On the eve of Republic Day, the much coveted Padma Awards are announced. Artistes wait with bated breath to get the news. Some know much in advance, by aakash vani. Buzz in the air. In India, nothing can remain hidden! Bharat Ratna is rarely given to dancers, not one has received till date.
On the eve of Republic Day 2026, those who missed Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam's solo act on Bhagavad Gita - done for Drishti's 21st Dance Festival in Bangalore - missed out on one of the last greats of classical dance, in an all-time high performance that was punctuated by economy of movements, minimal need to impress and a talent so vast that no words are enough. Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam is not a human, she is an ocean of art.
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Very well described as usual! What Padukka is to dance is what Ashish Khokar is to words ! The way he narrates, one can visualise the entire event in the mind's eye..
ReplyDeleteIt was a treat to read !The article reflects a deep respect for Indian classical dance and successfully captures the grandeur and spiritual depth of the performance.
ReplyDeleteThe writer Ashish Mohan Khokar’s language is clear and expressive, making the reader feel present at the event!
Rashmi Singh
Bangalore
ReplyDeleteReally loved reading the article on Padukka — so heartfelt and absolutely on point. I feel especially blessed to have pursued my Master’s under her guidance at SASTRA University.
Ashish Khokar’s article prompts a necessary reflection on how we value knowledge in this country. By foregrounding Dr Padma Subrahmanyam’s life and work, he makes a quiet but firm case for recognising dancers as national intellectuals, not just performers. Her scholarship rooted in the Nāṭyaśāstra, her formulation of Bharatanrityam, and her insistence on academic rigour position dance as a disciplined system of knowledge.
ReplyDeleteThis argument resonates strongly with the spirit of NEP 2020, which calls for the integration of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) into mainstream education and research. Dr Subrahmanyam’s work exemplifies this integration in practice, where tradition is not frozen but examined, reinterpreted, and transmitted with scholarly responsibility.
Seen through this lens, the appeal to consider dancers like Dr Padma Subrahmanyam for honours such as the Bharat Ratna is not symbolic. It aligns with a contemporary educational vision that acknowledges embodied knowledge, cultural research, and civilisational continuity as forms of national service.
What an inspiration! It was a brilliant show. Missed meeting you Ashish anna. Wonderfully worded
ReplyDeleteIndeed my life has been poor as I did not know about this great artist until I read your article.tremendous respect for you.She should have been given a Bharat Ratna and it is true that South India Is the the hub of culture
ReplyDeleteBeautifully written article that captures the magic of Padma in a heartfelt manner. As a life long rasika of Paddu akka, it was a pleasure to read Mr. Ashish’s words give life to our love for akka and her art.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely padma akka deserves the highest award. It is more of honour to the award than to the recipient
ReplyDeleteअत्यन्त मार्मिक लेखन. दृश्यमान नृत्य की पर्तों को शब्दशः खोलता हुआ. निश्चय ही पादु अक्का ने वह स्थान अर्जित किया है जहां कुछ और अर्जित करना शेष नहीं रह जाता. यों भी हम जिस कालखण्ड में जी रहे हैं उसमें पुरस्कारों और सम्मानों तक पहुंच के गलियारे अत्यन्त दूषित हो चुके हैं. राजीव झा तथा कतिपय अन्य पाठकों ने इस सन्दर्भ में अपने मन्तव्य दिए ही हैं यहां. आशीष जी आपको पढ़ना सुःखद होता है हमेशा ही. विविध नृत्यों की छटा स्वयं में समेटे भारत का दक्षिणी प्रान्त अवश्य ही संस्कृतिधानी होने का अभिमान वहन कर सकता है. कथक को इंगित किया जाये अथवा नहीं, वह सर्वव्यापी रहा है...... शुभमस्तु.
ReplyDeleteचेतना ज्योतिषी ब्योहार
DeleteShe is a complete artiste because she knows the 3S's inside out: Shastras, Sangeet and Sahitya.(So true)
ReplyDeletePaddy Akka has been blessed with grace, talent and craft of dancing . I am yet to see some one creating so many lines on face at the same time.
Exceptionally well written article about an exceptional once-in-a-lifetime artist, a Yugasthree. As the French would say, Paddukka is a non-pareil and can only be emulated but never imitated.
ReplyDeleteThat was my comment above.
ReplyDeleteReally well written Ashish!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant!
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ReplyDeleteBrilliant review about the iconic Bharatanatyam artiste Dr. Padmas Subrahmanyan. I had the privilege of watching her many a time. A Bharatanatyam artiste in the true sense as you said. Extensive research on Bharata Shastra with the blessings & guidance of Kanchi Mahaswami. An ardent devotee of Kanchi Mahaswami as he has designed all the 108 Karanas of the famous Nataraja temple at Satara, Maharashtra.She always said his blessings was her inspiration. She deserves Bharat Ratna the highest award of our country. A living legend .
ReplyDeleteVery beautifully written and very accurate about the chowdaiah hall i completely agree with it they should do something about those chairs
ReplyDeleteThis article is so beautifully written that we can see through the artist without even looking at them and Ashish khokhar ji is such an amazing writer for that matter. Very honest and very talented huge respect for him🙏 I really loved the part where it's mentioned about the chairs of chowdaiah hall as an artists biggest struggle is to arrange auditoriums for the performances and when they charge so high it's difficult for the artist to afford it and after charging so high they still don't provide good service like uncomfortable chairs. Very impressive article🙏
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful article about dance and the legendary dancer Padma subramanian ma'am .
ReplyDeleteA masterpiece of an article! Ashish khokar Ji dances with words as he describes the attributes of dance legends! Deep understanding beyond what meets the eye. Indeed rare and delightfully refreshing.
ReplyDeleteDuring my time at Shreeram Bhartiya Kala Kendra, my guru, Nandini ji, would often share stories of Guru Padma ji’s remarkable performances. I was fortunate to witness her live as well. Reading about her today 🙏 brought back such fond memories. Loved the article! 🌸
ReplyDeleteBeautifully worded review Ashish ji. You have shown how a complete artiste, soaked in shastra and prayoga never ages. Everytime I witness this production, a new perspective of the values of Bhagvadgeeta is revealed. I always felt Padhukka made us realise that she is Krishna and we are the doubting Arjuna. Your words bring alive the performance . Thank you
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