Udupi Laxminarayan

🪔 About

Udupi Laxminarayan was a distinguished Indian classical dance guru and choreographer, primarily renowned for his profound contributions to Bharatanatyam. Born on September 17, 1926, into a family of orthodox Sanskrit scholars, he initially pursued traditional Vedic and Sanskrit studies. His unexpected foray into dance began at the Bharatiya Nritya Kala Kendra in Dharwar, where he, while enrolled for Carnatic music, was drawn to dance under Srinivas Kulkarni. To further his classical dance training, he moved to Chennai and underwent a rigorous seven-year gurukulavasam under the Bharatanatyam maestro Kanchipuram Ellappa Mudaliar, from whom he meticulously learned the intricate Kanchipuram style. Laxminarayan demonstrated exceptional talent, passing the Government Higher Grade examination in dance with a first class in 1963. In 1962, he established his own dance company, "Bharatya Natya Manjari," later known as "Natya Manjari," in Chennai, an institution that celebrated its golden jubilee in 2012. He was a prolific choreographer, creating numerous innovative dance dramas such as "Dharmamoorthi," "Shilpiyin Kanavu," "Mayura Vijayam," and "Chandra Grahanam." Beyond the classical stage, Laxminarayan also worked extensively in the film industry as a dance composer at Gemini Studios, choreographing for many films and training well-known actors like Prabhu Deva. He also performed a Kathakali dance in the film 'Thirumalai Thenkumari'. A Sanskrit scholar, he authored the book "Natanattil Pudiya Paathaigal" and composed many dance items in Sanskrit, which his daughter Madhumathy Prakash later published as "Udupi Spoorthi Ranjana." He traveled globally as a performer and guru, propagating the Kanchipuram style. His dedication to his guru was evident in the annual "Guru Charana Smaranam" event he organized. Udupi Laxminarayan received several prestigious accolades, including Bharatanatya Chakravarthy (1985), Karnataka Kalashree (2002), Acharya Choodamani (2002), Kalaimamani (2003), Natya Kalanidhi, and the Nartaka Award (2010). He passed away on March 17, 2015, in Chennai, leaving behind a rich legacy continued by his daughter Madhumathy Prakash and granddaughter Mamtha Rao. Awards & Honours: Bharatanatya Chakravarthy (1985), Karnataka Kalashree (2002), Acharya Choodamani (2002), Kalaimamani (2003), Natya Kalanidhi, Nartaka Award (2010).