Day of Love, Spring, of Hope, of Gratitude...

Priya Sakhi,

It was in 1986, at the Sovietskaya Hotel in Moscow. I was sleeping in my room when I got this call, `Priya darling, look out through the window, look at the snowflakes falling, it is SNOWING!', she said.

I jumped and shouted out... the excitement was because it was my maiden view of those light snowflakes falling! I had finally seen SNOW!!
 The experience was  special, because Sudha Aunty pointed that out to me. She knew I was waiting for snow for almost a week.  We were leaving  Moscow the next day and I was desperate to see snow, to see the flakes falling from up above! Moscow was freezing  but snow, till then, had eluded me!

It was another day in the early eighties when Sudha Aunty called for me from class and said I would have to do the announcing for a function. That day my voice training started. Keep it low but clear. It is Photo graphy, Choreo graphy... Now people tell me I speak well on the microphone! Commend me about what and how I speak.

Earlier Sakhi, I was  distraught! My dearest Appa was snatched away from me! I was barely in my 10th.... `Priya we are here for you', they said.  They cried with me, they made me laugh, they gave me words of wisdom... Sudha Aunty and Vaadhyar ( Madurai N. Krishnan).

For Aunty, education was very important. Her students  had to do well in school and college. While I did my M Phil, many of our students were studying to be doctors, chartered accountants, masters in natya, engineering,  special education....

She  had an enviable collection of books.   Our interest in academia  was kindled there.
We had a master to tell us stories from Mythology. A Sanskrit master to teach us theory and sloka-s.
A Music Master, Peria Anna (Sri. Srinivasan), to teach us music.
We went to Kalanidhi mami's classes at Asthika Samaja at Sudha Aunty's behest.
We had Master classes of other guru-s at Bharatalaya.
We had appreciation classes. We learnt about the fugue in western music We knew about the Graham technique, the Lemone technique...

It was another day in the early 90's,  when Aunty called me and asked me to sit as a 3rd person on stage to wield the talam for performances. I would not open my mouth but very often keep time, beating the universal  beat on my talam. Was criticised like hell! But Sudha Aunty stood firm! Then when Padmavalli teacher went away, I sat on stage and started quite confidently doing the nattuvangam.

It was in January 1994, they were waiting for me for a rehearsal. Priya is on time, she wondered.  She called me to find out if all is well... I said I am engaged-- she immediately sent` Bhai' with the car. The excitement was more as my fiance's (then) family was close to Sudha Aunty. So is it my daughter's or son's wedding she wondered?! She planned a romantic, candle night dinner with my husband.

SHE is a GURU. SHE is my friend. SHE is my philosopher. SHE is my mentor...  SHE is the one who shares her Art selflessly....

You think Aunty was like this with me alone? Everybody in Bharatalaya will have stories to tell... I have so many  more anecdotes to share and the others will have too. She makes time for each one of us.

Why am I sharing this with you today Priya Sakhi?
Today is the first day of Spring.
A day of Love. Of Hope.
Today is March 21st.
Today is Sudha Aunty's Birthday....

Happy Birthday Dearest Sudha  Aunty.