🪷 Padma Shri · Sangeet Natak Akademi Ratna

Nataraja Ramakrishna Garu

— The Living Encyclopedia —

నాట్యకళా చరిత్ర పరిశోధకుడు  ·  The Journey of a Dance Legend  ·  1923 – 2011

✦   Chapter One : Birth   ✦
BALI, INDONESIA
1923
🌴 Bali Born
Born on Bali's Hindu shores to Telugu parents
mother passes · age 3
💔
1926
Motherless
Mother Damayanti Devi, Veena maestro, passes away
family returns
~1926
⛵ Return to India
Family sails back to motherland
✦   Chapter Two : The Seeker   ✦
~1934
🏛️ Madras Math
Boyhood at Ramakrishna Math, Madras
then moved to
~1935
🕊️ Gandhi's Ashram
Met great souls, shaped his ideals
then studied
1936–41
🎓 Guru Shishya
Studied under Pillai, Vedantam, Rajamma
travelled north to Nagpur · age 18
✦   Chapter Three : The Crown   ✦
Age 18
👑 Titled 'Nataraja'
Maratha Prince crowns him after a royal performance in Nagpur
began writing at 15
✍️
Age 15
📰 First Articles
Wrote dance articles for Andhra Prabha for 1.5 years

"Lord Natraja has three eyes — the left eye is Andhra Natyam, the right eye is Kuchipudi, and the middle one is Perini Sivatandavam."

— Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna Garu
CM Sanjiva Reddy invites him to Hyderabad
✦   Chapter Four : The Builder   ✦
1955
🏫 Nritya Niketan
Founded dance school in Hyderabad — taught free, gave food & shelter
revived here
🪷
1955–70s
Andhra Natyam
Revived 2000-yr old devotional temple dance of AP
journey to Ramappa Temple, Warangal · 1971
✦   Chapter Five : The Archaeologist of Dance   ✦
💃🕺💃🕺💃🕺
1971
🔍 The Research
Studied Nrtta Ratnavali & 700-yr stone sculptures at Ramappa Temple, Warangal
years of study
~1975
⚡ Perini Shivatandavam Recreated!
700-yr warrior dance of Kakatiyas recreated from ancient texts & stone sculptures
sponsored by Government of India
✦   Chapter Six : India to the World   ✦
★ ★ ★
1970s
🇷🇺 Russia Tour
Comparative study of Indian & Western classical dance
then toured
1970s
🇫🇷 France Tour
Lecture-demonstrations, global fame for Telugu dance
and wrote
📚
40+ Books
Scholar & Author
Authored 40+ books on Andhra dance traditions & ancient forms
a lifetime of dedication honoured
✦   Chapter Seven : Honours   ✦
🏆
1991
Raja-Lakshmi
Award for classical arts
1992
🪷 Padma Shri
India's 4th highest civilian honour
🎓
–
Kala Prapoorna
Doctorate · Andhra University
👑
–
Swarna Kireetam
Gold Crown from AP art lovers
⭐
2011
Akademi Ratna
Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship
88
Years of Life
40+
Books Written
5
Languages
∞
Legacy
✦   His Words on Dance   ✦
"
🪷   Words of the Nataraja   🪷

"Perini is a derivative of the word Prerana — meaning invocation. It is a dance dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Supreme Dancer. A Perini dancer says to Shiva: 'I give you my body — come into me, and dance through me.'"

— Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna, on Perini Shivatandavam
The Final Stop
✦   The Final Stop   ✦
✦ ★ ✦
7 June 2011
🪷 Final Bow
Laid to rest beside Taramati Baradari, Hyderabad — as he always wished
నాట్యకళ అమరమైనది
The Art of Dance is Immortal
🪷 Padma Shri 1992 ⭐ Akademi Ratna 2011 👑 Swarna Kireetam 🎓 Kala Prapoorna 🏆 NTR State Award 🌟 Raja-Lakshmi Award 1991 📜 Bharata Kala Prapoorna