There is always some aim in everybody’s life, even a common man wants to do a certain thing, which is in another word called ‘Ambition’. It may be like to own some materliastic things and so on. To get this ambition fulfilled one tries utmost, during his life span and the satisfaction of this fulfillment is the ultimate satisfaction.
A born artist, our respected Guru Shri Kubernathji Tanjorkar also had an ambition. It was late but not too late. He established ‘Tanjore Nritya Shala’ in the year 1985 on a very small scale. The main purpose of this school was to train students in pure classical Tanjore Nritya Shailee, and by doing this, he started propagating this famous dance form. The outstanding feature of this ‘Nritya Shala’ is that it follows very rigidly the rules of Bharatnatyam. To his mind this was not enough because only by teaching number of students doesn’t achieve the goal, but the students must have a platform where they can exhibit their obtained skills.
The universal truth given by Lord Krishna in ‘BHAGWADGITA’ i.e. Karmanye Vadhikaraste—– stands true when we study the Life of Gurushri Kubernath Appaswamy Tanjorkar, an authority of Bharatnatyam. He not only performed this dance, but also dedicated his life for the sake of this art. To day he is no more but his principles and image are well preserved and maintained to be continued by his family. He was religiously, follower of this art in its classical, pure Gurukul form without any compromise. Some may call it as ‘Rigid’ but this rigidness is a must when one has to learn any art. Take an example of ‘Vocal’ if one does not follow the basic rules, it becomes semi-classical.
Gurushri Kubernathji was born in December 25th,1917 at Kuber Bhandari,Karnali which is the most important place of pilgrimage on the bank of the River Narmada. As we say that the Art is in his blood, his great grand parents,grand parents, his father Thanjavur Nattuvanar Appaswamy and his mother Thanjavur Kantimatiammal were all Bharatnatyam artists and musicians. He was fortunate that the basic learning started at an early age. Very few know that he was a very good MRIDANGAM player as well. In his youth he studied Bharatnatyam under the famous Gurushri Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai (Grandson of the great Ponniah Pillai of Tanjore Quartet) at his Gurukul. With Bharatnatyam learning he had also learnt Carnatik Classical Sangeet under the training of Gurushri Balkrishna Pillai. The hard work and strict discipline of years has shaped him perfectly. He had also studied Hindustani Classical music under famous Aftab-E-Mausiki Ustad Faiyaz Khan of Agra Gharana.
In 1941 he was appointed as Dance-Teacher in Bhatkhande College of Music, Lucknow. An artist is never satisfied in one place. He always kept on moving like flowing water. He came back to Vadodara and was appointed as ‘Nattuvanar’ (Bharatnatyam Director) in the Royal Court of Baroda State from 1948 to 1950. Finally he was selected as Professor of Dance in the Faculty of Performing Arts of M. S. University of Baroda in 1950 and from there retired in 1981.
After retirement from the services, as he said he was totally free to fulfill the ambition of his life and the result was establishment of “Tanjore Nritya Shala” in 1983 and later on in 1993 the Public Trust ‘Tanjore Dance Music and Art Research Centre’. Knowledge does not increase if kept at one place; it is always to be shared, to pass on to next generation. He trained thousands of students and many outstanding like Late Kum. Pratibha Pandit, Late Madhubhai Patel, Padmashree Pushpa Bhuyan (Pushpanjali Cultural Academy), Smt. Ilakshi Thakor, Smt.Jyotika Mahen (Dept. of Dance, M.S.University), Smt. Neha Parikh (Canada), Smt. Parul Patel and many more.
He founded the ‘Tanjore Dance Music and Art Research Centre’ and presently it has achieved remarkable strength. Till this date so many students from our Institute have performed ‘ARANGETRAL”. The main aim behind this establishing Trust is the age-old compositions, which are precious from the art point of view, he wished to propagate and spread this for a wide sphere. This trust extends help to those activities which works for the true upliftment and spread of Bharatnatyam.
He saved many of his outstanding compositions, which were totally designed and composed by him. Few names are ‘Sankshipt Bhagwat”, “Radha-nu-Shamnu”, “Meera Bhajan”, “Navkar Mantra”, “Bhukhana Bhujang”, “Damaru”, “Eta Irandu Pesum” and “Madhurashtakam. These items are applauded very highly when presented in the Programmes of our Institute as well as other sponsored programmes.”
He traveled to South Africa, United States, United Kingdom, France and many other places in Europe
To Commemorate Gurushri Kubernath Tanjorkar, for his achievements and dedication in the classical dance Bharatnatyam and to the art field, Vadodara Mahanagar Seva Sadan has named the stretch of the Road from Uma Char Rasta towards Kaladarshan in Vadodara, Gujarat as “Gurushri Kubernath Tanjorkar Marg”.The years of pains taken by him for Bharatnatyam were appreciated by President of India in 1994 and was awarded “SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI AWARD”. He was also recipient of “GUJARAT SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI AWARD”, “SARANG DEV AWARD’ Of Mumbai, “TRIVENI AWARD”, ” SANSKARBHARTI AWARD”, “ITC AWARD” and many others.
Gurushri welcomed those who were sincere, dedicated for the sake of Bharatnatyam because Bharatnatyam was his life and for which he lived for. At present both institutes namely Tanjore Nritya Shala and Tanjore Dance Music & Art Research Centre has having 6 branches in Gujarat which is strictly following of objects and Principles laid down by Late Gurushri Kubernath Tanjorkar under the able guidance of his son-disciple Gurushri Ramesh Tanjorkar and daughter-in-law Gurusmt.Leela Tanjorkar and their family and students at present.
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.
Gurusmt Leela Ramesh Tanjorkar was born in Trichurapally (Trichy), Tamilnadu, India in the year 1951. She is coming from musical family and, therefore Music is in her blood. Since her childhood she was interested in Art and Music. In most of the programmes conducted in her school and there after in Programmes held in college, her participation in various Dramas and Musical recitals was very remarkeable and appreciable.
She completed her Bharatnatyam training at her early childhood in Mayiladuthurai (Tanjore District) in South, the home of Bharatnatyam. Her maternal uncle T.K. Ramamurthy was a very reputed Music Director in South Indian Film Industry during 60’s and 70’s. Her Grand Maternal Uncle Shri Raghava Pillai was very famous and legend artist in the field of “Thavil” instrument used as Rhythm with Nadaswaram.
After Bsc Graduation she got married with Gurushri Ramesh Kubernath Tanjorkar. She was lucky further to get advanced training of Bharatnatyam under the able Guidance of her father in law Gurushri Kubernath Tanjorkar. In 1981 Gurushri Kubernath Tanjorkar retired from his services and after retirement he established the famous institutes Tanjore Nritya Shala and Tanjore Dance Music & Art Research Centre with the help of his son Gurushri Ramesh Tanjorkar. This position was proved to be very worth to Gurusmt Leelaji to develop herself the career in Bharatnatyam. In the very first year of opening the Institute, sufficient Number of students joined the class. She showed her keen interest and joined with her husband Gurushri Ramesh Tanjorkar to propagate this Art of Dance. In all performances of the Institute, she plays the important role of Taalam Accompaniment. She is also equally responsible for bringing all programmes to over all success and running of all branches of Tanjore Nritya Shala.
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