Kumbakonam K. Bhanumathi
Kumbakonam K. Bhanumathi | |
|---|---|
| Born | K. Bhanumathi 1922 |
| Died | 2006 (aged 83–84) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Bharatanatyam dancer |
| Awards | Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1973) |
Kumbakonam K. Bhanumathi (1922–2006) was an Indian bharathanatyam dancer from Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. In 1973, she received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Bharatanatyam.
Biography
Kumbakonam K. Bhanumathi was born in 1922 in Kumbakonam in present-day Tamil Nadu, into a family of traditional dancers.[1] She was born in a devadasi (traditional temple dancer) family.[2] Bhanumathi received her training in Bharatanatyam from Papanasam Vadivelu Nattuvanar, and under him she had her arangetram (first stage performance) at the age of ten.[3] Later she studied under Shanmukha Sundaram Nattuvanar[3] and Mylapore Gowri Ammal[4] also.
Bhanumathi died in 2006.[2]
Career
In her early years, Bhanumathi danced with her aunt Varalakshmi, and they were known as the 'Varalakshmi Bhanumati Duet'.[5] But it wasn't long before she turned to her own solo performances and found her own niche in dance.
She danced in many parts of the country, and also in Ceylon for 25 years.[1] In 1938, she played the female lead in the Tamil film Jalaja, which was based on Bharatanatyam.[1][6]
In the early 1930s, Bhanumathi was a fierce rival to Balasaraswathi, another noted dancer of her time.[3] Bhanumathi who studied vocal music from Balasaraswathi's mother, Jayammal, would sing while she danced.[3]
In 1932, E. Krishna Iyer introduced her to an American woman, who liked her dancing and offered her a two-year contract to perform in the United States.[3]
Kumbakonam Varalakshmi and Bhanumathi are two figures who were part of the transformation of Bharatanatyam.[7] The transformation of Bharatanatyam, both before and after independence, saw many changes in the attire of the dancers. This was warmly welcomed by Kumbakonam Bhanumathi, and she began wearing the stitched attire designed by dancer Rukmini Devi Arundale. Meanwhile, dancers like Balasaraswathi advocated for traditional attire.[8]
Awards and honors
Bhanumathi has been honoured by various cultural organisations, including the Tamil Nadu Sangeetha Nataka Sangham. In 1973, she received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Bharatanatyam.[4]
Works on her
In 1993, Sujatha Vijayaraghavan made a documentary on Bhanumathi, as part of her senior fellowship Padavarnam project.[5]
References
- ^ a b c "Kumbakonam K. Bhanumathi" (PDF). www.sangeetnatak.gov.in. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-06-09. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ a b "Information - Snippets - 2023". narthaki.com.
- ^ a b c d e Knight, Douglas M. (2010-06-15). Balasaraswati: Her Art and Life. Wesleyan University Press. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-8195-6906-6.
- ^ a b "K. Bhānumathi". Oxford Reference.
- ^ a b Ramani, V. V. (2017-11-02). "Documentary on Kumbakonam Bhanumathy". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 2020-05-21. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
- ^ Film News Anandan (2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru [Tamil film history and its achievements] (in Tamil). Chennai: Sivagami Publishers. Archived from the original on 25 June 2020.
- ^ Kabilan, Kannalmozhi (10 July 2020). "An unequal art". The New Indian Express.
- ^ Sruthi Magazine. 1998. p. 66.