Malavika Sarukkai: “Being a unprecedented artiste himself, his notion of artwork typically influenced my pondering”.
Malavika Sarukkai.
| Photograph Credit score:
RAVINDRAN R
My affiliation with Chandru anna goes again a number of years when he returned to Chennai after being away from town for lengthy. I used to be intrigued by his experiences and journey in dance. In him, I discovered an artiste who mixed scholarship and fervour, custom and alter, depth and wonderment. These qualities impressed me to request him to create music compositions for dance ideas near my coronary heart. They included ‘Sthiti-Gati’, ‘Chook Track’ and ‘Laya’.
Our collaborative classes had been all the time in individual, unhurried and delicate as we each deeply loved the artistic course of. From his huge information of Carnatic and Hindustani music, Chandru anna would effortlessly create melodic phrases, jati, lyric and rhythm that advanced into distinctive music compositions. These compositions took form by way of dialogue, sensitivity and a spotlight to element, to greatest go well with the idea I had in thoughts. Our mutual respect impressed discussions on dance at each stage. Being a unprecedented artiste himself, his notion of artwork typically influenced my pondering.
As soon as the music was composed, he gave me all the liberty to interpret it as I desired. This was one thing I treasured. In him, I discovered an artiste of depth and braveness, who was excited as I used to be to increase the boundaries of Bharatanatyam. He would typically attend my performances with Jaya akka and I deeply cherished these events. He delivered to my dance life a generosity of giving, which I can always remember.
Sujatha Vijayaraghavan: “His humility would typically make us neglect that we had been within the presence of a legend”.
Sujatha Vijayaraghavan
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Ramesh V
He had simply recovered from an sickness. We at Natyarangam requested him to take a break from his standard adavu classes at our camp. Our greater than 25-year affiliation with the natyacharya was outlined by love, reverence and studying. He participated in Natyarangam’s first thematic competition ‘Vandemataram’ in 1997, the place he carried out with spouse Jaya a pudu kavithai set to music by him.
He was the convenor of the Natya Sangraham camp at Thennangur for greater than twenty years (from the yr 2000). He might deal with all of the 4 branches of abhinaya — angika, vachika with poetry and music, aharya and satvika with equal felicity. He interacted with all the school members with simple informality, which made the classes memorable and invaluable.
He challenged the younger dancers with new variants of conventional adavus as he energetically led them across the temple throughout Garuda Utsavam at Thennangur.
His humility and approachability made us typically neglect that we had been within the presence of a legend. His sense of humour revealed the kid in him. Throughout the late evening thinnai discussions, he shared attention-grabbing anecdotes, sang songs, cracked jokes and analysed the dance scene.
A number of memorable moments are etched in our minds corresponding to when he got here up with impromptu sancharis for Bombay Jayashri’s singing of a niraval for the road ‘Kamakshi kanchadalayathakshi’.
The ultimate guru-sishya scene within the competition ‘Baandhava Bharatham’ noticed the disciple leaving the gurukulam with a lamp, whereas turning again tearfully to have a look at his guru. And there stood Chandrasekhar blessing the disciple together with his hand raised in benediction. He had taught innumerable disciples all his life. There was rather more to study from him as a terrific human being, with loyal rules, chic aesthetics and incomparable grace.
Praveen Kumar: “He was greater than a guru”
Praveen Kumar
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SREENIVASA MURTHY V
In life, we come throughout individuals who turn into part of our journey. So it was with guru C.V. Chandrasekhar. At a time when my father was unwell, I occurred to satisfy sir, whose steering and help got here as a blessing.
Initially, my affiliation was restricted to bop. However quickly I turned part of his household, having fun with lunch and snack classes and travelling with him. Together with his multi-faceted achievements, he turned my private {and professional} function mannequin.
One other high quality of his that I cherished most was his attending the performances of younger artistes. Although a Bharatanatyam exponent, he was appreciative of various artwork varieties. Throughout class, he impressed us by sharing beneficial recollections and anecdotes from his coaching years. His excessive aesthetic values mirrored in his manner too.
Indira Kadambi: “His huge information, generously shared with out anticipating something in return, motivated a whole era of artistes”
Indira Kadambi
| Photograph Credit score:
Okay.V. SRINIVASAN
Within the presence of a real artiste, who embodied humility, affection, and knowledge, one skilled peace. His huge information, generously shared with out anticipating something in return, motivated a whole era of artistes. His life and teachings have left an indelible mark on all those that had the privilege to study from him, even when it was for a brief interval. I first met him within the early Nineties within the inexperienced room of the Mylapore Advantageous Arts after my efficiency. His delicate but insightful criticism impacted my inventive journey. As a terrific musician, he immediately related with my musician-husband, T.V. Ramprasadh. The casual music classes we performed at our houses at the moment are cherished recollections. He by no means missed our performances until he was touring. His generosity in showering appreciation, childlike smile and curiosity, and sort hospitality will all the time be remembered. He had a eager eye for intricate inventive particulars in dance, music, textiles, costumes, and even house decor.
Although he’s now not with us bodily, his legacy lives on by way of his teachings, acts of kindness, and moments of selfless service.
