Bharatha Natyam - Bhakti or bucks?
SARANYA DEVAN
The report in POST about payment by temples for musicians got me thinking of the Bharatha Natyam scene in South Africa, which is also tainted by commercialism.
Like so many other facets of life where economics now dominate, it would appear that even the teaching of Bharatha Natyam has been influenced by monetary considerations, which may be impacting on what is being taught in the dance classroom.
Bharatha Natyam has its roots in the temple precincts when devadasis - servants of God - dedicated themselves to divinity through performing temple chores and dancing before the deities. Today, some Bharatha Natyam teachers dedicate themselves to money - pots of it. Thus, Bharatha Natyam has become a cash cow and the Bhakti or devotion that is supposed to be attendant is all lost.
As a Bharatha Natyam practitioner for more than 23 years, I am proud of my cultural practice when I dance; more than just moving my body, I fall into a state of trance as I take on the role of a God, a Goddess, or a higher being and find much joy reaching a level of spiritual consciousness.
Interacting with other South African Bharatha Natyam dancers, I realise that many dancers are not exposed to the pursuit of the spiritual components of the dance. Bharatha Natyam that was once a path to spirituality has, in my view, become just another dance form or a commodity to be bought and sold
Some Bharatha Natyam teachers in the South African diaspora have also latched onto the idea that an arangetram (a debut public performance often mistakenly considered to be a graduation) can be used as a money spinner. Sadly, the children undergoing the arangetram do not see that the event is financially exploited by gurus - they are too carried away by the glitz and glamour of colourful costumes and flashy jewellery.
I am aware that parents of students preparing for their arangetrams have had to fork out large sums of money to pay to teachers as guru dakshina (a ceremonial honorarium) even though the students have not yet learnt the full repertoire of a margam (set of dances).
Guru dakshina has taken on a monetary vanguard both in India, South Africa and other countries where Bharata Natyam is taught. Let’s also not forget that a month prior to the arangetram, the student has one-on-one lessons with the teacher and often this alone costs the parents in the region of R25 000 to R30 000.
So what happened to all the teaching that should have been taking place years prior? Some unscrupulous dance teachers also add their own commission to the fee paid to the singer and musicians as well as for production of the brochure.
A typical arangetram can now cost at least R100 000 for the dancer’s costumes, jewellery, hire of venue, payment to the singer and musicians, catering and, of course, the “gift” for the teacher.
The arangetram has become such an extremely expensive event - and a showy sham - that some students even drop out from learning the dance form itself. For many dancers, the arangetram is just something to tick off on their bucket list and they never return to the stage or to the dance classroom thereafter. Some dancers even like to boast that they’ve gained a so-called titled “Kumari”. Funny enough, “Kumari” means an unmarried young woman.
I have it on good authority that some Bharatha Natyam dance gurus have demanded Kanjivaram silk saris, 22-carat gold kangans (bangles) and even gold sovereigns as gifts in addition to the money paid for teaching in the run-up to the arangetram. Now how are these “gifts” a reflection of the teachers’ skills?
Thus, we can see that Bharatha Natyam in South Africa now has a high price-tag attached to it and has become a space for the elite and privileged middle classes. This can result in Bharatha Natyam coming across as being too elitist and also a dwindling in the number of followers. But it’s not only the teachers to blame. Why are parents also not taking a stand?
About a year ago, a plaintive plea was posted on social media where a mother was looking for second-hand Bharatha Natyam jewellery and saris to stitch a costume for her daughter. The mother said huge demands had been made by the dance teacher and due to her low earning, she was not able to meet these requirements.
Earlier this year, I chose to have my arangetram in Chennai at the Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore. Apart from the strong affinity that I have for this temple because I had regularly visited the ancient shrine since the age of five, I had also decided that I was not interested in the glitz and glamour of the event and rather wanted to display my dance proficiency in a divine space, going back to where the dance form originated.
I believe the arangetram must be a triumph of dedication to achieve a magnificent goal, helped by the flame of idealistic ambition, propelled by sustained discipline, and forged by the brick and mortar of hard work.
Unfortunately, Bharatha Natyam has become a highly lucrative industry rather than a spiritual and artistic practice. What has made this dance form a business? Why are gurus placing profits before pedagogy?
A respected South African dance teacher who learnt Bharatha Natyam in Chennai told me that when she had her arangetram many years ago, it cost her nothing. She said that in South Africa – as in several other countries, including India, it had become a lavish affair – with some teachers to blame for the extravaganza.
“Parents are made to believe that the arangetram must be a big event, much like a wedding. They miss the point of why it is done,” she said.
Personally, I do not expect teachers to run free classes. They have spent money and time leaning the art form in India. Thus, there should be a fee charged. Also, there is a notion that if something is imparted for free, there is no need to attribute much attention to it. But if students have to pay for lessons, they will treat the dance form seriously. However, there is no need to make a killing out of lessons and arangetrams.
Finally, if parents want to go big and ostentatious with an arangetram and have the money to so, that is their choice. But when some teachers make demands for huge payments for themselves, and this too from parents struggling to make ends meet, then this gets my goat. After all, Bharatha Natyam must not be only for the rich.
Devan is a theatre-maker, dance performer, academic and proud Tamilian. She holds an MA in dance from UCT, and a MA in Bharatha Natyam from the University of Madras.