Recollections

The Dance Teacher From Sri Lanka

It was the period when we were privileged to learn different schools of classical dance from different visiting teachers. One who left a deep impact on our dancing was Sri Premkumarfrom Sri Lanka.

It was in mid-fifties and the Mother was still coming to the Play Ground and participated in all that was presented: dance by students, plays written by Sadhaks. For all cultural programme She consented to be present and later give Her opinion.

All these functions were generally held either on Darshan days or on rare occasions on other days also. In order to learn from a visiting teacher we were obliged to give some extra time. Where did we find it?

The regular Play Ground routine for us began at 5 or 5.30 pm. So there was an hour between 4 pm and 5 pm which would be utilized; the time between group activities and March Past and if necessary even after school after 11.30 am.

Now there were naturally regular classes of dance, music, piano but that was only for an hour or so per week. That definitely was not enough if the visiting artist was to stay, say for a fortnight. So all these periods of time were used to their maximum. Where did we practice? In the dance Hall certainly but some times even in the school courtyard or in the hall above which is now an annex to the Hall of Harmony.

Sisir-da who was the Joint Director of the Education Centre used to live in the school premises and he always had an extra key for us, when needed. So, on such occasion we were occupied all through the day.

Charukaka or Motakaka as we all called him for he was a mountain of a man and Pranab- da’s uncle but not the eldest.. He was a great admirer and connoisseur of act and artist. He used to play Pakhwaj and that too really well, it was he who had arranged a Gala program of dance of different classical styles on the occasion of the Mother’s eightieth birth anniversary.

It was again Motakaka who arranged to invite a dance teacher from Sri Lanka to come and teach us dance. Thus we came in contact with Sri Premkumar who was visiting Shantiniketan on a teaching assignment and agreed to visit Pondicherry on his way back home. He had specialized in the Kandy school of dance and we hadn’t even heard the name.

Sisir-da who taught at Shantiniketan prior to his joining the Ashram was brought into the picture. Motakaka requested him to see that all the arrangements for the artist’s stay were well organized.

The evening Sri Premkumar was to arrive, a few friends informed me in the Play Ground that I must meet Sisir-da as it was most urgent. It was simply that Sisir-da wanted me to go on the next morning to the house where the artist with his wife and daughter was put up and give them a rough idea about the programme of the Ashram especially that of the D.R.

Next day in the afternoon after school we went to meet Sri Premkumar. Anuben introduced us all individually. Introduction over we sat in semi-circle and he explained the specialty and uniqueness of Kandy dance. He was requested to show us something but Anuben cut us short saying that we were to start that very evening after group activities.

For me at least Sri Premkumar was grace incarnate. What movement! How beautiful the gesture of eyes and hands. What expression! The moment he began to dance one felt as if he was transported to a realm of beauty and grace.

Similar emotions I felt witnessing a short programme by the renowned Bharatnatyam exponent Sri Dhananjayan.

Premkumar began to teach us, the movements were stylised and slow. It was he who made us aware of the grace with which an elephant walks. Many steps in Kandy dance imitate the slow movement of an elephant.

We were more than twenty learning from him. At a certain point he realised that he couldn't present just a dance or two in front of the Mother. So he choreographed another dance; the theme being “Harvest” with a short Ceylonese song.

Sunil-da consented to compose the music for the folk dance, but for Kandy dance the only instrument required was a particular type of drum played only in Sri Lanka. Motakaka, I believe made a lot of enquiries but couldn’t find any in Pondy, ultimately Pakhawaj was used.

Folk dance was taught to everyone but he chose eight boys and sixteen girls to perform. The music was composed, recorded, the dance more or less learnt and it was nearly time for Sri Premkumar to leave. We started to rehearse even at 11.30 after school to be able to present a nice programme to the Mother. It was a fortnight when we lived, talked and breathed dance! A most wonderful experience!

For Kandy dance Millie-di stitched some skirt under Sri Premkumar’s instructions. There were no accessories other than some flowers on hair.

The evening we were to present the dance we were full of excitement. A platform quite high was erected on the western side of the Play Ground near the guest house. We got dressed and made up in the long room from where at present eggs are distributed.

The Harvest dance was performed on the ground the cast being too big. On the platform only the Kandy dances were staged. Sri Premkumar and Anuben concluded the programme with a duet.

Later we were told that after the performance when Sri Premkumar knelt before The Mother, She not only praised his performance but also thanked him for teaching such beautiful dances to Her children.

The folk dance was a great success. We danced it again and again to a point that it entered into our subconscious. Even after nearly fifty years just the music and the word “Megantere” and we are back to our period of learning with Sri Premkumar.