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ARTICLEMy journey into abhinaya- Sushma Kotireddye-mail: sushmakoti30@gmail.com May 15, 2026 My obsession with abhinaya began long before I knew what the word meant. As a child learning Bharatanatyam, I believed dance was all about thattā adavu and nattā adavu, precise footwork, rigid postures, and counting beats. I practiced tirelessly, unaware that the real magic of Bharatanatyam lay not in the steps, but in the silent conversation that happens through eyes, hands, and subtle expressions. The first crack in this belief came unexpectedly when I was around 8 years old, while watching a television serial Malgudi Days. In one episode, a small girl performed the padam "Krishna nee begane baro." I could not understand the words, but I was mesmerized. Her eyes searched for Krishna, her hands reached out in longing, and her face softened with devotion. She was not simply dancing; she was speaking directly to the divine. That fleeting moment planted the seed of abhinaya in my heart. After this, I started observing the world, the people differently. A few months later, another experience transformed fascination into obsession. I happened to watch one of our senior students perform a padam in class. The story began innocently enough. Krishna playing with his friends near the riverbank, tossing a ball back and forth. Then, in an instant, the playful scene shifted. Through the tilt of her head, the widening of her eyes, the delicate wave of her fingers, she transformed the simple game into the epic Kāḷiya Nartanam. I could see the river come alive, dark, swirling, and threatening. I felt the serpent rise from its depths, ready to strike. And then Krishna, calm yet commanding, stepped onto the hoods of Kāḷiya, dancing with fearless divine grace. Every gesture, every pause, every subtle glance carried the tension, the fear, and the triumph of the story. I wasn't just watching a dance; I was witnessing a living, breathing world unfold before me. Even as a beginner, struggling with basic steps, I understood that this power to bring a story to life, was the essence of abhinaya. Watching my senior perform, I also realized another vital lesson. I could absorb every subtle movement, every nuanced gesture, every fleeting expression simply by observing. I learned not just technique, but how emotion flows through the body, how a story lives in stillness, and how timing and expression can transform a simple step into a universe of feeling. Today, however, I notice that this opportunity is becoming rare. The current generation of students is always in a rush, rushing through classes, rushing through steps, rushing toward performances, rush to finish arangetram. Few take the time to quietly watch their seniors, to pause and let the story and its subtleties sink in. In their hurry, they may perfect footwork or memorize sequences, but they often miss the heartbeat of the art, the living, breathing emotional world that can only be learned through careful observation and reflection. As a teacher, I try to bridge this gap. I share my stories of Malgudi Days and the Kāḷiya Nartanam padam. I encourage students to pause between movements, to hold a look a little longer, to imagine the story fully before performing it. I ask them not, "Did your foot land on the beat?" but, "Did your eyes speak?". I always remind my students, "Dance with your eyes, dance with your hands". My obsession with abhinaya has become my teaching philosophy. I aim to cultivate dancers who move with precision, but also feel and express truthfully. I hope that among my students, there will be someone who, like I once was, discovers that a single padam, performed with sincerity and emotion, can reveal the true heart of Bharatanatyam. That is the gift I try to pass on, the same gift that captured me as a child, and that continues to hold me in its spell.  An M.A. graduate in Bharatanatyam, Sushma Kotireddy, Director of Ravindra Natya Nikethan, Nairobi, trains over 100 students in Bharatanatyam and also volunteers at Children's Garden and Home, teaching Indian classical and folk dance to more than 40 orphaned children. Serves on the Executive Committee of the Kenya Music Festival. Post your comments Pl provide your name along with your comment. All appropriate comments posted with name in the blog will also be featured in the site. |
