Bharatanatyam exponent Bala Devi Chandrashekar on merging history with dance

Mauli–A Timeless Tradition is a Bharatanatyam exploration of the Pandharpur wari—the living, walking pilgrimage of the Varkari saints and devotees to Lord Panduranga Vittala. The work traces not just a destination but a way of life: humility, surrender, equality, and unwavering devotion expressed through song, poetry, and collective movement over centuries.

My approach begins with treating the subject as lived philosophy rather than material to be illustrated. For Mauli–A Timeless Tradition, the research was layered and rigorous—textual, historical, musical, and experiential.

I immersed myself in the writings and abhangs of the Varkari saints—Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Eknath, and Tukaram—to understand not just their poetry but their worldview: devotion grounded in humility, social equality, and direct personal relationship with the Divine. This was complemented by studying the historical evolution of the wari, its routes, rituals, and the way it functions as a moving spiritual community rather than a static institution.

Equally important was translating philosophy into the grammar of Bharatanatyam. I examined how ideas like surrender, nama sankeertanam, and collective devotion could be embodied through rhythm, repetition, spatial design, and restraint—often choosing simplicity over ornamentation. Every choreographic choice was tested against a single question: does this serve the spirit of the tradition, or merely decorate it?

With each production, my relationship to both form and content has become more distilled and intentional. In the early years, my focus was on demonstrating the breadth of Bharatanatyam—its narrative richness, technical complexity, and visual grandeur. Over time, the emphasis has shifted from display to distillation.

The most significant change has been in my choice of themes. I am increasingly drawn to ideas rather than episodes—to philosophy over plot, to inner journeys over external spectacle. While my earlier works often relied on strong narrative anchors, the later productions engage with abstractions such as surrender, impermanence, collective faith, feminine principle, and ethical choice. This has required greater restraint, allowing silence, repetition, and minimalism to carry meaning.

Stylistically, my movement vocabulary has become more economical and deliberate. I am less interested in virtuosity for its own sake and more invested in precision, clarity of intent, and spatial intelligence. The body now functions as a thinking instrument—capable of inquiry, hesitation, and stillness—rather than as a vehicle for continuous embellishment.

What has remained constant is the commitment to rigorous research and textual grounding. What has evolved is the confidence to trust simplicity, to let philosophy lead choreography, and to allow the audience space to reflect rather than be instructed. In that sense, the journey across these productions mirrors the themes themselves—moving steadily from form toward essence.

Across cultures, people connect to Bharatanatyam not through familiarity with its vocabulary, but through its intent. Even when audiences do not understand the language, mythology, or musical structure, they recognise sincerity, discipline, and emotional truth.

Bharatanatyam communicates through rhythm, geometry, stillness, and controlled energy—elements that transcend culture. Audiences may not decode every gesture, but they intuitively sense devotion, conflict, surrender, joy, or contemplation. The form’s precision builds trust; once that trust is established, viewers are willing to travel inward with the performer.

I have also observed that different cultures connect through different entry points. Some are drawn to the meditative stillness and sculptural quality of the form, others to its rhythmic vitality and relationship to music, still others to the philosophical depth and ethical questions embedded in the narratives. Bharatanatyam is robust enough to accommodate all these readings without losing its integrity.

When the dance is rooted in rigorous training, lived philosophy, and honest inquiry—rather than explanation or spectacle—it meets audiences where they are. In that moment, Bharatanatyam ceases to be seen as “Indian classical dance” alone and is experienced instead as a refined human language, capable of dialogue across cultures.

Awards such as the Natya Kala Visharadhaha are meaningful to me not as personal milestones alone, but as moments of affirmation for the path one has chosen. They acknowledge years of quiet, often unseen work—research, discipline, doubt, refinement—and the decision to remain anchored in depth rather than immediacy.

I see such recognition as a responsibility rather than a culmination. It reaffirms that scholarship-driven, philosophy-centered work still has relevance in a fast-moving cultural landscape, and that there is space for rigor, restraint, and integrity in classical performance today. Importantly, it also reflects the collective ecosystem that sustains an artist—teachers, musicians, scholars, institutions, students, and audiences who engage seriously with the work.

At this stage of my journey, awards encourage reflection rather than celebration. They prompt me to ask whether my work continues to question, evolve, and remain truthful to the traditions I represent. If they serve as a reminder to deepen that commitment and to contribute meaningfully to the future of Bharatanatyam, then they have fulfilled their true purpose.

What lies ahead is a continuation of the same inquiry, but with greater focus and responsibility. My upcoming work will deepen the exploration of philosophy-led Bharatanatyam—where movement functions as reflection rather than narration, and where form serves thought.

Equally important to me is mentorship and institutional work. Building thoughtful dancers, nurturing critical engagement with classical forms, and creating space for scholarship within performance practice are priorities going forward.

Rather than offering something “new” in the sense of novelty, what I aim to offer next is greater clarity—work that is quieter, more precise, and more uncompromising in its commitment to depth, integrity, and timeless relevance.