The Dance of Tantra and a Satguru

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This book is delving upon the spiritual aspects of dance with an added dimension of looking into the lives of great incarnation- Masters like Mahaperiyava, Ramana Maharshi, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Shridi Saibaba. It speaks about the dancing Leela played by a Satguru to bring about positive change in devotees lives and the world. It peels off layers to discover the supreme connect of the art to the highest realms.

Acclaimed artiste of Bharatanatyam and researcher Dr. Padmaja has been trained by prominent Gurus, Guru K. Kalyanasundaram and Father Sri Chakyar Rajan, She holds degrees in Commerce, Law. Diploma in choreography, a Masters in Philosophy, and doctorate from Mysore University. She presently has a senior fellowship from the Ministry of Culture. She has performed at major dance festivals widely and was honoured at Rashtrapati Bhavan by Dr Kalam for her efforts to teach lesser privileged children. Padmaja has represented the ICCR besides extensive concert tours to over 32 nations. Her institution Aatmalaya academy conducts workshops also at rural India and hosts annual festivals. of repute.

Padmaja is an examiner, module contributor, dance coluunnist, and author whose books deal with the esoteric study of dance. She has published in high impact journals like Springer and others. Her dance productions include Ritu Sringara, Navadarshanam, Ekam Sat, Bindu, Hreem. Shivoham, and others She had presented a TV serial Natya Tantra. She has participated at international conferences like World Sanskrit, and Parliament of Religions and was at the Sangeet Natak Academy's Natya Shastra seminar and Chennai's Natya Kala conference. Dr Padmaja is Asst Prof, Bharatanatyam department, University of Silicon Andhra, and a guest faculty at a few other institutions

Titles and Awards-Karnataka Kalashri and Stree Shakti, Karamveer Chakra, Rex Global Fellow, Bharatakala Sreshtha, Nartana Nipuna, Singara Mani, National Women's Excellence, Subramarah Trust award, Ajantha Vishwakalaratna and others.

I have had the opportunity to write many Forewords. Each is a challenge, in its own way. The challenges arise from the subject of the book; the depth and breadth of coverage; settled and unresolved issues; the author's perspective: language, etc. Dr. Padmaja's book is a more complex challenge for the following and similar reasons. One, the title itself is innovative and unusual. It links Natya, Tantra and Satgurus. Of these three, most of us know a bit more about Natya; much less about Tantra; and, perhaps, even less about spiritual aspects propounded by Gurus. That very difficulty makes this a very valuable and welcome book. Second, Dr. Padmaja has done extensive research into all the three aspects. Chronologically, she began with Natya, like most dancers. But, to her credit, she did not stop there. She entered into the realm of Tantra. The vast majority of dancers and dance gurus stop with Natya. Nothing wrong in it. They become great dancers and train many younger dancers. But, to enrich dance with closely related expertise is a greater contribution. Having a foundation in Natya, and then studying Tantra, Dr. Padmaja was led to see the inter-disciplinary connections and implications for each other. Third, Dr. Padmaja has gone deep into the original text of Bharata's Natya Sastra. To understand Bharata better, she has pored over Abhinava Gupta's translation and commentary. Fourth, to this Samanya version, she has added the Guhya Tattva, or latent principles from Abhinava's Tantraloka. Fifth, she has imbibed rich learning for leading gurus, in different fields dance; philosophy; tantra; bhakti; and spirituality. This must have been challenging even for an expert like Dr. Padmaja. Naturally, much more so for us, the lay readers and beneficiaries of her endeavours!

Apara Karuna Sindhum Jnanatam Santa Rupinam Sri Satgurum Pranamami Mudanvaham

As we read the texts on dance, we get an idea of the theoretical basis of our traditional arts and owe our allegiance to the great sages and scholars who have shaped it to a pristine form. The Samanya version that is common. gives us the word to word meaning. The Guhya Tattva or hidden meaning comes to our minds with a subject like Tantra in the background. It gives us a contemplative interpretation of Bharata's text and the art of dance, building its resilience that stood up since ages and reiterating the relevance that can be established, even to this day.

I owe the highest to the venerable Guru, who has instilled, shaped and established dance as the most important part of my life- Natyacarya Guru K. Kalyanasundaram of Sri Rajarajeshwari Bharatanatya Kalamandir. Guru Kalamandalam Rajalakshmi had initiated me at a tender age, Guru Mahalingam Pillai, Guru Kalanidhi Narayanan, Guru Kadirvelu and Guru Maya Rao are other illustrious souls who have imparted valuable lessons. My Phd guide, Prof. V.N. Sheshagiri Rao; I thank for giving ample freedom to explore several areas of philosophy and sowing the seeds of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa's Tantric thought. I am ever grateful to Gurus under whom, some important aspects were introduced in my spiritual pursuits- Sri Kameswarananda Natha (Arulshakti Nagarajan Guruji) of Sri Vidya tradition and Yokamba (Anuradha Mami) who added further insight. I was drawn like a 'sparrow' to Shirdi by my uncle Dr.K.K. Balachander, to Kanchipuram by my friends, to Tiruvannamalai by my family and to Belur Math by Smt. Shyamala Sundaram.