Born in the temple town of Madurai in 1964, Nataraj took early interest in the arts and fell in love with dance watching local drama troupes. Nataraj and his friend Shakthi, were young when they realised that they were born different.
With contradictory feelings about their gender and driven by social insensitivity, the duo were forced to leave home. But Nataraj’s love for dance kept drawing him back to events and festivals.
With nowhere to go, they took up petty jobs to take care of their daily needs. “It was sheer struggle and rejection. I am glad I had someone like Shakthi who never gave up on me. We faced all our struggles together,” says Narthaki Nataraj.
Nataraj searched for a guru who would accept him, and finally found one in the legendary Thanjavur Kittappa Pillai in 1984.
As he pleaded his heart out, hoping to be accepted, Kittappa rechristened him Narthaki Nataraj.
Reminiscing how she landed at the doorstep of her teacher K P Kittappa Pillai, Narthaki says, “He agreed to teach me. He also offered me and Shakthi a place in his gurukulam after almost a year.”
Today, Narthaki is one of the leading performers of the Thanjavur bani. “I trained hard for 15 years to show my teacher that I was among the best. I succeeded in my endeavour and he named me ‘Narthaki Nataraj’. That’s when I realised that my life had a purpose,” she shared.
Narthaki is active in preserving and propagating the rare compositions of Kittappa Pillai’s ancestors, the Tanjore Quartets. An expert in performing and practicing the Tanjore Nayaki Bhava Tradition as practiced in ancient Tamil Temples, Narthaki started her own school, Valliambalam School of Dance. “The school has branches in the US, UK and Canada, and my passion for Tamil literature has often been reflected through my dance,” she explains.
Narthaki says she is in a trance on stage, and that’s how she breaks boundaries. “I get elevated to a different level. I forget myself and perform. People from the audience have told me that they have had divine experiences during my performances. I don’t do anything special; it is just the energy at that moment that passes into all of us,” she shares.
She is a Bharatanatyam exponent and specialises in the Thanjavur-based Nayaki Bhava tradition. Transcending different identities, breaking gender barriers and propagating the rich cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu in different parts of the world, Narthaki Nataraj has come a long way. “Dance has made me what I am today and helped me face the struggle that I went through in the initial years,” she says.
A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Narthaki talks about her dance recital on Konjum Tamizhil Thanjai Nadanam that was staged for the first time at the Osaka Museum of Ethnology, Japan.
“Three years ago, I presented a dance recital at University of Madras, which had a lot of research-based elements on Tamil Sanga Elakiyam (Sangam literature), traditional folklore identity and culture of worshipping idols. What I did not know was that a group of professors from Japan had keenly observed this and loved my research,” she explains.
Impressed by her talent and knowledge on the subject, the professors attended and documented all her recitals. “After this, I received an invitation from the Osaka Museum of Ethnology to perform for people from diverse backgrounds. I was very happy when they asked me to choreograph a set that reflected the rich culture of Tamil Nadu. What more can an artist ask for?” she says.
Though breaking the gender crisis and emerging strong wasn’t an easy task, Narthaki seems to be at peace with herself and has come to terms with the changes in society. “I didn’t have a role model when I began. It was my grit, determination and the support of a few friends that has got me where I am today. People with such crises don’t need sympathy. All they need is acceptance and support,” she says.
Talking about the challenges that she faces, Narthaki has just one thing to say, “I am in the limelight and the problems I have to face more complicated. I don’t want people to watch my show out of sympathy and I have ensured that never happens. I am grateful that my talent has overcome all other criteria that people look into,” she says.
Narthaki specialises in widening her repertoire by dipping deep into Tamil literature. Keeping the style and form the same, she has choreographed songs of nationalist poets like Subramanya Bharati. At present, she is researching the history of transgenders in Tamil poetry and literature.
As sexual minorities across India fight for their rights and acceptance, Narthaki’s life stands as a shining example. Exclusion and derision didn’t stop her from performing. Her grit and belief gave her a vibrant performing career, which continues to enthral her audiences.
source:indianexpress