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From
heirloom habits to nakli stuff
22 Feb 2010
WHAT can I wear to a wedding? It
was never so nervewracking, until about five years ago. The occasion always
meant a kanjeevaram sari and heirloom jewellery.
Gold, rubies and eternal emeralds |
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Siva
dances, not alone
17 Feb 2010
ANNUALLY, this is a moment of powerful
energy convergence on our planet. The night of Siva — Sivaratri.
This past week has seen millions
celebrate the eternal night of cosmic energy through prayer, dance, music
and meditation throughout the day and night of February 12. |
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Between
drinks and dinner
11 Feb 2010
I speak of the present fascination
that urban India has with partying. Our national anthem has become Karan
Johar’s tune Where’s the party tonight? |
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Sangamam
breaks barriers
27 Jan 2010
Venue - Nageswara Rao Park, Mylapore.
A group of four folk artistes from Nagercoil seated on the edge of the
dais watching Chitraveena Ravikiran play Ragam Todi. |
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Quit
when you are ahead
25 Nov 2009
Last week I watched the television
live broadcast of tennis hottie Marat Safin playing his final match in
Paris. At 29, the tennis world’s most charismatic and temperamental star
was retiring. Safin, a gorgeous hunk with movie star looks, was a former
world number one. |
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Indian-ness
through sur and taal
18 Nov 2009
It is the dream of any professional
dancer to fill mainstage halls of 1000 or more. Capacity crowds who listen
and watch in rapt attention and then gift you with a standing ovation.
Does this happen? Of course it does. It happens if you are a dance or music
teacher in the US or UK with 200 or more students |
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Travelling
with the Monkey King
28 Oct 2009
People who call me on my mobile
often ask if I am in town. With good reason: I have been spending more
time in airports. Performances and conferences are a major reason for my
frequent absence from my hometown, and a certain ‘monkey’ has caught me
by his tail. I am speaking of Shun Wu Kong, the impish Monkey King of China |
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Of
Ajanta hips and Ellora breasts
21 Oct 2009
The bane of every woman with advancing
age is the specter of arms that resemble wobbly chicken chins - flapping
in the wind. We spend many hours in the gym climbing various machines,
puffing with personal trainers and standing before mirrors moaning the
bulges and flabbiness. As for dancers? |
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A
fountain of memories
30 Sept 2009
"You have to revitalize a landmark
that represents tradition and a myriad memories for New Yorkers". That
was the challenge given to the architects for redesigning the iconic Lincoln
Centre Fountain being inaugurated today in New York City. |
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Why
are our priests so greedy?
23 Sept 2009
Eyes half closed, I extended my
hand holding a 100 rupee note towards the hundi at the Kashi Viswanath
temple in Varanasi. Eager fingers snatched the money away. Alarmed, my
eyes flew open only to see the head priest crumpling the note within his
palm. “More”, he said, “I need Rs 400 more.” |
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Kamboji
and Commerce
16 Sept 2009
What could be the possible connection
between commerce and Kamboji? As opposite as chalk and cheese? Not much
of a connect for the average reader. Except that a classical pianist, two
Carnatic singers and a guitarist went through the unlikely grind of doing
a B.Com degree. |
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Women
and men preen and strut with puffed chests
9 Sept 2009
Goddess transforms into a common
peahen and prays to Lord Siva. Location - Mylapore. Or rather, Mayil-a-puram.
The abode of the peacock in central Chennai got its name when Goddess Parvati
was so enamoured with the beautiful peacocks and did not pay attention
to an important esoteric teaching of Siva. |
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Yours
Authentically Indian!
2 Sept 2009
I am sorry. We cannot sanction the
grant for Anita Ratnam’s dance residency. She does not look authentically
Indian.” This was the message from the bursar of a college in New England,
USA.
I was invited for a performance
and teaching residency |
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I
can recognize them as they lunge towards my feet
26 Aug 2009
THEY are everywhere. In sari stores,
jewellery kadais and the local kaapi hangouts. Looking slightly odd with
hair cuts and crunchies that came out of the eighties. Clutching irritable
children and grandchildren who exclaim in sulking tones "Mom. Paaati, it
is sooo haatt and I wanna go home." |
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A
living goddess watched another blossom on stage
19 Aug 2009
Feminists today prefer to be called
‘Womanists’ in contrast to the earlier militant rhetoric of their male-bashing
sisters. The mid nineties saw a shift from the martial tone of the women’s
movement to a more realistic stance of including men in the gender discourse. |
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Exposing
our melons was not modern in ANY context
12 Aug 2009
SITTING next to a dance icon who
had just won every award, for his stunning choreography in the Broadway
hit The Lion King, was a mini event in my life. Garth Fagan, the Jamaican
dance artist was a panelist on the forum Other Cultures Informing Modern
Dance |
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