Guru Shishya Parampara

As we all know, Indian Traditional dance styles have a rich history spanning over two thousand years and more. That’s why it is as important as to generate awareness and interest in this artform among the younger generations. Moreover, this would enable them to truly appreciate classical dance, both as learners and as audiences. I believe despite the contemporary methods introduced in dance education in India, the traditional Guru Shishya Parampara, or the teacher disciple relationship has endured through ages. Regardless it’s often tempting to dismiss this traditional approach as outdated and ineffective.

However, I think it’s time to take a closer look at what Guru Shishya Parampara was in the past, what it is today and what it can be in future. In the historical context, the study of art was confined to a selective group of specialists, and within this group, there were hierarchies and power structures. But over the centuries, this landscape has changed and evolved.

So, what remains of the Parampara then? Well, the core idea of a teacher passing on their knowledge and skills to student still exists. Thus, the student-teacher relationship remains pivotal in shaping the evolution of this art form. Until recent past, it was the Vadiyars, not gurus, who taught their art to disciples, customizing their teaching to suit each students’ abilities. However, with time, art has become more institutionalized and numerous students from diverse backgrounds receive instruction from various teachers.

Now, with this vast and varied landscape, here are some questions that have always arose in my mind.

Can a genuine bond between a teacher and a student still be formed?

Can each student be given equal amount of concentration and exposure while many are learning in an umbrella?

Is it still a Guru Shishya Parampara or has it transformed into a modern institution with its own set rules and protocols?

Is this all for good?

To simplify this, let’s consider a scenario where an art teacher has a bunch of students, including their own children learning from them. How fair and objective is this teacher going to be in imparting the art to each of the students and their own child? Here, this brings up the question about power dynamics, the teacher’s authority, and how students should interact with the teacher? What unwritten rules and expectations govern their behavior? Is there transparency in how the teacher treats each student, including their own children? Are issues like nepotism, favoritism, abuse, impatience, neglect, or fairness at play at all?

Another question is why students often struggle to stick with one teacher for an extended period? Is the learning environment transparent, safe and positive? These are couple of essential considerations that I feel in the context of Guru Shishya Parampara.

However, often art is just proposed as spiritual. Spirituality is an extremely difficult path. Have seen individuals on it, & I can say, that they alone know the depth. It’s not a blanket rule that all artists are deeply awakened people and all artistic paths are spiritual. It is a great possibility but it’s not assumed of that journey. Using spirituality and elevating oneself to a level is questionable. If that were to be true, in the world of dance, this would be filled with saints and seers, not mere performers and artists.

While I do take issue with outright accusations against Guru Shishya Parampara and dismissal, its crucial for both students and the teachers of the art to reflect on what this tradition means to them and how they want to participate in it. The collective impressions and actions of individuals determine the current state of the system. If it’s flawed by abuse, power dynamics, nepotism, and servitude, then it’s a reflection of our collective behavior within the system. Although the system itself isn’t inherently flawed, it has served its purpose for centuries and will continue through meaningful practices. However, this shouldn’t be swept under the rug that the presence of abuse, nepotism, power games, favoritism and inappropriate behavior within the system. Many students find it difficult to speak out, several wrongdoers escape accountability, often benefitting from their artistic prowess.

Tradition should not be treated as a sealed box to be stored away somewhere. It deserves scrutiny both for its inherent worth and for the way it has been shaped by those who follow it. It’s relatively simple to criticize anything around, but it’s a significant responsibility to embrace it and pass it on.

In the realm of dance, it’s foremost for us to be profoundly honest with ourselves and confront the challenging questions with times to come. Let’s try to do that…!