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 Kamalini Nagarajan Dutt: A Colossus - Seetha Ratnakar e-mail: seetharatnakar@gmail.com April 29, 2025 She towered over us like a Colossus! That is how I looked up to Kamalini. I had the highest regard for her profound knowledge, her thorough professionalism and her extraordinary sense of aesthetics. I loved and admired her beyond words. Kamalini was my inspiration, strength and support in more ways than one. She took me under her fold when I was transferred to Delhi in 1980 and was a loving and nurturing friend. She was a truly admirable person. She managed to overcome her excruciating physical pain by channeling her mind towards artistically creative endeavours. Kamalini was a highly acclaimed Bharatanatyam dancer till a tragic fire accident dealt a cruel blow. When she got back to dancing after many years, I was fortunate to be by her side for her first comeback performance at the Chattarpur temple in 1982. I was also privileged to record her beautifully nuanced performance at the Natyanjali dance festival, Chidambaram, in 1984. Her 'Chidambara Nataraja' is still etched in my mind. I can never forget her "Sabapathiku veru deivam samaanamaaguma" at the sanctum sanctorum with her face radiating Bhakti from every pore, tears streaming down her face. That was the last time Kamalini performed. She was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis soon after. She did not let her intense pain mitigate the creativity of her brilliant mind to produce some of Doordarshan's most outstanding and memorable productions. Kamalini's contribution to art and artists has been immense. She incorporated her profound knowledge of dance, languages, literature and media to produce some of the most aesthetic visual masterpieces for Television. She had the vision to amalgamate traditions and technology to produce excellent programmes. All her productions had a unique stamp of originality.  Rathna Kumar, Kamalini Dutt, Arshiya Sethi, Seetha Ratnakar Kamalini was a Rasika of the highest order. She found joy in little things while constantly fighting pain bravely. Every moment I spent with her was memorable. She once took me on a long walk to admire the beauty of the first red bloom of spring. She enjoyed eating two ice creams at midnight in Prague with childlike glee. Once we broke into an impromptu dance for Nataraja behind the sanctum sanctorum of a desolate Siva temple. Kamalini, Ved Rao and I shared a very special bond which started in our early DD days and grew into a most beautiful friendship over the years. We were there for each other through the many ups and downs in our careers and personal lives. Our most unforgettable experience was when we got an opportunity to attend a conference at Prague in 2006. Kamalini's brilliant presentation showcasing Doordarshan at the Golden Prague Festival was a show- stealer, that made India proud. When I started writing about dance, I used to send every article to Kamalini for her opinion. I also sent the first rough cut of my documentary to her. She painstakingly went through everything and gave her honest feedback. Her approval meant the world to me. I will continue to reach out to her even now as she is always there in my heart. We are soul sisters!  Seetha Ratnakar is a media person, writer and filmmaker. She worked with Doordarshan India for 37 years and her area of specialisation was dance. Post your comments Please provide your name and email id along with your comment. All appropriate comments posted with name and email id in the blog will also be featured in the site. |
