Sankari Ganesan

Thanjavur Pichiah School of Dance- Sankari Ganesh

Writer of the Article: Indu Raman

Date published: 12 February 2007

Published for the first time and exclusive to this website.

The Photographs are Courtesy of Sankari Ganesan.

Email: rangshree@yahoo.com / rdkonline@gmail.com

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Thanjavur Pichiah School of Dance-Experiences of Sankari Ganesan

  About Writer

Indu Raman,dancer, guru and writer is based in Mumbai. She is a graduate of Rukmini Devi’s Kalakshetra, Tiruvanmiyur. Her major contribution is the revival of Melattur Bhagavata Mela natakams of which she was a patron, sponsor and research scholar for over a decade.

From 1994 to 2004, I visited Thanjavur on a regular basis as I was working with the artistes of Melattur Bhagavata Mela Natya Vidya Sangam.

I had the opportunity to meet and document interviews with many personalities, some of whose contribution to our cultural history is unknown to the rest of the world. One of the well known Devadasis of her time, Lakshmikantam ran a prosperous Bharatanatyam school under the patronage of one Ganapathy Iyer.

I met her sister, the Devadasi Doraikannu (Revathi). She mentioned Kadirvelu, Kutty Krishnan, Smt. Nalini Raghu and Sankari Ganesan all of whom who are well-known to me.I informed Kadirvelu sir of this meeting and he was extremely happy and agreed to talk to me.

Indu Raman

The information given here is of historical importance. Unfortunately at the time of publication of this feature, Kadirvelu, Kutty Krishnan, Doraikannu Amma and Sankari Ganesan have passed away.

Experiences of Sankari Ganesan

Sankari Ganesan was the daughter of the well known patron of arts F.G. Natesa Iyer of Tiruchirapalli. Born in a family where music, dance and theatre flowered she became a dancer and teacher who was admired by connoisseurs like E .Krishna Iyer and Subbudu. She never let her handicap (she was deaf and could speak with difficulty) affect her dance and could dance a Thillana as accurately as anyone else.This is an excerpt from a report she wrote on her experiences in 1995.

I learnt my first steps and Alarippu from Mani Nattuvannar in Trichi. My husband insisted that I learn the correct technique from a good dancer. So with my two children I went to Pudukottai. I learnt from a devadasi lady named Ambujam who had earned a good name as a dancer. She was not very healthy but she taught me Alarippu, Jatiswaram, shabdam (Vennuda) and a Varnam (Sadinchene) from her. I paid her Rs. 25 and she was very happy. My father then took me to Thanjavur where he knew one Ganapathy Iyer.

The terms were that I had to stay for a month and pay for food and hot water for my bath. I could then learn a set of 7 items. Lakshmikantam akka would wake me up at 7a.m. give me Tiffin and make me do yoga and exercises. Then she would teach adavus. In the evening I learnt items. She became very fond of me and would often confide in me. She never touched betel leaves or tobacco. I was present for the Arangetram of two of her students. I heard that a 32 year old man and a 24 year old lady had come from Bombay to learn from her. They were very earnest in their work and could dance very well.