Yamini Krishnamurthy : A once-in-a-generation artist

Yamini Krishnamurthy, one of the foremost Bharatanatyam dancers of India who put Kuchipudi dance on a global pedestal, died on 3 August at the age of 83, bringing an era to an end.

Yamini Krishnamurthy was born on 20^th December 1940 in a Telugu-speaking family of artistic intellectuals at Madanapalli. Her father, Krishnamurthy was a Sanskrit scholar. As she was born on a full moon night, her grandfather named her ‘Yamini Poornatilaka’— a bright spot on the brow of night, nay light!  

She began her schooling in Bharatanatyam at the very tender age of five under the tutelage of that great Guru, Rukmini Devi Arundale in Kalakshetra, Madras.  Later she had her training under the great Nattuvanaras — Guru Elappa Pillai, Guru Kittappa Pillai, Guru Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai, Guru Dandayuthapani Pillai, and Mylapore Gouri Amma.

She gave her first performance in 1957 in Madras. Her father, Krishnamurthy, a great scholar of Natyashastra, used to introduce her programme in his impeccable English. Her sister, Jyotishmati, wielding cymbals, used to conduct Nattuvangam. She had a very melodious voice. Duly supported by these two, Yamini, with her expressive eyes, deep knowledge of art form that reflected in her powerful and graceful abhinaya which was adorned with emotional depth, and commanding stage presence, not only transfixed her audience but also made herself the most admired dancer by 1960.

Yamini, for many, is a celestial nymph who descended from the Gandharva world to captivate everyone with her graceful dance. Her flashing arms and vivacious abhinaya made Rasikas gasp in wonder. Her every movement on stage was poetry in motion. Every Bhangimaa static posture was a sculptural masterpiece— indeed appeared as though plucked out of a temple and placed on the stage.  

This reminds me of what she said about her childhood visits to Nataraja temple in Chidambaram: “I was in the temple town of Chidambaram … I would visit the temple of Nataraja, the god of dance. It was entertainment for me to see the sculptures till the age of five years. I learnt the movements by observing sculptures. I was inspired by these sculptures. They settled in my mind and they would come alive in my body”.

The initiation of this already well-established Bharatanatyam artist in Madras into Kuchipudi dance style was the result of a dance teacher, Sri Vedantam Lakshminarayana Sastry’s encouragement. One day, he visited her house in Madras and asked her, “Being a Telugu girl why are you veering more towards Bharatnatyam and not imbibing the Telugu art form of Kuchipudi”. Her “father brought him to stay with them permanently”. It is thus under his tutelage that her ‘Tapasya’ for Kuchipudi dance started with the item, Dasavatara Sabdam. In one of her interviews, she said: “Kuchipudi’s vivacious Abhinaya, the scope for spontaneity, the fast-paced nritta, all suited my own nature”.  Thus she got “hooked” to it and indeed felt “fortunate to have trained in Kuchipudi under the trinity who shaped modern Kuchipudi: Vedantam Laxminarayana Sastry, Chinta Krishnamurthy, and Pasumarthy Venu Gopala Sarma”.

Having thus mastered the Kuchipudi style, she, with her alluring expressions, swift looks and fleeting emotions, not only evoked Rasa in her audience but by giving performances all over India, she won public adoration for her Kuchipudi performances. She was the first to present Kuchipudi in London at a Commonwealth conference. She performed Kuchipudi across Europe, Russia, America and many other countries.

She indeed enjoyed a long and stellar career in Kuchipudi art form that was dotted with many unforgettable moments. The most favourite and popular item of her Kuchipudi repertoire to the audience was: Krishna Sabdam. Obviously, when her sister Jyotishmati’s sweet singing of Krishna Sabdam in raga Mohana flowed in her mellifluous voice: Narijana manasa chora / Satakoti manmadha kara / Ratnakara Saama gambhira / Mahaameru samaana dheera / Kavijana poshaka mandara / para raja shatru samhaara … followed by the matching seductive but elegant and royal images of Lord Krishna portrayed in succession by Yamini Krishnamutrhy, audience were simply swayed into a trance. The highlight of this performance was: as the exquisite poetic images flowing out in chaste Sanskrit and Telugu through her sister’s melodious voice: Ra, ra, Yadhuvamsa sudhambudhi Chandra / Swami ra ra, (come Lord, come), Yamini, sitting on the floor, enacted matching hand movements duly supported by seductive fleeting glares, followed by mischievous pouts, all of which cumulatively made her abhinaya so powerful that the resulting Sringara rasa simply lulled the spectators into a distant world. No wonder if an infatuated one from the audience—as she told in one of her interviews—thinking she was calling him, walked onto the stage!

The other most sought-after item from her was Kshera Sagara Madhanam ballet choreographed by none other than Vempati China Satyam in which she played Mohini. After watching her performance in Kshera Sagara Madhanam, Dr S Radhakrishnan gifted her a “Bhama Veni”. Apart from audiences' preferences, Yamini Krishnamurthy had her own pick: Sringara Lahari shrtajana Sukhakari, a composition in Sanskrit by Lingaraj Urs in raag Neelaambari displaying the aesthetic grace of Goddess Saraswathi, the benevolent patron of all art forms, was said to be her favourite. As her first student Smt Rama Vaidynathan observed, Yamini Krishnamurthy was the personification of Sringara Lahari for rasikas of over three decades.

She even learnt Odissi from Pankaj Charan Das. He taught her Pancha Kanya repertoire. Later she learnt from Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra the last Astapadhi, Kuru Yadunandana candana sisiratarena karena payodhare from the Gita Govinda. At one point of time, she used to perform all these three types of dance forms in one evening's programme. Her sister, Jyotishmita used to conduct Nattuvangam besides extending vocal support for all these three styles of her dance. Her father gave the introductions to each of the items being performed. Coming together, the three of them making a terrific combination, enthralled the audience.

Yamini Krishnamurthy played a stellar role in popularizing Kuchipudi art form of dance that was then emerging as a solo dance form across the globe. She remained dedicated to dance. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that she offered her body and mind to the art of dance. That is what could have enabled her to cultivate an uncanny ability to own the stage and move all over with the grace of a gazelle. As those movements transformed into a swift and articulated swirls with a piercing gaze, audience were just left groping to "know the dancer from the dance". Thus, her performances, dotted by grace, precision, and emotional depth, not only electrified audiences but also won her many laurels both from national and international audiences.

The death of Yamini Krishnamurthy, as her contemporary Padma Vibhushan Sonal Mansingh said, “Marks the end of a glorious phase in Indian classical dance”.

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