India is a country with amazing people of diverse talents and in every age and generation there must be someone to dazzle the world. In the past, Rukmini Devi Arundale was one of those who fascinated the world. She is an Indian dancer, choreographer and theosophist who has largely contributed to the revival of Indian classical dance. Although she is long gone, the events of Rukmini’s life and her accomplishments still resonate among the living today. She is a person whose legacy should be emulated by the younger generation.
Rukmini Devi Arundale – Biography,
The dancer was born on February 24, 1904, in Madurai, Madras Presidency, British India, to Neelakanta Sastri (scholar, engineer, public works department employee) and Seshammal, a great music lover. Rukmini’s family was described as an upper class Brahmin family.
Due to her father’s work, their family frequently moved a lot; It was during one of these resettlements and resettlements that his father was initiated into the esoteric religious movement Theosophy (Blavatskian). Dr. Annie Besant was deeply involved in the movement, which influenced everything that happened in her family, including determining the course of Rukmini Devi Arundale’s life.
While visiting the Adyar Theosophical Society where she went to learn about Theosophical thoughts and other aspects of culture like drama, music and dance, she met British Theosophist George Arundale and became friends with him. In 1920, when she was just 16, Devi married Dr. George, who was 44 – much to the shock and disapproval of society. However, since her father was late at the time, her mother, who was already seeing Dr. George as part of her family, was supportive of her marriage.
She became the first Brahmin woman to marry a foreigner and of course this had her family ostracized by Brahmin associates. Over time, and with the help of other Theosophists, the then strictly conservative society came to accept marriage.
Looking at her life today and what she experienced as she lived, it turns out that it was her marriage to Theosophists and her commitment to her movement that brought Devi Arundale to the knowledge of many people. With her husband, she traveled to several parts of the world, which allowed her to meet many like-minded people with whom she became friends. Seeing her commitment and zeal for the affairs of the movement, Rukmini Devi Arundale became president of the All India Federation of Young Theosophists in 1923 and in 1925 she served as president of the World Federation of Young Theosophists.
In 1928, she met Anna Pavlova then Rukmini Devi Arundale and her partner, Dr. George Arundale, a famous visiting Russian ballerina at the time, were attending her performance and were subsequently on the same boat with her en route to Australia, where his next performance was scheduled. Devi exchanged pleasantries with Pavlova and as the trip progressed, the two women became friends.
Devi then started learning dance steps from CleoNordi who was one of Anna’s main dancers. However, Anna felt her interest in dance would have a much greater impact if she focused on traditional Indian dances. This stung her and marked the beginning of the revival of dance forms from her homeland, which at the time was a mockery.
Rukmini Devi Arundale has dedicated the rest of her life to the revival of traditional Indian dance forms / Bharatnatyam also traditionally known as Sadir. She started under the tutelage of Mylapore Gowri Amma and then Pandanallur Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai. After sufficiently mastering the dance form, she made her first public performance in 1935 at the Theosophical Society’s Diamond Jubilee Convention.
Some of what she did in her revival of Indian traditional dance forms involved the introduction of designed costumes and jewelry, musical instruments such as the violin, lit stage design and even changing the name. from Sadhir’s dance to Bharatnatyam. The initial form of Sadhir was considered vulgar, but Rukmini Devi Arundale modified and made the dance an acceptable art worldwide.
life achievements
- She established the Kalakshetra, a dance and music academy in Adyar, near Chennai.
- In 1956, Rukmini Devi Arundale received the Padma Bhushan, which is the third civilian award given in India. This came to him for his contributions to the arts.
- A few years later, the Theosophist won the highest honor given to practicing artists in India – the Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Prize) from the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India’s National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama. .
- As an animal lover/rights activist, the Animal Welfare Board of India awarded the Prani Mitra Award to Rukmini in 1968 in recognition of his contribution to animal welfare.
- Other Devi awards include Queen Victoria Silver Medal, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, London, Honorary Doctorate, Wayne State University, USA and Scrolls of Honor, County and City of Los Angeles.
5 facts you need to know
1. Animal Rights Activist
Besides her career in the arts, Rukmini DeviArundale was a humanitarian activist and animal rights advocate who cared for all creatures. While there, the Animal Welfare Council of India was established under his chairmanship in 1962.
2. vegan
From the above fact, the next likely thing about Rukmini Devi Arundale will be her abstinence from animal products and yes, she was vegan. The dancer promoted vegetarianism in India, and from 1955 to 1986 she was vice-president of the International Vegetarian Union.
3. children
Rukmini Devi Arundale and Dr. George Arundale lived happy lives while they lived. Her husband who was 26 years old and her senior was a mentor and also encouraged her in pursuing her career. Their union, however, did not provide for the birth of a child.
4. Presidency
In 1977, Morarji Desai offered to appoint Devi Arundale as President of India, but she declined.
5. death
For everything that has a beginning, there must be an end, Rukmini Devi Arundale breathed her last on February 24, 1986 in Chennai, India, at the age of 82.