The undisputed queen of Bharatanatyam was more than an elder sister to me. We were great friends. I recall her visit to my house on the occasion of my eldest son Mahendra’s first birthday. I had the fortune of having M.S. Subbulakshmi and D.K. Pattammal as my guests too and the trio rendered ‘Vallikanavan Paerai’ in one rich resonant voice. It is ringing in my ears even after six decades.
Balasaraswati
I am fortunate to have been associated with this queen since my vibrant youth. Every performance of hers was a manifestation of divinity on stage. If Bharatanatyam is popular in the West today, it is because of Bala, who introduced the art to them in the 1950s. She spread this art form transcending boundaries but without compromising on sampradaya. She performed at various international venues, including the Edinburgh Festival and the East-West Encounter in Tokyo and the U.S.
Guru bhakti
Bala’s gurubhakti towards Kandappa Pillai and her filial musical bond with her mother Jayammal enabled her to create history in the annals of Bharatanatyam. Bala became a legend in her life time. Her stately nritta was free from speed and showmanship. She was a singer of great repute and the music echoed in her graceful movements. Her art of abhinaya remains unparalleled, her performances always evoking devotion in the audience.
Bala’s inimitable style to portray the pangs of separation is etched in my memory. With the ardhachandra hasta and alapadma hasta she aesthetically conveyed the passage of time during which the nayika is separated from her lover. The feeling of romance transforming into sublime love left the viewer spellbound. No dancer was showered with honours in India and abroad as she was. Here is a verse paying tribute to my royal elder sister Bala:
Bala, O Bala, you are a divine gem
Glittering eternally in the crown of Natyasastram
You enthralled the audience with your grace
Leaving them often in spiritual daze.
You are an avatar of Bharatanatyam descended
Casting a spell of mystic peace unbounded
Your dance legacy will transcend generations
Making you immortal as an icon of veneration.
I’m reminded of Lal Bahadur Sastri’s motto — “Be an edifice and not the structure. The structure may fall but the edifice remains.” Bala the edifice will remain in our hearts and minds for ever.
