Every person has an aim in life, a dream or ambition they wish to fulfil. It may be the desire to achieve something, create something, or leave behind something meaningful. Throughout life, we put in our best efforts to turn that ambition into reality. And when that dream is finally fulfilled, the sense of purpose and satisfaction it brings becomes one of life’s greatest rewards.
Gurushri Kubernath Appaswamy Tanjorkar was born on 25 December 1917 at Kuber Bhandari, Karnali, on the banks of the Narmada. He was born into a family where dance and music had been passed down through generations. His father, Thanjavur Nattuvanar Appaswamy, and mother, Thanjavur Kantimatiammal, were accomplished artists, and his early training began at home. He learned Bharatanatyam from a young age and was also a talented Mridangam player. Later, he trained under the renowned Gurushri Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai, a descendant of the great Tanjore Quartet, and studied Carnatic music under Gurushri Balkrishna Pillai. He also trained in Hindustani classical music under the celebrated Ustad Faiyaz Khan of the Agra Gharana. These years of learning and discipline shaped the artist and teacher he would become.
His professional journey took him to some of India’s leading institutions. In 1941, he joined Bhatkhande College of Music, Lucknow, as a Dance Teacher. He later returned to Vadodara and served as the Nattuvanar of the Royal Court of Baroda from 1948 to 1950. In 1950, he joined the Faculty of Performing Arts at M. S. University of Baroda as Professor of Dance, where he continued teaching until his retirement in 1981. But retirement was only the beginning of another important chapter. He now had the time to pursue his greatest ambition, to preserve and share the authentic Tanjore Nritya Shailee. This led to the establishment of Tanjore Nritya Shala in the early 1980s. His belief was simple: students should not only learn Bharatanatyam, but should understand its discipline, respect its traditional principles and receive opportunities to perform and share what they had learned.
For Gurushri Kubernathji, knowledge was meant to be passed on. He dedicated his life to training students and helping the Tanjore tradition reach a wider audience. Over the years, he trained thousands of students, including several who went on to become respected artists and teachers such as Late Kum. Pratibha Pandit, Late Madhubhai Patel, Padmashree Pushpa Bhuyan, Smt. Ilakshi Thakor, Smt. Jyotika Mahen, Smt. Neha Parikh and Smt. Parul Patel, among many others. In 1993, he established the Tanjore Dance, Music & Art Research Centre Public Trust to further preserve traditional compositions and support the genuine growth of Bharatanatyam. He carefully preserved several of his own compositions, including Sankshipt Bhagwat, Radha-nu-Shamnu, Meera Bhajan, Navkar Mantra, Bhukhana Bhujang, Damaru, Eta Irandu Pesum and Madhurashtakam. His work also took him beyond India, with visits and programmes in South Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom, France and several other European countries.
His contribution to Bharatanatyam was recognised through several prestigious honours, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1994, the Gujarat Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Sarang Dev Award, Triveni Award, Sanskar Bharti Award and ITC Award, among others. Vadodara Mahanagar Seva Sadan also honoured his contribution by naming a road “Gurushri Kubernath Tanjorkar Marg.” Although Gurushri Kubernathji is no longer with us, his work continues through the people and institutions he inspired. Today, Tanjore Nritya Shala and Tanjore Dance, Music & Art Research Centre have six branches across Gujarat, continuing the principles he established. His son and disciple Gurushri Ramesh Tanjorkar, daughter-in-law Gurusmt. Leela Tanjorkar, their family and generations of students continue to carry forward his vision, keeping the authentic Tanjore tradition alive and passing it on to the generations ahead.
Gurushri Ramesh Kubernath Tanjorkar is the son and disciple of Gurushri Kubernath Tanjorkar. For him, the bond with his Guru is not only that of a father and son, but also that of a Guru and his first disciple. From an early age, he received rigorous training directly from his father and learnt the art of Bharatanatyam in its complete and traditional form. He became the first disciple to receive the complete knowledge of his father’s artistic tradition, carrying forward the Tanjore Nritya Shailee with the same discipline, purity and dedication.
Born in 1943 in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, and brought up in Vadodara, Gujarat, Gurushri Ramesh Tanjorkar grew up surrounded by music and dance. Coming from a renowned musical family, he began accompanying his elder sister Sindhubala Tanjorkar on rhythm from the age of ten. She was a well-known vocalist in Gujarat and India and was even associated with the legendary singer Mukesh. Rameshji also developed a love for the Sitar and completed his Diploma in Sitar from the Faculty of Performing Arts, M. S. University of Baroda while still in school. After completing his Chartered Accountancy studies, he chose to devote his life to the art he had grown up with, Bharatanatyam.
From childhood, Rameshji trained in Bharatanatyam under his father, Gurushri Kubernath Tanjorkar, and his grandmother Kanthimatiammal. He travelled with his father to numerous performances, accompanying him in Nattuvangam and vocal music and learning by watching, listening and performing. These experiences gave him a deep understanding of every aspect of Bharatanatyam, from rhythm and music to expression and presentation. He was particularly inspired by his father’s unique teaching of Abhinaya, his rhythmic Nattuvangam and his ability to blend Carnatic and Hindustani music. His exposure to institutions such as Kalakshetra, Chennai and the Faculty of Performing Arts, M. S. University of Baroda further shaped his artistic journey.
With this experience, Gurushri Ramesh Tanjorkar established Tanjore Nritya Shala and the Tanjore Dance, Music & Art Research Centre. His approach to teaching goes beyond simply learning steps. He introduced Chatushra Ekam Taal with 16 Matras at the beginner level and simple Abhinaya with dialogues to help children develop expression from an early age. He strongly believes that good classical singing adds depth and beauty to a dancer’s performance and therefore encourages students to develop their musical skills alongside dance. He has remained firmly committed to the pure Tanjore tradition taught by his father, while preserving and sharing his father’s original compositions. With his father’s permission, he also adapted compositions such as Meera Bhajan, Sankshipta Bhagwat, Sankshipta Ramayan and Radhanu Shamnu into group presentations, allowing more students to perform together. In 2007, Gurushri Kubernathji, at the age of 91, created Adum Chidambaramo for the Natyanjali Festival at Chidambaram, which received great appreciation.
Over the years, Gurushri Ramesh Tanjorkar has taken this tradition far beyond Vadodara. His institutions have grown to include branches in Vadodara, Vapi and Silvassa, with more than 500 students and regular Arangetram and annual performances. He has led student groups across India and abroad, including performances at Natyanjali Festivals in Chidambaram, Tanjore, Kumbakonam, Nagapattinam and Tirunallaru in 2007 and 2008. He was invited by the International Dance Council (CID)–UNESCO to perform in Europe and later travelled with his students to Malaysia in 2010, Turkey in 2011, Thailand in 2012, and Romania and Bulgaria in 2013, where his troupe gave six performances across different cities. Through every performance and every student he trains, Gurushri Rameshji continues to fulfil his father’s dream, keeping the authentic Tanjore tradition alive and taking it to audiences around the world.
Gurusmt. Leela Ramesh Tanjorkar was born in 1951 in Trichurapally (Trichy), Tamil Nadu, into a family deeply connected with music and the arts. Music was a natural part of her childhood, and she developed a love for art and performance from an early age. During her school and college years, she actively participated in dramas, musical programmes and cultural events, where her talent and enthusiasm were widely appreciated. Her early experiences on stage became the foundation for her journey as an artist and teacher.
She began her Bharatanatyam training at a very young age in Mayiladuthurai, in the Tanjore district of Tamil Nadu, a region deeply associated with the tradition of Bharatanatyam. She also grew up in a family with a strong musical heritage. Her maternal uncle, T. K. Ramamurthy, was a well-known music director in the South Indian film industry during the 1960s and 1970s, while her maternal granduncle, Shri Raghava Pillai, was a renowned artist and master of the Thavil, a traditional percussion instrument played alongside the Nadaswaram.
After completing her B.Sc., she married Gurushri Ramesh Kubernath Tanjorkar. Her journey in Bharatanatyam continued to grow under the guidance of her father-in-law and Guru, Gurushri Kubernath Tanjorkar. In 1981, following his retirement, Gurushri Kubernathji established Tanjore Nritya Shala and the Tanjore Dance, Music & Art Research Centre with the support of his son, Gurushri Ramesh Tanjorkar. This became an important new chapter in Leelaji’s artistic journey.
From the very beginning, Leelaji became actively involved in the work of the institute. She joined her husband in teaching and promoting Bharatanatyam and played an important role in its performances and activities. She has been a dedicated Taalam accompanist in the institute’s programmes and has contributed greatly to the smooth execution of performances. Her involvement also extends to the day-to-day functioning and development of the various branches of Tanjore Nritya Shala, making her an important part of the institute’s continued journey.
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