Pallavi Saran Gujral
(nee
Pallavi Saran Mathur)
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Reflections....
I’ve been lucky to have traveled quite a
bit around India. Both as a Bharatanatyam
dancer and as an "unofficial" cultural interpreter for
Rotarian social workers from around the world (!). These journeys have often
highlighted 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 make 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 India without recognizing them is
not to understand India.
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 cross-legged on the floor of 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 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 the
right Guru will always provide her with a sense of Balance and a sense of Joy
in herself and all around her.