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Quiety and Surely, Jatinderpal
learns Bharatnatyam
JVR Gopal
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Jatinderpal Singh who has given 250 Bharatnatyam performances
worldwide was profiled by Times of India in their Navi Mumbai
plus edition. Here is the profile. |
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Meet the first
Sikh Bharatnatyam exponent of the country, 46-year-old Jatinderpal
Singh Bansal. A resident of Nerul since 1985, Bansal, currently
heads the dance and music department of
Delhi Public
School, located at NRI Seawoods.
It was when
Bansal watched legendary classical dancer, Yamini Krishnamurthy
perform that the young Sikh at the age of eight decided to take a
journey in classical dance.
“Her performance
made a deep impact on me. It was at that time that I developed an
urge to get into fine arts. Subsequently, it became a life-long
obsession,” recalls Bansal.
However, due to
opposition from his family, it became difficult for Bansal to pursue
his passion. With two sisters elder to him, Bansal was a rather
protected child. When he expressed his desire to learn dance, his
entire family was against him.
For a while,
Bansal did not pursue dance and waited to take it up at the right
time. Finally, at the age of 16, he won a scholarship for extra
curricular activities in junior college. That was when Bansal took
his first step in the field of classical dance.
“Without my
family’s knowledge, I used the scholarship money to enroll in dance
classes at veteran dancer-actor’s Vyjayantimala Natayalaya in Sion”.
But
unfortunately, within three months, the classes closed down, as
Vyjayantimala decided to shift from Mumbai to
Bangalore.
Undaunted by the set back, Bansal approached Guru Mani Kalasudhan in
Sion to continue to learn the dance form.
Eventually,
Bansal had exhausted his scholarship fund. “But my Guru was very
supportive and told me I could pay whenever I could,” informs Bansal.
It was at the age of 20 that Bansal finally broke the news to his
family that he was a dancer.
“It was in 1984
when I was to perform arangetram at Zaver Behn Hall in Matunga. I
needed money for the same. My family was apprehensive about the fact
that dancers are not paid well, but they reluctantly accepted my
choice, as I had another job by then.” By 1990, Bansal decided to
quit his job to shift focus completely only on dance.
“In 1990, I
finally quit and went back to my first love, dancing. Since I learnt
dance with so much hardships and passion, why should I leave it? I
asked myself,” says Bansal. Hence, he went back to learning
Bharatnatyam from Guru Raji Narayanan. “She is a great person and
talented in dance, music and Nattuvangam,” adds Bansal.
Later Bansal
also learnt folk dances from Dr Tushar Guha.
Speaking about
his personal like, Bansal informs that in 1988, he chose to get
married. “Unlike the rest, my wife Amrit Kaur never disagreed about
me being a dancer. She has respected my passion,” he says.
Though, Bansal
also says that none of his family members inherited passion for fine
arts like him. “My daughter learnt dance from me for some time.
Children should not be forced into anything. It does not matter
whether they learn dance or not, it really depends on what they like
to do,” stresses Bansal.
When asked if he
received any criticisms on the religion front? Bansal says, “I am a
devoted Sikh. I made a novel presentation of Shabad, the devotional
Punjabi bhajan on stage at Vishnudas Bhave Auditorium, keeping its
religious sanctity intact. It was very well received by my
community,” adds Bansal, who practices Yoga everyday.
Till date,
Bansal has made about 200-250 performances at various places,
including one at
California, USA.
Bansal is now looking forward to his trip to
London,
where he will be performing at the London-based Nehru Centre.
His notable
achievement, he says, will be the ‘Best Dancer’ award he received at
the Sixth Bharatam Festival in 1999, organised by Tyaga Brahma Gana
Sabha in Chennai. Besides this, he says that the most memorable
moment of his life was when he performed at Vani Mahal, Chennai in
1995.
“It was a dream
come true for me. I did not realise that my idol Yamani
Krishnamurthy, was in the audience. I was very pleased when she
later felicitated me,” he informs, recalling the day.
Bansal has also
received similar accolades from Sitara Devi in Mumbai. “Dance is a
form of rhythm and harmony. It involves discipline, hardwork,
dedication and humility. Thus, it is closest to nature. Hence, a
dancer has the potential to understand every aspect of life,” says
Bansal, summing up.
Courtesy: Times
of India,
Navi Mumbai Plus
23 December 2008
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