DakshinaChitra to host exhibition on life and art of late Bharatanatyam exponent Thanjavur Balasaraswati

CHENNAI: An archival exhibition of Bharatanatyam exponent Thanjavur Balasaraswati’s life and art titled “The Credo of a Dancer” will be on display at the Varija Gallery of the DakshinaChitra from July 6 to 28.


The exhibition, to be inaugurated on July 6, is followed by a Bharatanatyam performance by Aniruddha Knight, grandson of Balasaraswati.

Balasaraswati (1918-1984) belonged to an unbroken lineage of musicians and dancers descended from those who served the 18th-century Tanjore court.

Born into the community of dedicated temple dancers or devadasis, she started training at the age of five and had her debut public performance at the age of seven.

As a teenager, she was seen by internationally known Indian dancer and choreographer Uday Shankar, who became an ardent promoter of her performances, and throughout the 1930s she captured the imagination of audiences across India.

Balasaraswati received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1955 and the Padma Vibhushan, one of the country’s top civilian honours, in 1977. She was the only dancer to be awarded the Sangita Kalanidhi by the Madras Music Academy in 1973, in recognition of her excellent musicianship.

In 1976, veteran film director Satyajit Ray made a short documentary, “Bala”, as a tribute to her artistic achievement.

The preservation and passing on of a tradition, especially an oral and aural one such as the Indian performing arts, can be a tremendous challenge. It is the community’s responsibility to document its arts and educate itself and the world on the legacies left by its greatest artistes.

“Credo of a Dancer celebrates the legacy of Balasaraswati. It provides in-depth insights into her life in the socio-economic and political context of her time, all of which shaped her artistic expression. It is an immersive experience that deconstructs the technique and mystique behind one of India’s greatest dancers to make it accessible to all,” said a release.

This exhibition is Museum of performing arts' (MOPA) maiden curatorial venture in conjunction with Balasaraswati Institute of Performing Arts. It is drawn largely from the vast treasure house of archives preserved by Balasaraswati’s family, students, supporters and chroniclers over the decades. They include photographs, articles, press clippings, vintage audio-video excerpts in an hour-long documentary specially made for the exhibition, rare personal effects belonging to Balasaraswati – her costumes, ornaments, instruments and more.

“Credo of a Dancer” is a moving exhibition. Since its launch on Jan 2, 2019, it has been on view at the Music Academy, Chennai for a week during the Margazhi festival, at The Folly, Amethyst in February and a week at Dance India Asia Pacific, Singapore in June.