• Briefly know about the learning’s of Dr. M R Krishnamurthy and how Dr. Rukmini Devi Arundale contributed to the respected Bharatanatyam mentor that he is today. 

One of the senior-most Bharatanatyam mentors today in the country is Dr. M R Krishnamurthy, who holds the distinction of being among the foremost male disciples of the renowned Dr. Rukmini Devi Arundale (who established the Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai) and was closely associated with her and also served as a faculty member for more than three decades. He is 85 and a recipient of several honours and accolades including the Karnataka Kalashree.

This article was first published in the Bhavan Journal.

Bangalore-based Dr. M. R. Krishnamurthy is one of the most respected mentors, with several dancers being trained under him, many of whom are top professionals today. He established the Kalakshiti Academy in the Basavanagudi locality of Bangalore in 1991, which imparts training in Bharatanatyam and classical Carnatic music.

The training is conducted in the typical Kalakshetra style with a lot of emphasis on the foundation which is based on the different types of adavus (basic steps), as Guruji firmly believes that if the foundation is strong, it’s only then that the superstructure will be strong and upright. Similarly, classical dance is not easy; it requires lots of patience, hard work and determination—all of which are essential for the proper growth and development of the classical dancer. Students have to go through rigorous training, spanning at least a decade. 

So, if the student completes the entire training of varied and intricate movements based on different rhythmic cycles, dance numbers and has developed a certain flair for expressions, based on different gestures, hasta mudras (hand gestures) and gesticulations, then he/she will be allowed to perform the Arangetram (ascending the stage) or Ranga Pravesham (which is like a valedictory function that involves seeking the blessings of teachers, elders and distinguished guests who are invited for the divine performance).

The Kalakshiti Academy till date has conducted more than a hundred of such Arangetrams. Kalakshiti Academy is situated in an ambience that is both beautiful and divine—it is surrounded by trees and flowers. The statues of Lord Ganesha, Lord Nataraja and the Goddess adorn the entrance and the interior, and there are beautiful rangoli designs on the floor. There is a large basement hall with a stage, where you can see young students learning under the guidance of seniors, as Guruji supervises and conducts the classes with meticulous concern. His personality radiates with the serenity and calmness, which inspires his students to learn with complete devotion and commitment. Guruji says, “Dance class is like the sanctum sanctorum of a temple. The mood should elevate you mentally.” 

Known for his passion for perfection and dedication, he makes sure that his students are well-groomed in all the finer aspects of Bharatanatyam and assimilate its true essence before they graduate from the school. Thus Kalakshiti has the unique distinction of propagating Bharatanatyam in its purest form as handed down by the legendary Dr. Rukmini Devi Arundale.

Dr. Rukmini Devi Arundale was born in Madurai and she established the Kalakshetra Foundation and the Animal Welfare Board of India. She was a theosophist and was actively involved with the Theosophical Society of India along with Dr. Annie Besant.

When Dr. Rukmini was hardly eighteen, she got married to fellow theosophist Dr. George Arundale who was in his forties. This challenged socially accepted ideas about marriage, but their union gradually got accepted as George was a great lover of Indian art and culture. Dr. Rukmini is especially credited for being a pioneer and catalysing the renaissance of Bharatanatyam, which was earlier referred to as Sadir Natyam or Dasi Attam, practised by devadasis (servants of the Lord). Hence, girls from respectable families would not learn Bharatanatyam.

Dr. Rukmini learnt the Pandanallur style of Bharatanatyam from the veteran mentor Guru Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai. Her first Bharatanatyam performance at the Theosophical Society in 1935 was an eye-opener for the audience and it inspired girls from respectable families to learn this divine art form; thereby the switchover from the Sringara (erotic love) to the Bhakti (devotion) element was the highlight of the performance.

As one of the most respected Bharatanatyam exponents of the country, Dr. Rukmini placed Bharatanatyam on the international platform with several performances of dance dramas, particularly in European countries. Guruji says, “When I met Amma for the first time, I was a young teenager and was carried away by her divine and serene look, her large expressive eyes and her soft speech left a great impression on me. She encouraged me and a few other male dancers like Dhananjayan quite a lot. She advised us to first learn Kathakali from Guru Chandu Panicker. After that I learnt Bharatanatyam from Amma and Guru Gowri Ammal. I played lead roles in most of the dance dramas and we travelled to various countries extensively. After several years I could save Rs. 85,000 which was used as corpus fund to develop Kalakshiti Academy. I always wanted to keep Rukmini Devi’s ideals alive. Art without vulgarity and education without fear has been central to my ideals of imparting training in Bharatanatyam, which is neither thought of nor taught in isolation.” 

It is interesting to narrate an incident in the life of Dr. Rukmini Devi Arundale, when her name was nominated for Presidentship of India. At that time, the famous cartoonist R. K. Laxman remarked with his cartoon, “There is nothing wrong if the dancer becomes the president but everything goes wrong if the president becomes a dancer.” 

Incidentally Dr. Rukmini was honoured with the prestigious Padma Bhushan in 1956. Dr. M. R. Krishnamurthy is a bachelor who lives in Bengaluru with his sister Rukma Narayan, imparting training to several dance aspirants with complete commitment and devotion.

This article was first published in the Bhavan’s Journal, January 1, 2025 issue. This article is courtesy and copyright Bhavan’s Journal, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai-400007. eSamskriti has obtained permission from Bhavan’s Journal to share. Do subscribe to the Bhavan’s Journal – it is very good.

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