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Matunga Dance School Celebrates 80 Years of Preserving India's Bharatanatyam Legacy
18 Oct
Summary
- Mumbai's oldest Bharatanatyam institution, founded in 1945
- Trained renowned dancers like Waheeda Rehman, Kamini Kaushal, and Gopi Krishna
- Honored by legendary danseuse Padma Subrahmanyam and Thanjavur royalty
In October 2025, Mumbai's Sri Rajarajeswari Bharatha Natya Kala Mandir, the city's oldest Bharatanatyam institution, celebrated its 80th anniversary. The school, founded in 1945, has played a pivotal role in preserving and promoting India's classical dance legacy over the past eight decades.
The anniversary event drew legendary danseuse Padma Subrahmanyam and Thanjavur royalty Shrimant Babaji Rajah Bhonsle Chhatrapati, who compared the institution to a banyan tree, with its branches spread across the world and sheltering generations of dancers. The school's alumni include film icons like Waheeda Rehman, Kamini Kaushal, and Gopi Krishna, as well as renowned Bharatanatyam exponents such as Vani Ganapathy, Sudha Chandrasekhar, Viji Prakash, and Lata Pada.
The academy's journey began humbly, with just four students when it was founded by Guru Govindraj Pillai and his sister Karunambal. Over the years, it has grown to become a guardian of a seven-generation parampara (lineage), tracing its roots back to the legendary Tanjore Quartet and other natyacharyas (dance masters) of the Thanjavur tradition.
