GURUSHRI RAMESH KUBERNATH TANJORKAR

Guru Ramesh Kubernath Tanjorkar is son and disciple of Gurushri Kubernath Tanjorkar. The relation between these two is not only name sake i.e. father and son but he is a son who has inherited, the complete Art of Bharatnatyam from his father. In other words he is the first disciple, who has gained complete knowledge of this art form. After completion of Chartered Accountants study, he continued the traditional art of Bharatnatyam, under the able guideline of his father and ultimately he decided to devote his lifetime, only for spreading this great art form, Bharatnatyam, throughout India and abroad

DURING THE TIME OF CHILDHOOD

Guru Ramesh Tanjorkar was born in Thanjavur, Tamilnadu in the year 1943 and brought up in Vadodara, Gujarat. Right from childhood he was inspired by Music, because of the reason that he comes from a very reputed Musical Family. From the age of 10 he was regularly giving accompaniment in rhythm to all the programmes of his elder sister Sindhubala Tanjorkar (popularly known as ‘Choti Lata’ during 1950’s in Vadodara), who was during those days a very famous vocalist throughout Gujarat and India. She had accompanied her singing with the great singer late Shri Mukesh of Hindi film industry, in one of his programmes, held in Vadodara. Such was the reputation of Sindhubala Tanjorkar, and to bring such reputation, the role of Guru Shri Ramesh Tanjorkar as rhythm accompanist was considered to be significantly important. Very few people know that Gurushri Ramesh Tanjorkar is also a very good Sitarist; he completed his Diploma in Sitar from Faculty of Performing Art, M.S.University, Vadodara when he was in school.

IN THE FIELD OF BHARATNATYAM

Though Gurushri Ramesh Tanjorkar was involved in other musical activities, he started learning specially Bharatnatyam with keen interest, right from childhood under the able guideline of his father Gurushri Kubernath Tanjorkar and also Grandmother Kanthimatiammal. During 1950’s and 60’s and later on upto 1981, Gurushri Kubernath Tanjorkar developed the field of dance in a very vide range and that time was really golden period for Guruji. During those days so many Dance Programmes and Recitals were successfully performed by Gurushri Kubernath Tanjorkar. Gurushri Rameshji got a very good opportunity to go with his father to accompany Nattuvangam and Vocal, in all the Bharatnatyam programmes conducted by his father. This type of situation was a very good turning point to achieve long waited target for Guru Shri Rameshji as he got full support from his father, in field of Bharatnatyam in all respects; i.e. in giving training of dance to the students in a most technical way as well as giving performance with all such techniques by students in the programmes with unique ability of Singing along with performing attractive Nattuvangam simultaneously. He was greatly inspired by the unique talents of his father Gurushri Kubernath Tanjorkar i.e. his Teaching system for the expression (Abhinaya)in a deep logical way, his way of presenting attractive Shoolukuttu in Nattuvangam and his melodious singing in Carnatic as well as Hindustani Music

Gurushri Ramesh Tanjorkar was also inspired by various Bharatnatyam institutes like Kalakshetra in Chennai & Faculty of Performing Arts, M.S.University, Vadodara.. All these inspirations brought result to establish two reputed institutes by him i.e. Tanjore Nritya Shala and Tanjore Dance Music & Art Research Centre.

Gurushri Rameshji after establishing the institutes, decided to incorporate all the techniques particularly used for best performance, in the system of training of Dance to the students. He introduced Taal Bandish i.e. Chatushra Ekam taal,with counting 16 Matras, in teaching steps on primary level. He has also introduced short Abhinaya with dialogues to children which can prove to develop talent in expression right from the level of childhood.

He believes the melodious Singing in classical Music is, equally important for best and attractive performance of Dance. Some of his students are able to prove their best and unique performance of Dance, because of the reason that they sing melodiously. Thus so many students are very keen to get training of Dance, under his able guidance because of introducing all such techniques and unique systems in the training, by him.

Guru Shri Ramesh Tanjorkar is following very strictly the path, laid down by his father Guru Shri Kubernath Tanjorkar. The original and unique technique introduced by his father is incomparable and should not be mixed with other techniques. He believes that by doing so, it will result to nothing but dirty and disliking adulteration in the most valued purity of Bharatnatyam.

Gurushri Rameshji has preserved all the beautiful and unique dance compositions of his father Gurushri Kubernath and from the time of his institutes established, he has been on task of, spreading all these beautiful compositions nationally and internationally. At present numerous programmes are conducted by him and in all such programmes the beautiful dance compositions of his father have been very highly appreciated by people. In other words we can say Gurushri Ramesh Tanjorkar is successful to fulfill the dreams of his father. In this task of spreading, with permission of his father, he made some changes in the style of performance of dance, i.e. making certain solo items into Ballet like Meera Bhajan, Sankshipta Bhagwat, Sankshipta Ramayan, Radhanu Shamnu etc. with understanding of availing opportunity of giving performance to more than one student at a time. In the year 2007,(during the month of January) when Gurushri Kubernathji was alive, a very beautiful composition was made by him at the age of his 91 years for Natyanjali Festival to be held in Tamil Nadu at Chidambaram. The item was Adum Chidambaramo. This item was very hit and the same was heartily appreciated by the people.

ACHIEVEMENT

So far Gurushri Ramesh Tanjorkar has opened 3 more branches in addition to his main class Tanjore Nritya Shala i.e. one at Vadodara and two at Vapi and Sylvassa. Further he is planning to open a couple of branches in Vadodara. He is also under planning of opening one centralized Unit to give full-fledged training to all the students at a time as the strength of students has already crossed the number 500. Apart from various Arangetral programmes and Annual Programmes every year held in Vadodara,Gurushri Rameshji has travelled to so many places in India and Abroad for conducting dance programmes. In the year 2007 and 2008 he took his dance troupe to Tamil Nadu and gave very successful performance in Natyanjali Festivals held at Chidambaram, Tanjore, Kumbakonam, Nagapattinam and Tirunallaru. Further he was also invited by the very prestigious International Dance Council(CID)_UNESCO and he went with his dance group to Europe for giving performance which was much appreciated by the people Greece. In July 2010, he travelled with his dance troupe of 22 artists to Malaysia and gave very successful performance and got lot appreciation from Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Malaysia.In September 2011, he toured to Turkey with his 14 artists and recently in January 2012 he toured to Thailand with his 22 students and artists and gave successful performances and spread our Indian culture and tradition. In June 2013, he travelled to Romania and Bulgaria, Europeon Union with his 12 student artists troupe and gave 6 performance in different cities of both the countries. He received lot of appreciation from their Government, media and the people.