Chennai: Shangkari Balachandran, veteran Bharatanatyam dancer and teacher, who started Ganapathy Natyalaya in Mandaveli during the 1970s, has been recently conferred the Tamilnadu government’s Kalai Mudhumani award for her contributions to arts.
Speaking to News Today, the septuagenarian shared her experiences over the years in the field. About the Kalai Mudhumani award conferred by the State government, she said I am very happy that at this age I am getting this award and thank the state government for recognising my contributions. She was felicitated with a citation and a cash award of 10,000 rupees.
It was in the year 1950 that Shangkari started learning dance from her guru B Laksmikantham in Tanjore. We have given a place for my guru to conduct her dance classes at our home in Tanjore and one day when I was seeing it, my guru suddenly asked whether I am interested in learning it. Without any second thought I immediately joined, without even asking permission from my parents and there began my journey, recalls Shangkari.
Under the tutelage of her guru she learnt it for three years through Gurukulavasam and in 1953, at the age of nine she did her arangetram.
After my arangetram I have given numerous stage performances, notably in the All India Radio, UNESCO Conference in New Dehi among others, she says.
After her marriage, she came to Chennai and wanted to teach the art to the next generation. So in 1974, with the support of her husband, she started Ganapathy Natyalaya at her house in Ammani Ammal Street in the locality. Even before starting the school, my daughter, Sridevi Ramachandran was my first student. Initially six students joined the school once it was started, says Shangkari.
Over the years, she has trained more than 400 students. Most of them have now started their own schools in countries like Singapore and Canada,she says. Shangkari is a recipient of awards like Natya Bodhaga Siromani and Tanjai Natyamani. She has even published books about technicalities of Bharatanatyam. Her school Ganapathy Natyalaya currently has 40 students and Sridevi Ramachandran is taking the class in Trustpakkam South Street.
Shangkari says that her aim is to help more youngsters learn Bharatanatyam. She has created an endowment award for inter-school competition in Sivaswami Kalalaya. I wanted to create more such awards and also want to give scholarships for young dancers who wish to do university grade exams. I want more and more youngsters to make the art thrive, concluded Shangkari. Reach Ganapathy Natyalaya at 044-2462 2677, 2493 7540.