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| Kalakshetra fame Krishnaveni Lakshmanan passes away By Aruna. S / Chennai |   | |||
 Senior Kalakshetra dancer Krishnaveni Lakshmanan passed away on August 29, 2004 in Chennai. She was 62 and died of cancer.
ABHAI, the Association of Bharatanatyam Artistes of India organised a condolence meeting on September 5, 2004, at Narada Gana Sabha's mini hall, Chennai. Dance gurus M.V. Narasimhachari, V.P. Dhananjayan, Padma Subrahmanyam, Savitri Jagannatha Rao, Sundari (of Kalakshetra), Prof. Sudharani Raghupathy and Prof. C.V. Chandrashekar paid their tributes and shared anecdotes. There was also a video screening of Krishnaveni Lakshmanan's yester-year dance performances. A direct disciple of Rukmini Devi Arundale, Krishnaveni also trained under S. Sarada, Sarada Hoffman and N.S. Jayalakshmi of Kalakshetra. As one of the star performers of Kalakshetra, Krishnaveni played the lead roles in Kalakshetra dance dramas - as Sita in the six-part 'Ramayanam', Usha in 'Usha Parinayam', Andal in 'Andal Charithram, Radha in 'Gita Govindam', Rukmini in 'Rukmini Kalyanam' and Vasantavalli in 'Kutrala Kuravanji' among others. Many of the lead characters of Kalakshetra's dance dramas were choreographed on her by Rukmini Devi. A B.A. music degree holder as well, Krishnaveni has had 50 years of association with Kalakshetra. She was Principal of Kalakshetra Foundation from 1997 to 2000. The veteran dancer has also choreographed 20 dance dramas with her performing group 'Krishnanjali'. Widely travelled she was a recipient of prestigious awards like the UNESCO medal, Sangeet Natak Akademi award, Kalaimamani, Nrithya Choodamani and the Rukmini Devi medal among others. Krishnaveni is survived by her dancer-daughter Gayathri Balagurunathan son-in-law Balagurunathan, son Murali and grand children. Says A. Janardhanan, former Principal, Kalakshetra, "The passing away of Krishnaveni is a great loss to the world of fine arts. Though she is younger to me by age, she was my senior at Kalakshetra and I have always admired her as an artiste and as a person. We have danced together on stage for almost 35 years. I took over as Principal of Kalakshetra after her and we have worked together on so many occasions. I pray for her family." Senior alumnus of Kalakshetra and dance guru C.V. Chandrashekar says, " Krishnaveni was one of the greatest artistes I've known. She started training at Kalakshetra when she was five. She lived in the campus, learnt, danced and taught there...Right from the begining, she was one of the pillars of the Kalakshetra dance dramas. Some of the characters she portrayed, like Sita, were so vivid, that it is difficult for anybody to replace the roles she played. Not only as a performer, but she also excelled as a choreographer and teacher. I wish her daughter Gayatri continues to keep up the tradition." Says dance guru Prof. Sudharani Raghupathy, "My association with Krishnaveni has been since 1955. We've had a long friendship. She was a perfect and sensitive dancer. She lived her roles in the Kalakshetra dance dramas. And even as an individual dancer, it was a pleasure to watch her perform. Her husband S. Lakshmanan alongwith Pakkiriswamy Pillai was one of the founders of the Association of Bharatanatyam Artistes of India(ABHAI). We have worked together, when he was the Secretary, and I was the President of ABHAI. Krishnaveni's demise is a great loss." Dance guru and President of the Association of Bharatanatyam Artistes of India (ABHAI), M.V. Narasimhachari says, "When I first entered Kalakshetra, there were two things that attracted me. One was M.D. Ramanathan's music which I first heard when I entered the campus and the next was Krishnaveni's dancing. As I saw her practising in class, I felt she was the best dancer in the whole world! Ever since I've been an admirer of her dance. After athai, it is Krishnaveni for whom I have the highest regards. Besides her perfect postures, adavus and the devotion she had for dance, it is her extraordinary memory that is amazing. Till date, she remembered all the choreographic works of Rukmini Devi. She was also a wonderful person and will continue to live in the memories of the people who knew her and art connoiseurs..." You can contact Krishnaveni Lakshmanan's family at 21/49, Kamarajar Salai, Lakshmipuram, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai-600 041. Ph: 044-24911705, If you knew Krishnaveni Lakshmanan, you can share ancedotes with us. You can also mail condolence messages. Mail us at editor@kutcheribuzz.com Your message will be posted here. Here are the messages we received at KutcheriBuzz: Senior dance guru V.P.Dhananjayan, stage partner for Krishnaveni Lakshmanan for almost two decades shares ancedotes here...
Krishnaveni is one of the finest Bharatanaatyam artistes passing out of Kalakshetra. Though she has not been given the due recognition either by the Government or other cultural organizations in India, no one can deny the fact that she deserved all high pedestals for her merit in the Bharatanatyam field.
Probably she is one of the very few real artistes- in the true sense of the word ‘artiste’ - with all required qualities for a real Bharatanatyam dancer. Music, literature, theoretical knowledge, choreographic skills, excellence in teaching and above all super memory power. No wonder Rukmini Devi kept her as her close lieutenant.
Krishnaveni's passing away is a great loss to the art world.
My wife Shanta and Krishnaveni had their arangetram together in Kalakshetra on 13 January 1960. Both of them celebrated their 40th anniversary of arangetram on 13 Jan 2000 at the Besant Nagar Pillayar koil. A packed connoisseur audience watched them awe struck.
They performed the same vintage items danced 40 years ago, with the same co-ordination and vigor.
I can boldly proclaim that no one today in the field can match Krishnaveni’s sensitive Abhinaya. I have played her hero on stage from 1955 onwards and people still talk of our Raama and Sita combination, which made the Ramayana series of Kalakshetra an immortal production.
Just before we left for the US on June 4, this year, few of us classmates had a sudden get together (Savitri Rao, Kala Rao, Ambika Buch, Krishnaveni, Shanta and Dhananjayan) and we went to the Mayajal Game Park; we spent an hour in the Varaheswarar temple near Uthandi and talked about our days in Kalakshetra. Even then Krishnaveni expressed her feeling of how she enjoyed playing the role of Sita with me as Raama.
Krishnaveni was our true Sakhi - a go between Shanta and me, during our courtship days. We are still not out of this shock, which awaited our arrival on 29 Aug. Our bondage was much beyond just being colleagues...
V.P.Dhananjayan
I have studied with Krishnaveni since 1990 and over the years, was honored by a very special guru disciple relationship with her. After studying in India with her, she came yearly to Italy to teach me and hold workshops for my students here.
I cherish the hours we spent alone together in the dance studio, the precious dance repertory she yearly brought to me, the stories she told, unfolding the deep, rich significance of the dances. She demanded discipline and perfection and always had an air of nobility in whatever she did.
She was a patient devoted teacher and her passing is a great personal and professional loss for me. I feel that losing Krishnaveni is like losing those rare, grand beautiful beings who can never be replaced...
Maresa Moglia, Italy
It is with great sadness that I write this message having just read about Krishnveni-akka's sad demise. She was an artiste of the highest calibre and an inspiration to many of us at Kalakshetra, I being one of them.
It is, indeed, a rarity for one to attain the combination of being a great artiste, an excellent performer and a dedicated and good teacher. Krishnaveni-akka was one such and her memory will always remain and be cherished by those who had the priveilege to have known her, especially at Kalakshetra.
I pray to the Almighty to grant peace to the departed soul and strength to her bereaved daughter (Gayathri) and son (Murali) and their families to tide over this difficult time.
Apsara Ram Gopal
I might have known her for a very short period of a time but that time was good enough for me to know how lovely and givingly she was as a person. A strict teacher but a lovely mother. May her divine and lovely soul rest in peace.
Om Shanti.
Violin Achyuthan Sashidaran Nair
It did take quite some time to sink in after I read the news time and again in the newsletter.Then it took quite a while to muster courage and call her family. But Gayathri and Murali both sounded very composed. May be because they had seen her suffer. Gayathri told me that Krishnaveni akka's last few days were very peaceful which consoled me a bit.
My visits to Chennai were not very frequent after I had left Kalakshetra. But whenever I was there I used to call her and visit her. I remember, once I had also visited her in Ahmedabad when Gayathri was working there. I had carried some of my performance pictures, brochures and press releases to show her. She went through it all very patiently and I could read the joy on her face. Those moments are something so special to me.
Some of the best years of my life were spent at Kalakshetra. And Krishnaveni akka always amazed all of us by her excellent memory. She remembered each and every bit of Athai's choreography, be it the varnams, keertanams or tillanas or any character of any dance-drama produced by Athai. I also had an opportunity to be a part of her dance drama production 'Bhakta Jayadeva' while I was doing my PG. It was wonderful to see her choreograph and just watching her during the practice sessions was a great learning experience.
I know akka's passing away has been a great loss to the world of Dance but more for those who have shared some very special moments and years of their lives with her.
With deep sorrow within and beyond,
Tripti Bhupen,
We have lost a great artiste. She has been a inspiration to all the dancers all over the world .My condolences to her students and her familiy.
Indira Manikam,
The last I remember Krishnaveni akka was on the last day of the Abhai summer workshop at Padu akka's house and how gently and clearly she spoke about the karanas. She always had a smiling face and gentle word for me and I will surely miss her a lot in our common gatherings. My guru Lakshman Sir especially had a very high regard for her and will always mention her in his talks as a very sincere and dedicated artiste. We will all miss her a lot. Our hearfelt condolences to Gayatri, Bala and family.
Roja & Meena
It is so sad that we have lost a wonderful idol, our dear darling Krishnaveni teacher. She was our Principal when we were in Kalakshetra. She lived what she preached and that was one of her best qualities, that I always admired. She was not just a good dancer, she was a wonderful person too and it automatically reflected in her face. The serenity that she bore was tremondous. I was unlucky to see Aththai, but I thank God that I was lucky to be with Krishnaveni teacher. She taught us the famous 'Padari Varugudhu' padam. How she would encourage us and instigate us!!! I have absolutely no words... Her voyage to heaven has left many of us in tears.
Dwaritha Viswanatha
Through Maresa Moglia and her Natana Vedica Dance School we met Krishnaveni and could benefit from her yearly classes in Siena since 1992.
We greatly appreciated her classes, even though we were aware that we couldn't reach the high level standards that she used to set as a goal.
Thank-you Krishnaveni for your kindness, we're sure that you understood our dedication!
Monica Gallarate and all the many other students | ||||