JOIN USThe renowned institution of art ‘Kalakshithi’, located on Subbarama Chetty Road in Basavanagudi, is all set to celebrate 25 years of its existence.
As a part of its silver jubilee celebration, the school is organising a dance-drama titled ‘Gokula Nirgamana, Vachana Vallari’ and 2 episodes from Ramayana on April 16 and 17 at 5 pm on both the days at JSS Auditorium. The students will be performing the dance-drama and some of the rare Krithi’s will be choreographed by M R Krishna Murthy and his guru Rukmini Devi Arundale.
The school will also honour a few veteran artistes, senior gurus and eminent scholars from Karnataka and Chennai. A special documentary on the school and the guru will also be screened on the occasion. Some of Krishna Murthy’s colleagues who were with him in Kalakshetra in Chennai who will be coming down for the event will be rendering a special performance on the occasion.
The institution has a glorious history. It was in 1991 that M R Krishna Murthy started ‘Kalakshithi’ on the lines of the famed Kalakshetra in Chennai. Endearingly called ‘Kittu Sir’, M R Krishna Murthy gifted Bengaluru a lovingly crafted temple of culture dedicated to his iconoclastic guru Rukmini Devi Arundale.
‘Kalakshithi’ is committed to preserving the tradition of the Pandanallur school of bharathanatyam. Having studied under great teachers like Mylapore Gowriammal and Rukmini ‘Athai’, Kittu sir’s mission is to transmit this hoary tradition to ‘gennext’.
Self effacing, dignified and charming, Kittu sir has had a glorious career first as a performer and then as a teacher. Enrolling at Kalakshetra at the impressionable age of 16, he was tutored by great luminaries like Rukmini Devi, Sharada Hoffman (bharathanatyam), Asan Chandu Pannicker (kathakali), Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai (bharathanatyam), Mysore Vasudevachar (classical Carnatic music) — all stalwarts and perfectionists in their respective art forms. After graduation, it was but natural for him to join his alma mater as a lecturer. In due course, he was elevated to the position of a professor.
Kittu sir has choreographed and directed several ‘Kalakshithi’ productions, notable among them are Panchakanya, Shiva Sthuti, Krishna Deepika, Rukmini Kalyana, Vachana Vallari, Gokula Nirgamana, Akka Mahadevi and Purandara Hasa.
He has been honoured with several awards and notable among them are the Karnataka Kalashri, Natya Tapasvi, Artist of the Year-2000, Sangeeta Sumanalatha Natya Rasa Rishi, Purvankara Prashasthi, Pundara Prashasthi, Doordarshan Chandana Puraskara and The Attendance Rukmini Devi Award. For details, call 26625466.