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 Guru V. Mydhili: The quiet flame of a living tradition- Bijoy Shivrame-mail: bijoyshivram@gmail.com Photos: Adarsh Prathap April 4, 2026 There are moments in the life of a dancer when words quietly fall away and only reverence remains. To witness one's Guru at the age of eighty - radiant with the same intensity, the same uncompromising devotion to the art - is one such moment. In an age when many step away from the rigours of performance and pedagogy, Guru V. Mydhili stands as a luminous reminder that true art does not retire; it deepens with time. For her, dance has never been something merely performed. It is lived, contemplated and passed forward with unwavering dedication. Indian classical dance has survived not because of institutions alone, but because of the sacred bond between Guru and Shishya. Within that relationship, knowledge is not transmitted like information - it is absorbed through discipline, devotion and proximity. A dancer does not merely learn movements; they inherit a way of seeing the world. Ancient wisdom honours this relationship with profound reverence: गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः । गुरुः साक्षात् परब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ In the performing traditions of India, this verse is not a metaphor but a lived experience. The Guru becomes the bridge through which the intangible essence of the art flows from one generation to the next. Through rhythmic recitation, philosophical reflection and patient correction, the teacher shapes not merely dancers but seekers of the art. Guru V. Mydhili embodies this living lineage with quiet strength. Hailing from the culturally vibrant district of Palakkad in Kerala, she grew up in an environment where music, literature and classical arts flourished naturally. Drawn to dance from an early age, she began rigorous training under traditional gurus while still a child, immersing herself in the disciplined grammar of Bharatanatyam in Kerala and also training in Kuchipudi in Chennai, then Madras. These formative years shaped not only her technical clarity but also her understanding of the deeper philosophical foundations of Indian aesthetics. The Natya Shastra reminds us: नाट्यं भिन्नरुचेर् जनस्य सर्वस्य रंजनम्। Natya delights people of varied temperaments. Yet for the practitioner, dance gradually becomes something far more profound than entertainment - it becomes a path of discipline, introspection and inner refinement. Guided by this understanding, Guru Mydhili established Mydhilalaya Dance Academy in Thiruvananthapuram, a space where classical dance is nurtured with sincerity, discipline and reverence for tradition. Over the decades, generations of dancers have passed through her guidance, each carrying forward something of her aesthetic clarity and philosophical depth. Recognition and honours have come her way, yet they have never been her pursuit. Her focus has remained singular - the preservation and transmission of the art in its authentic spirit. For Guru Mydhili, teaching is not merely instruction; it is sadhana. Every adavu is refined with patience. Every sahitya is explained with sensitivity to its poetry and meaning. Every gesture is aligned with emotional intent. Students are encouraged to understand the cultural roots of the compositions they perform and to approach dance not as display but as a pathway toward awareness. Remarkably, even at the age of eighty, Guru Mydhili continues to adapt with the changing times. Embracing technology with ease, she conducts online classes for students across the world, ensuring that distance never becomes a barrier in the Guru–Shishya journey. Her students today form a fascinating cross-section of life. Among them are doctors who return from demanding hospital schedules to spend an hour with their Guru, architects who find balance through the discipline of rhythm, professionals navigating busy lives, dedicated homemakers and young aspirants discovering the art for the first time. For many of them, these sessions are not merely dance classes. They are moments of stillness. Moments where the mind settles into rhythm, where the body reconnects with breath and where the presence of the Guru transforms learning into a quiet form of meditation. In that sacred hour, the anxieties of daily life dissolve, replaced by the calm discipline of movement and music. It is this atmosphere of sincerity and inner reflection that defines Guru Mydhili's pedagogy. The annual Varshika of Mydhilalaya Dance Academy becomes the most visible expression of this philosophy. Rather than presenting brief programmes shaped by contemporary trends, Guru Mydhili preserves the expansive classical repertoire in its traditional format. The presentation unfolds almost like a ritual offering. At the centre of this unfolding sits the Guru herself, guiding the dancers through her nattuvangam. Each jathi rings out with clarity, anchoring the dancers with effortless authority.  Dr. Karthika Gopan  Vidhun Kumar  Nayana B Kumar  Gowri Krishna VS The 42nd Varshika of Mydhilalaya Dance Academy, presented in Thiruvananthapuram across two evenings at Soorya's Ganesha and the Koothambalam of Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan, unfolded as a luminous portrait of an artistic lineage sustained through decades of dedication. What made the celebration particularly moving was the remarkable span of generations that shared the stage - from tiny dancers barely four years old taking their earliest steps into the world of rhythm and gesture, to mature disciples in their fifties and sixties whose performances carried the depth and assurance that come only from years of practice. Across both evenings, the repertoire followed the traditional arc of a classical recital: invocatory pieces and Pushpanjalis opened the programme with auspicious grace, followed by the rhythmic vitality of Jatiswarams, the lyrical devotion of Keertanams, and the expansive emotional landscapes of Varnams. Padams unfolded with poetic sensitivity, while the programmes concluded in the joyous brilliance of Tillanas. The intimate ambience of Soorya's Ganesha allowed the audience to experience the delicacy of abhinaya at close quarters, while the temple-like architecture of the Vyloppilly Koothambalam lent the performances a deeper resonance reminiscent of Kerala's sacred theatre traditions. Within these evocative settings, the dancers did not merely present choreography - they inhabited the emotional and rhythmic worlds of the compositions, revealing the unmistakable imprint of Guru Mydhili's patient guidance and aesthetic vision. Across both evenings, the presence of the Guru could be felt in every movement on stage.  Students of Mydhilalaya  Music ensemble The musical ensemble that supported the performances played a vital role in shaping the aesthetic experience of the evening. At the centre was Guru V. Mydhili on nattuvangam, whose precise rhythmic articulation guided the dancers with authority and grace. The evocative vocals of Annapoorna Pradeep breathed life into the poetry of each composition, lending emotional depth and lyrical sensitivity to the repertoire. Her dedication was particularly moving on the second evening; despite suffering from severe food poisoning and having just received medical treatment at a hospital, she arrived in time to render the vocal support for the performance - an act of commitment that reflected the profound sense of responsibility artistes bring to their art. Bombay K. B. Ganesh on the mridangam provided a vibrant rhythmic foundation that energized the choreography, while Uduppi Srijith's violin added melodic warmth and expressive nuance to the unfolding narratives. The resonant strains of the veena by Nithin Madhav enriched the musical landscape with classical elegance. Together, the ensemble created a sensitive and cohesive musical canvas upon which the dancers could unfold the beauty of the tradition. What the audience witnessed was not merely a recital but the unfolding of a lineage. The smallest child discovering rhythm. The mature disciple embodying years of reflection. And at the centre of it all, a Guru whose life has been devoted to nurturing the art with integrity. In the Indian tradition, knowledge is never possessed - it is received with humility and passed forward with responsibility. गुरुः दीपं प्रज्वालयति। शिष्यः तस्य ज्योतिं अन्यस्मिन् काले वहति॥ The Guru lights the lamp. The disciple carries that flame into another time. Thus, the legacy of Guru V. Mydhili does not reside in accolades alone. It lives in the countless dancers she has shaped, in the discipline she has instilled and in the reverence for tradition she has preserved. And as long as the rhythm of her nattuvangam continues to guide young feet, the flame she has kindled at Mydhilalaya will travel quietly across generations - illuminating the path of dance, one disciple at a time. अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य, ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकया । चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन, तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥ To the Guru who, with the collyrium of knowledge, opens the eyes of one blinded by the darkness of ignorance - To that revered Guru, my salutations.  Son of journalists K Shivram and Amni Shivram, the first Malayali woman English journalist, Bijoy Shivram is an accomplished Indian classical dancer trained in Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi. A passionate promoter of the arts and a skilled graphic designer, he currently serves as the Vice Principal of JG College of Performing Arts and the Assistant Director (Operations) overseeing 17 JG colleges. He is also the founder of Preksha, an organization dedicated to the promotion of art and culture in Ahmedabad. Since 2020, Bijoy has curated the YouTube series 'Gurudakshina - An Ode to our Gurus,' celebrating the legacy of mentorship and tradition. |
