Guru Chandrasekharan (1916–1998) was an Indian classical dancer, and choreographer in Kathakali, who was born at Trivandrum, India during 1916. His father was artist N.K. Nair (Kunju Krishna Kurup), a notable oil painter.
He was a renowned Professor of Kathakali Dance at the Visva Bharati University (Santiniketan) during 1947-50.
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Born at Trivandrum, Kerala, in 1916. His father was N.K. Nair (Kunju Krishna Kurup), a great artist and notable oil painter.
While studying in the university he started practicing dance without informing his parents and studied Kathakali dance under the guidance of Guru Gopinath. During that period Gopinath received Royal Patronage from Travncore palace and a dance school named “Sri. Chithrodaya Nartha Kalalayam was established by the Travancore Government at Poojappura. Chandrasekharan was a student of that school.
After some time Chandrasekharan practiced Kathakali under Nedumudi Narayana Kurup who was also a Palace Artist. Later he organized his own troup and conducted performances in important cities all over India. During that period social themes were rarely used in the classical Indian dances.
He has directed and choreographed several social themes in dance form. In 1943 on an invitation from the Government he took his troupe to Alexandria (Egypt), Middle East and Italy for military entertainment as the Indian Army was engaged in the World War II. At the close of the war in 1946 he was again invited to go for a Middle East tour, but that tour ended at Jaffna, in Cylon.
He served as a dance professor at Santiniketan, West Bengal, a member of the Kerala University Senate, Board of director Kerala Kalamandalam, Advisory Committee member Malayalam Encyclopedia, Director, Jawahar Balabhavan and a visiting dance professor and Chairman,Board of Examination, Swathy Thirunal College of Music.
In the late forties he composed and played the 'Voice of Travancore', a political theme in dance form about the autocratic rule of the Dewan Sir. C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer and people's movement of resistance thereon. However C.P. was an admirer of Chandrasekharan's dance performance and every year he use to arrange his dance programs at his official residence . He had received his highest honour when he was praised in the report published by the All India Educational Conference held in Trivandrum in 1946.
The Report Says:-"The Nataraja Thandava was presented in a remarkable manner by Chandrasekharan . When he presented the Hunter Dance his joy of being the monarch of all he surveyed in the forest was vividly perceivable. He aroused the tragic sentiments to a remarkable extent while he was experiencing suicidal agony as he was bitten by a snake. As he entered the 'Ardhanareeswara', here the body was responding to a double call of vigour and grace. It was perhaps more than what an Udayasankar could do". His another composition is "Polinja Deepam" (The light that failed) depicting the sad end of Mahatma Gandhi, which he played in 1948.
In 1949 he joined the Viswabharati University (Santiniketan) as a Professor of Kathakali Dance. During this period he composed and played Rebindranath Tagores famous dance dramas, 'Chithrangada', 'Chandalika' etc. in various cities of North India including New Delhi and Calcutta. In Viswabharathi, he had the opportunity to get acquainted with various dance forms including those from Kandi, Bali, Burmese etc. During this period in Santhiniketan he got acquainted with Prof. Humayun Kabir, Zakir Hussain (Former President of India) who were then frequent visitors of Santhinikethan. These great men were all praise for the young dancer: about him " Chandrasekharan has great expressiveness and was able to communicate shades of feeling with subtlety and power. His sense of rhythm and dramatic interpretation marks him out as an artist of distinction"
Sri. S.K. George, a Gandhian disciple and a former Director of Deenabandhu Bhavan, Santiniketan said about him "Sri Chandrasekharan was one of the best teachers of the Art that Santiniketan has had and did much to rouse interest in its study among students from various parts of the country. He delighted visitors to Santiniketan from all parts of the world during his stay there by the finished technique of his art and has received glowing testimonials from many of them, including delegates to the World Pacifist meeting. In Gurudev's dance dramas like 'Chandalika', 'Chitrangata' and 'Syama' presented in Santiniketan and outside, he took the leading parts".
After couple of years he came back from Viswabharathi and started his own school at Trivandrum in the name Prathbha Nrithakala Kendra and trained several students in Kerala .During 1954, he performed Thilakkunna Mannu" (Simmering Sand)which had a social theme advocating agrarian revolution. It received wide acclamation from celebrated persons like President Rajendra Prasad and Dr. Radhakrishnan .
Chandrasekharan’s crative contribution include such compositions as Voice of Travancore', 'Manishada,'Siva Thandavam'. ‘Ganesh Nritham’ ‘Ardhanareeswara’, ‘Surya Nritham’, ‘Geethopadesam’, ‘Kalidasa’s ‘Kumara Sambhavam’, ‘Sakunthalam’, Kumaran Asan's ‘Chandala Bhikshuki’, ‘Vallathol’s ‘Magdalana Maria’, ‘Guruvum Sishyanum, Vayalar's ‘Ayisha’, Changampuzha’s Ramanan and ‘Markandeyan’ ‘Mohini Rugmangada’, ‘Savithri’, ‘Dakshayagom’, ‘Ekalavyan’, ‘Chilappadikaram’, Greek story ‘Pigmalin’, Chinese story ‘Fisherman's Revenge’, Japanese story ‘Esashiyuvo’ (Prapidiyan Pathalathil), Bible story ‘Salomi’ and a lot more. He successfully composed and performed. Several balets such as 'Sri. Guruvayurappan', 'Kumara Sambhavam', 'Sri Ayyappan', 'Hrishya Sringan', and ‘Sri Hanuman’ .
He had produced another ballet named "Himavante Makkal" ( Son of the Himalaya) in 1964 on the background of the history of India, which concluded with the Chinese attack on India . After seeing it V.V.Giri, then Governor of Kerala, was so happy that he invited Chandrasekharan to Raj Bhavan and offered him some special awards. Here is an extract from his complimentary remarks;
[I am delighted to witness a performance a dance drama based on National Integration presented by Pratibha Nrithakala Kendra, Trivandrum, and directed by the famous and distinguished Dancer Chandrasekharan.This play describes the various periods through which we have passed from Vedic period up to the present day.It is a most thought provoking play and one who attends this function will feel enthused and inspired and would strengthen his spirit of patriotism and love of sacrifice for his country
In 1965 Chandrasekharan composed an Opera which was the first of its kind in Malayalam as well as in any other Indian language. The opera was based on the Mahabharatha character Karnan. Chandrasekharan himself played the role of Karna while nearly hundred others took part in it, which was presented in Trivandrum for more than couple of months. This opera was produced by Kala Nilayam Theatres . After a while Chandrasekharan started his own a permanent opera stage in Kerala at Trivandrum and produced another opera entitled "Bhishmar" the Mahabharata hero which was an artistic success, but financially a flop, which forced him to withdraw from the scene partly. However, he continued his activities till 1980.
At a public meeting in connection with his "Shashtibdapurthi" (60th birthday) at Hassan Marrikar Hall, Trivandrum, under the Chairmanship of Prof. Ayappa Panicker, he was conferred the title of "Guru" by the Public of Trivandrum. He was honoured with an Award by Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy in 1976 . Chandrasekharan had written several articles and periodicals about various dance forms of India. His book on bharathanatyam" Natiya Nirishanam “is a masterpiece which is culmination of a research work done by him with a Fellowship Award from the Government of India..He was also a good oil painter and received an award from Government of Kerala for his art work in 1973.
Chandrasekharan married Mohanavally Amma of Kalappurakkal family, Alangad North Paravur and daughter of V.K Gopala Panicker, Asst. Superintendent of Police in former Travancore State. Due to his bitter experiences in the field of art he did not encourage his children to accept dance as a profession. His elder son, Santhikumar, a Food Technologist settled in Canada and younger son, Krishna Kumar, an officer in the Sports Authority of India. Among his two daughters Ragini is no more and his youngest daughter Renuka was a film artist and acted in different south Indian movies and now conducting dance classes for children at Thiruvananthapuram ,Kerala ,India.
At the age of 82 he died on 5 August 1998.
Poet Harindranth Chatopadhyaya wrote to him on 21.2. 1952.
"Courage is this that single willed unaided lone you build and build which shows you have the spirits pluck so from the heart I wish you luck."