My mother is fondly addressed as ‘Teacher’ by most; regardless whether students, employees or acquaintances. Over the last 5 decades, she has nurtured thousands of students. I’m always gobsmacked when her students celebrate Mother’s Day more vehemently compared to Teacher’s Day. Even with all the harsh ego-hammering chastisements, they are still able to feel her motherly affection.
But for me, it’s the other way around. I have great reverence to her as a Teacher (Guru). I’m always magnetized by her aptitude and mastery in teaching dance. She can go on and on by teaching for long hours with meraki. Teaching dance can be different from teaching an academic subject. A student can always seek for a tuition teacher if one is weak in a certain subject in school. However, in Indian classical dance, it’s beyond a mere ‘teach-the-body-to-move’ process. The guru makes farther dominance in heart, mind and soul of a disciple. It is the guru who not only shares with you stories from Puranas, but also teaches you to express in the dance form and guides you to merge as one with the divine character. The guru ameliorates you by guiding you on a metanoia journey.
And I’m blessed to have a dance guru who so happen to be my mother!
abunDANCE of LOVE with her guiDANCE,
Kamini Manikam
