Colourful concert of classical dances

Chelvamtamby Maniccavasagar

DANCE: The Natya Kala Mandir which is managed by Kalasuri Vasugi Jegatheeswaran presented a concert of classical dances entitled Padha Laalithyam at the BMICH, Colombo recently to mark the 30th anniversary of the dancing school.

The celebrated Indian actor and classical dancer Vinneth was the Chief Guest while A. Manickam, Deputy High Commissioner of India was the guest of honour.

Dance and Music are the two major art forms which have stood the ravages of Colonialism and emerged unscathed. Beauty diversified with art is the true refiner of humanity. It is the instrument of culture, broadener of the heart, the purifying fire which burns all pettiness and prejudices.

In fact Natya Kala Mandir which was established by Kalasuri Vasugy Jegatheeswaran 30 years ago is rendering tremendous service and now it has grown majestically, serving the students of all communities by way of producing dancers, who have brought fame and name to Sri Lanka.

Kalasuri Jegatheeswaran has been honoured and felicitated not only in Sri Lanka but even in countries like Malaysia, Singapore and India for her services.

She started her dancing career at the tender age of three. Her mother Mrs. Vijeyaluxmi Shanmugampillai who was a legendary figure in the sphere of Bharatha Natyam guided Vasugi through the basics in Bharatha Natyam.

Her father Kalabhooshanam, Shanmugampillai too loved music and dance. He was a veteran Mirudangam player of no mean repute. Thus it became so, that young Vasugi cultivated strong liking for these and grew up sharing the same love for this art form.

After finishing her secondary education, she proceded to Madras to do her Diploma in Bharatha Natyam and had the privilege of undergoing rigorous training under eminent gurus such as Jegathambal, Padmasri Adayar K. Lakshmanan, Shantha Danajayam, and Swami Malai Sri S.K. Rajaratnam.

She held her Bharatha Natya Arangetram in Colombo in 1976 at the age of 17.

In 1985, she was selected by the then President to perform in Dhaka for the first SAARC Summit. She delighted many a visitor in Vancouver at the Expo Fair in 1986.

In recognition of her services she was honoured with Nadana Kalai Arasi, Natya Kalai Chudas, Narthana Nayagi, Bhartha Bhooshana Thilagan and several other titles. She was honoured and felicitated by Dr. Padma Subramanyam, an internationally reputed dancer in India recently.

Further, she is the only dance teacher in Sri Lanka who has successfully presented more than 77 Bharatha Natya Arangethrams for her students of different communities.

She is a dance instructor at the Indian Cultural Centre and dance teacher at Bambalapitiya Holy Family Convent.

Kalasuri Vasugy also had the distinction of her pupils performing more than once in the presence of Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba. Her dance drama Krishna Amirtham captured the hearts of everyone who were present and Bhagavan Bala was so pleased that he materialised and presented a gold chain and pendant to her niece just five years old at that time.

The second occasion was in the Holy Day of Buddha Poornima - 2005 at White Field - Brindavanam, Bangalore.

Her students performed various dance items which enthralled the audience at the BMICH. They started with Nrithya Upachara Mallari, Alarippu followed by Kirthanam an invocatory item in praise of all daties.

This was followed by Manthra Pushpam, a dance form paying obeisance to the Sun God, Siva Ganesha Sthuthi, a dance form in worship of Lord Shiva, Mayura Narthanam, a dance based on Sinhala and Tamil traditional folk styles portraying the Peacock, Gajaga Vanthana, a fusion of Sinhala and Tamil traditional dance forms centred in Lord Ganesha.

The dance Janmaboomi in praise of our motherland Sri Lanka captured the hearts of everyone. This was followed by a dance form Towards Peace depicting the preaching of the Buddha.

The students also presented a dance "Rama Nataka Kirthanam", a scene from the Epic Ramayanam. Layakantha, a rhythmic poem in praise of the Guru which got the appliance of the audience.

Thri Thwa, a contemporary concept based in Sri Lankan and Indian Classical Dance forms captured the hearts of the audience.

Former State Minister P.P. Devaraj, Deputy Minister P. Radha Krishnan, Kalabhooshanam, Shanmugampillai, S. Visvanathan, Director (Tamil Service) Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and "Kambavamthy" E. Jeyaraj were honoured and felicitated by placing golden shawl by the chief guest and South Indian film star Vineeth for their unstinted co-operation and assistance and valuable guidance they have rendered to "Kalasuri" Vasugi Jegatheeswaran for the growth of Natya Kala Mandir.

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