Yesterday I attended a function called "Aranggetram". Its actually a classical form of graduation function for the students who had completed their basic lessons in music or dance such as bharathanatyam, veenai, tabla, sanggeetham and so on. The student who performed her "aranggetram" was Ms Kamalam Soma Sundram, and I totally have not known her or met her before. Then ...why I went...? Barathi Akka got the invitation. It's her colleagues daughter's function. Since she invited me to go along with her, I smiled till my teeth shines and jumped in happy. The only reason I followed her because the function held at Shanthanand Hall, in TEMPLE of FINE ARTS, Brickfields.
For me stepping into the Temple of Fine Arts building itself can be considered that I'm gifted. It has no other difference than the house of deities. I had never been there before but I knew about it for a very long time...hmm since 1996. It's all because......Once upon a time, I had a big interest in learning Bharathanatyam...the most beautiful Indian classical dance!!! Thaka thakida thom...tharikida thom..:)
As a little girl I adore the dance just because of its costume. It looks awesome that it has the biggest "kosuvam" portion. Something like Chinese fan in the middle of the costume. So when you dance you look gorgeous like peacock.
pic courtesy from google
When I was around 8 or 9 years old, I was too flexible in doing some poses such as bend backward and make my foot touch my head, make my both hands tied and do one circle from front to backward and vice versa. Wow..amazing rite...! Yes, I really can do this kind of stunts without knowing its the hardest Yoga poses. And my dad and mom were so proud of it and used talk big of me among their friends and relatives and they to asked my parents to enroll me in Bharatham classes.
And one fine Sunday, my dad picked me and drove to my primary school. He knew that there were some bharatham classes being conducted on Sundays. So he planned to enroll me there. I was wearing one punjabi suit, wait I still do remember the suit's colour. It was white and red. After the meeting and greeting sessions with teacher, I was taught to dance "kolattam". Kolattam is a traditional Tamizh dance using 2 sticks. Like picture below.
Picture courtesy from GOOGLE
I enjoyed it though, because it is very new for me. And since I am fond of dance...I easily would catch up any type of steps. When I get back home, I asked my grandma to make 2 sticks for me and she did it too using the guava tree branch. She said the sound will come louder when we beat. I was so happy and proudly brought it to the next class.
The disaster happened that day. My teacher had an idea and done some grouping among the girls into 3 groups. They were all the long hair girls in one group, the shoulder length hair in one group and the shortest hair were in one group. I was at the third one. My parents used to cut my hair shorter coz when my hair grows longer it sweats a lot, and then I'll get cold easily :( So due to that I had to keep my hair short when I was small.
Ok let's go back to the story. Do you know why the grouping is done...? Its for a dance motive too. There will be a function is going to held in the school for Merdeka Day. So teacher planned to have dances for 3 communities in Malaysia. The long hair girls will represent Indians by dancing "kolaattam". The shoulder length hair girls will be dancing Chinese dance, wearing Sam Fu and 2 small buns....and the most short hair girls will be dancing Malay dance using tempurung...u know what is tempurung...? Kottangkuchi..! I was so sad and break into tears. I was about to quit. But the teacher was so strict and fierce. So I console myself and danced.
Ok let's go back to the story. Do you know why the grouping is done...? Its for a dance motive too. There will be a function is going to held in the school for Merdeka Day. So teacher planned to have dances for 3 communities in Malaysia. The long hair girls will represent Indians by dancing "kolaattam". The shoulder length hair girls will be dancing Chinese dance, wearing Sam Fu and 2 small buns....and the most short hair girls will be dancing Malay dance using tempurung...u know what is tempurung...? Kottangkuchi..! I was so sad and break into tears. I was about to quit. But the teacher was so strict and fierce. So I console myself and danced.
Look at my sad face holding the tempurung....I am the most nearest and facing to the cam...
"thatti paarthen kottangkuchi...:("
Actually there is no bharatham classes being conducted in our school. It was a misunderstanding. There were dance practices going on for school functions. So after that incident I quit from the dance class and joined the school band. That went well for 2 years. Then my life gets too busy with studies in secondary school...colleges...university...and I have totally forgotten about learning bharatham. A couple of years back watched Sir Ramli Ibrahim's Odissi show at KLPAC. Planned to enroll in his classes but I think its toooooo late now...:) Well that is how the journey of learning bharatham ended in me...!!