SMT. UMA DEVI DUTT -My
First Guru
(Photo by V.Chandramouli taken in 1966 as a pre-arangetram photo session.)
I never lost touch
with my first Guru till today. She too was kept updated with my activities. She
attended my first student’s arangetram, the Bhagavata mela festival in Mumbai,
and other performances which Adyar Lakshman Sir conducted.
This time she was
in a nostalgic mood and told me about her parents and sister, Rema Devi. Her
father began his career as a teacher but later became an officer in the General
Insurance Company. He named them Rema and Uma and planned that one would become
a doctor and the other a dancer. So, she was packed off to Kalakshetra where
she continued her training under Rukmini Devi and Sarada Hoffman. Her idol was
Chinna Sarada Teacher (Sarada Hoffman) and she never tired of speaking about
her perfection, dedication, and teaching technique. Smt. Uma Dutt (nee Menon)
hails from Kerala is a contemporary of Adyar Lakshman, Yamini Krishnamurthy,
Prof. C.V. Chandrashekhar and Sanjukta Panigrahi. She has performed in
Kalakshetra dance-dramas. She mentioned how Athai would admire her long thick
tresses.
My family is
closely connected with Kalakshetra and my cousin Kamala Rani was the first lady
Nattuvangam and Vocalist for Kalakshetra. When she gave birth to her first
born, she was in our home and I was just a week old. So, we had many visitors
from Adyar.
I was fascinated
with the beauty of the campus and the ideals it projected. There were no
teachers of that Bani in Mumbai.
Even as a little
girl I was obsessed with dance. Our house in Chennai was forever resounding
with sounds of music and Veena. My mother Padma Swaminathan, sisters Kantimati
and Banumathi were all learning music. Many well-known musicians visited us.
Some of my cousins were dancers so there was a lot of dance going on among the
girls.
My mother took me
to see Martha Graham, Gopi Krishna, Birju Maharaj, Bala in Madras when I was
six years old. I am so fortunate to have seen all the greatest dancers of our
country from that time. This gave me a sound foundation to my artistic
education. Our family is well-connected to Rukmini Devi and Kalakshetra. I was
eager to join, but my father was not so sure.
In 1955 we moved
to Bombay. The search for a dance teacher began. We were well connected to the
Rajarajeswari gurus as both my sisters’ husbands were college friends of Shri
Kalyanasundaram. So I was taken there and my tai ya tai started
with the great Guru Kuppiah Pillai himself. I could not continue there as we
shifted to Kanpur from 1958 to 1961. I had a spiritual soul connection to Guru
Mahalingam Pillai whom I revere and is in my prayers even now.
In 1961, we were fortunate
to find my first Guru Smt. Uma Devi.
A small
advertisement for Bharata Natyam classes in Kalakshetra style caught my eye and
we went to the address given.
She is a striking
personality- tall, statuesque, and strong aquiline features. Most
stunning was her luxurious knee-length hair which she sometimes wore as a
braid. Her sense of dress was impeccable. Her straight-back posture and broad
shoulders were very impressive.
She was so
affectionate and kind that I immediately wanted to join.
She was from the
early batch of Kalakshetra students, so I was very happy to learn that
Bani. For five years she taught me the entire set of adavus and a
full Margam. She demanded the perfection and stamina that Kalakshetra
bani demands. Although strict, she was encouraging and ensured that I never
lost my confidence. I was transiting through the awkward teenage years and she
understood my problems. During rest time, she would tell me stories about
Rukmini Devi Athai, the classes and how beautiful the Adyar campus was. She was a complete Guru in the sense that she
advised me, a 12-year-old, on philosophy, how to develop a sense of
appreciation and value virtues like honesty, sincerity, and hard work.
One piece of
advice she gave me which I passed on to my students was-“Imagine that all the
devatas are seated in front of you when you dance. Will you not give your best
performance? Your dance is your worship and puja.”
Bombay (now
Mumbai) is known for its heavy showers during monsoon. And the classes were at
Marine Drive where the low walls near the sea would splash four feet high
waves. But Uma ji never missed a class. She would come by train from Khar, and
walk down a few minutes from the station. I always attended every class and
most of the time I was the only student. Mr. Dutt, an advocate, would often
come to take her home as he worked in Fort. Sometimes Dagar Brothers would be
in the car.
Adyar Lakshman Sir
was taking Vyjayantimala’s classes close by, so he would visit often.
She taught me the
most difficult and lengthy Varnam in Dhanyasi (E Maguva) which had two
thirmanams each after the Pallvai and Anupallavi. Tisra Alarippu, Kalyani
Jatiswaram, Kshetrayya Padam in Anandabhairavi (Manchi Joochu), Kambodhi Padam
(Padari Varugudu) and Thillana (Parasu). At that time Sabdams were not popular
in Kalakshetra, so I never learnt one. Nana Kasar, dancer and Guru trained in
Pandanallur style did the Nattuvangam for me. My Arangetram was held in 1966.
I must mention an
incident which proved the Uma ji’s training was perfectly complying with
Kalakshetra standards. At a cousin’s wedding, we met Kamala Rani, my cousin, who
was the leading Nattuvannar and singer at Kalakshetra and her daughter.. Karaikudi
Krishnamurthy, the legendary mridangam artiste was also present. She decided
that both of us will perform the Dhanyasi Varnam together. We agreed, no
rehearsal no hurried consultation. The duet was so perfect as though we had
studied and practiced together. Again, I performed in Varanasi, two
performances in one evening. Prof. C.V. Chandrasekhar was at the University.
Again, no rehearsals, he knew all the items and I danced exactly as he sang.
This is evidence of Uma Devi’s teaching skills and I offer my namaskarams to her
in my mind all the time.
(Uma Devi's performance at Tejpal Auditorium (Mumbai)in 1966-PC Jayashree Nair)
Uma Devi persuaded
my parents to send me to Kalakshetra. I joined Kalakshetra from 1966 to 1970.
She held important
posts during her career. HOD (Dance) at Baroda’s M.S. University, invited by
Mrinalini Sarabhai to teach at Darpana, and then by Vyjayantimala Bali’s for
her class. She continued to teach many students at her residence at Khar for
many years.
I am grateful that
my career in the arts began with Uma Devi ji. She laid the perfect foundation for
me. I admire her for her spiritual attitude and as she mentioned, she was
always spiritual in life and never found it necessary to follow rites and
customs.
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