Architect of artistic revival

Varnam is colour. In the Bharatanatyam repertoire, Varnam forms the main component and the central piece where all techniques and tools of the form are utilised to narrate stories behind a feeling. Each idea is elaborated by the dancer and each idea gets framed in a pure dance sequence called jathi korvai or theermanam. This is also the dance of the longest duration in a set repertoire with all the elements of dance like Nritta or pure dance, Natya or dramatization, elaboration through sanchari or journeying through anecdotes to explore an emotion and storytelling through the charanams, short verses, all framed in between pure dance choreography. Nritya is a combination of pure dance movements and facial depiction of emotions with hand gestures at the same time.

‘I know the power of light, and therefore the power of colour.’: G.S. Arundale

G. S. Arundale looked at the universe as a colour scheme. He marvelled at the way Rukmini was blossoming under all this learning as the explosion of colours of light. The couple who had earlier witnessed the fiercer hues of the colours of discord that had been raised on their marriage, now saw them mellow into splendid shades of love. Marriage to George Arundale opened up a colourful new horizon to Rukmini Devi, just as a Varnam opens up new possibilities in Bharatanatyam.

Rukmini Devi got to travel around the world with her husband. He wanted her to learn to appreciate all the arts, including western music and dance. She tried slowly to enjoy the harmony in a symphony orchestra which was so different from the sruti (pitch)- based Carnatic music. Some she liked, while some she did not. She was reacting intuitively to all these experiences. The Theosophical society had made her the president of the Young Theosophists Movement that had just been founded. Among the tasks given to her was its propagation.

Rukmini Devi had shown no interest in dance while growing up but when she was taken to a performance of ballet by Anna Pavlova in London’s Covent Garden in 1924, she woke up to the beauty of dance. G.S. Arundale had described Pavlova’s dance to Rukmini Devi earlier. ‘So very delicate like a bird, that she could leap into the air, stop for a few seconds and come down to earth’. Rukmini Devi imagined Pavlova to be a human fairy and could not wait to see her. When she did finally, she felt overpowered by the beauty of the dance. It was the first western art form that she could respond to immediately. Anna Pavlova had danced Swan Lake, the story of a princess who had been cursed to become a bird. A second piece, ‘Autumn Leaves’ composed by Pavlova herself was portrayed very beautifully. She was light on her feet and moved and twirled like leaves falling from a tree. Graceful and delicate, she seemed like a bird in a cage when she leaped. There was an emotional intensity and a sense of urgency that Rukmini Devi sensed in Pavlova’s dance. It was as though Pavlova was exploring the realm of movement making it broad in texture just as a painter explores a range of colours while painting the shades and the dynamic values of each colour.

Rukmini Devi learned that Pavlova’s passion for the art of ballet was ignited very early when her mother took her to a performance of Marius Petipa’s original production of The Sleeping Beauty at the Imperial Marinsky Theatre. When she was nine, she auditioned for the renowned Imperial Ballet School, but she was rejected as too young and a bit ‘sickly’. Not one to give up easily, she auditioned again the following year and was accepted.

Anna Pavlova’s severely arched feet, thin ankles, and long limbs clashed with the small, compact body favoured for the ballerina of the time. Her fellow students taunted her with such nicknames as ‘The Broom’ and ‘La Petite Sauvage’ (The Little Savage). Undeterred, Pavlova trained to improve her technique. She tirelessly practiced every new step and move she learnt.

Graduating in 1899 at age 18 from the Imperial Ballet School, with many roles with the principal company in her final year, Anna Pavlova rose through the ranks quickly and became renowned for her solo of ‘The Dying Swan’. She was also known for improvisation, a rarity in classical ballet. While performing The Dragonfly, Pavlova wore a gossamer gown with large wings shaped like those of dragonfly fixed to the back.

Soon, Pavlova formed her own company performing throughout the world, with a repertoire of specially choreographed pieces for herself. She was the first ballerina to tour the world to popularise ballet in places where it was not yet known.

Rukmini Devi had multiple opportunities to watch Anna Pavlova, and their paths crossed many times as both women toured the world for different reasons. In 1923, Anna Pavlova performed in Bombay. George Arundale and Rukmini were in Indore. Rukmini Devi was very sad she might not be able to attend this performance as the Arundales had travelled to Varanasi for a Theosophical convention. Rukmini Devi became impatient and eager to see the convention end as the last day of Pavlova’s performance in Bombay was on 31 December. J. Krishnamurthi, who was presiding over the convention was amused and irritated that such a great deal of fuss was being made over a dancer who he thought was passe. Rukmini Devi retorted that it was his opinion not hers. Rukmini’s stubborn nature came to the fore. Finally, George Arundale decided to go with Rukmini Devi to Bombay to see Anna Pavlova’s dance.

At Annie Besant’s behest, in 1929, Rukmini Devi and George Arundale were sent on an extended tour to Singapore, Java and Australia to reach out to the wider world. To Rukmini Devi’s delight, Pavlova was on a dance tour of Australia at the same time. Rukmini Devi took young theosophists along and attended every performance there.

When they went from Australia to New Zealand, Rafael Kubelik the famous violinist, was travelling on the boat. Everybody was dancing but he stood in a corner and looked at Rukmini Devi fixedly. Finally, he summoned up the courage to come over and ask her to dance with him. She told him she did not know how to dance and asked him, ‘Do you?’

He said, ‘No.’

So, she said, ‘Then it’s no use trying.’

His wife was a member of the Theosophical Society and they had both been to Adyar. ‘For such a wellknown artiste he was strangely childlike,’ said Rukmini Devi later.

Later, Anna Pavlova and the Arundales travelled to Europe on the same ship and were placed strategically in cabins across from each other. Pavlova was very affectionate towards Rukmini Devi who noticed that Pavlova moved naturally like a dancer even while doing everyday chores, and was almost fairy-like. Pavlova had brought hundreds of pet birds along with her. Her group swam and then practiced dance in their swim suits. Rukmini Devi delighted in watching the rehearsals and the birds. She also struck up a warm friendship with Cleo Nordi, a lead dancer in Pavlova’s group.

(Excerpted with permission from VR Devika’s ‘Rukmini Devi Arundale’; published by Niyogi Books)