Thread by @veejaysai

Veteran Bharatanatyam dancer, writer and speaker Lakshmi Viswanathan passed away this morning in Madras. She was 79 years old.

Atma Shanti 🙏🏼

Lakshmi came from a family of artistes and art patrons. She was the daughter of K Viswanathan, the younger brother of the famous Tamil movie director K Subramanyam. Dancer Padma Subramanyam is her first cousin.

Lakshmi began her training in Bharatanatyam in the Vazhuvoor Baani under Kaushalya, a disciple of Ramaiah Pillai. Later she trained under Courtalam Ganesha Pillai and Sankari of Kalakshetra. She became a disciple of Kanchipuram Elappa Pillai. Her Arangetram was held in 1953.

Lakshmi’s own sister Charumati was a disciple of the great Carnatic vocalist ML Vasantakumari. Charumati is married to Sangita Kalanidhi Trichur Ramachandran, one of the last students of GNB.

Though Lakshmi was a self confessed weakling in mathematics and Taalam and couldn’t take the rigorous training of the Vazhuvoor Baani, she excelled in the art of Abhinaya. She eventually trained in Kshetrayya Padams and Javalis, which became her forte in performances.

Lakshmi studied english literature at the Queen Mary’s college and was a gold medalist. She began writing for a magazine called Aside, then edited by the famous writer Abraham Eraly. Later she authored a book ‘ Women of Pride’, about the Devadasi heritage of Bharatanatyam.

Lakshmi and her family were close to the iconic Thanjavur Balasaraswati. Though she was not a direct disciple of Balamma, Lakshmi often said her dance was inspired by Balamma’s performances. Seen here are Balamma and her daughter Lakshmi Knight with Lakshmi and her mother.

Balamma congratulating Lakshmi after a performance at the Krishna Gana Sabha. Years later Lakshmi would give an endowment award in the name of Balamma for young dancers interested in Abhinayam.

Lakshmi was a regular columnist for many newspapers and Narthaki.com the famous website for all dance news.

She was honoured with the Kalaimamani by government of Tamil Nadu and Nrithya Kalanidhi by the @musicacademyma.

An excerpt from Lakshmi performing the famous ‘Mohamana’ Varnam.

I knew Lakshmi for, over twenty years. A wonderful conversationalist, full of wicked wit and laughter.

On my request, she not only learnt and danced this but left behind a fabulous recording! Very few could match her Abhinayam.

Go well, Lakshmi! Until we meet again! 🙏🏼

That is a beautiful Sringara Sankeertanam by Tallapaka Annamacharya. A good challenge for any dancer. But Lakshmi worked on it, we met several times at the Madras club, she took notes. She consulted several others. And called me for a rehearsal.

Later went ahead to record it.