applicants may log on to Ministry's website - Classical Dances, Light Classical Music, Theatre, www.indiaculture.nic.in or www.ccrtindia.gov.in GoI Will Commemorate 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi From 2nd October, 2019 to 2nd October, 2020 National Committee headed by Prime Minister constituted for this purpose Source : PIB overnment of India will commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation, during the period from The Minister of State for Culture (I/C) and G Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Mahesh 2nd October, 2019 to 2nd October, 2020. It has been Sharma paying homage at Gandhi Smriti, on the decided to celebrate the event at both national and 148th Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Mahatma international levels, to propagate the message of the Gandhi, in New Delhi on October 02, 2017. CULTURAL BULLETIN Mahatma. A National Committee (NC) headed by walks of life. The Committee will guide and approve Hon'ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has been policies/programmes/activities for the constituted for this purpose. This Committee includes commemoration and will also supervise the Chief Ministers of all the states of the country, implementation of the decisions taken from time to representatives from across the political spectrum, time.