Rukmini Arundale - A Lifestory

This person, born in 1904 and living until 1986, was a big name in Indian art and culture, known for bringing Bharatanatyam back to life. She was more than just a dancer; she was a forwardthinking theosophist, a hardworking social reformer, and a strong supporter of the arts. Her life, from the early 1900s onward, showed her many talents and her strong wish to keep and share India's rich culture. She came from a rich family in Madras (now Chennai) and, even with the limits of her time, followed her love of dance. She learned different dance styles, but focused on reviving Bharatanatyam, a classical South Indian dance that was seen as less important then. Her hard work and new ideas changed Bharatanatyam, making it more graceful and elegant, while keeping its old style. She started the Kalakshetra Foundation in 1936, a famous school that still teaches dancers today. Besides dance, she was very involved in the Theosophical Society, working closely with her husband. Her work went beyond art, strongly affected by her theosophical beliefs, which focused on spiritual harmony and social change. You can see this in her dances, often filled with spiritual ideas, and in her social activism. Her effect goes beyond the stage; her help to Indian society and the arts still inspires people. Her work is a strong example of how art can change things and how important it is to keep our culture, as shown in the movie "Rukmini Devi Arundale" (a documentary from 2012). Many dancers today say she shaped the modern look of Bharatanatyam.